How Could a State Shutdown Impact Maple Grove?

As the July 1 deadline nears for the Minnesota Legislature and Gov. Mark Dayton to decide the state budget, cities such as Maple Grove watch and wait to see what will happen.

Maple Grove residents are among the thousands of other Minnesotans wondering if the state budget will be approved in time to avoid a shutdown. At the city and school district level, officials share what impact the potential state shutdown might have on the city of and services and operations.

The Basics

The state is inching closer to a state government shutdown, as the Legislature and Gov. Mark Dayton struggle to find common ground. Republicans made concessions last week to various tax cuts, but Dayton called the moves “posturing” and let a 5 p.m. deadline pass on June 20. Some of the frequently asked questions  about a possible state shutdown are answered here at Minnesota Public Radio.

Local Impact

If a state shutdown does occur, the areas of operation and services impacting Maple Grove residents will be minimal, according to Maple Grove City Administrator Al Madsen.

“We are not hearing much from the state that has not been covered in the media,” he said. “We have been advised that our transit system will not be shutting down as the Met Council will still be operating. This is certainly good news.”

The status of current transportation projects around Maple Grove is a whole different story.

If a state shutdown occurs, Madsen said transportation projects such as Highway 610 and Bass Lake Road “will be impacted and construction work will have to be halted.” The Highway 610 project is currently scheduled to be completed by July 15.

“This poses a very serious concern to the Mayor, City Council and myself,” he said. “Highway 610 is so close to completion that shutting work down would be terrible.”

The city’s transportation projects involve federal dollars, Madsen said and should not be “held hostage” due to differences between the Governor and Legislature.

“The transportation portion of the state budget involves projects that are almost 100 percent funded by the federal government and these projects need to move forward,” he said.

At Osseo School District 279, Superintendent Kate Maguire shared an update of how a state shutdown could impact the district during her report at the June 21 School Board meeting.

“It will be very late in the month until we know what essential services may be funded and how that will impact our organization,” Maguire said to the board. 

Federal funds to school districts could be delayed if Minnesota Department of Education staff isn’t working, according to Maguire. 

“We project that our school district would receive $7 million less in July than anticipated, bringing our cash reserves to only $6 million,” she said, indicating a state shutdown continuing through August may result in the need for a line of credit for cash flow needs.

Other potential impacts if Minnesota Department of Education staff isn’t working, outlined by Maguire, could include delays in teacher licensing, completing required annual web-based reporting creating backlog of work when school starts and summer school students wouldn’t be able to complete tests required for graduation.

At this point, Madsen said there is little the city of Maple Grove can do to prepare for a possible state shutdown “other than try to convince the Governor and Legislature to approve the part of the budget plan that includes transportation.” He suggests Maple Grove residents “take action now” on anything involving state approval.

“Will there be a state shutdown? I certainly hope not as it will be tremendously costly to the state and in my personal opinion set back progress that has been made on a wide range of projects,” Madsen said. “There is no winner if state government shuts down.”

Latest Information

For the latest information on what is happening at the capitol and in the courts, Minnesota Public Radio keeps track on the latest happenings here.

Editor's note: Zac Farber and Chris Steller contributed to this article.