Minnesota's Democratic Governor Mark Dayton has agreed to concede to Republican demands in exchange for a few concessions on their end. This new proposal is an attempt to end the state's government shutdown, the longest in history. Numerous state services have been offline leaving 22,000 state workers out of work since July 1, when Dayton failed to reach a budget agreement with the Republican-led state legislature. In a letter to House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, the governor begrudgingly abandoned his hope to raise taxes on the wealthiest Minnesotans to bridge the $1.4 billion budget deficit. The emphasis is Dayton's:

Despite my serious reservations about your plan, I have concluded that continuing the state government shutdown would be even more destructive for too many Minnesotans. Therefore, I am willing to agree to something I do not agree with – your proposal – in order to spare our citizens and our state from further damage.

Dayton will agree to the Republican plan, but only if they agree to three compromises:

First, I will rely upon your public statements after the shutdown began that you have removed all of the policy issues contained on your list from our remaining negotiations and from legislative action this year…

Second, that you drop your arbitrary 15%, across-the-board reduction to the number of employees in all agencies, regardless of their funding source…

Third, that after all of the budget issues have been resolved in a special session, you support and pass a bonding bill in that session of not less than $500 million to put people back to work throughout Minnesota.

The governor is scheduled to meet with the Republicans on Thursday afternoon. If all goes well, Miller Lite could be back on grocery store shelves.

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Adam Clark Estes