Laid-off state workers came back to work today. One who works near my office fared very well. She has a moonlighting part-time job, and during the lay-off, she was able to work full days for seventeen out of the reported twenty days of the lay-off. Thus, she didn't even qualify for the unemployment compensation that would have covered half her paycheck.
I realize that most workers were not so lucky, that thousands of families had their July 4 holiday week-ends ruined by not being able to access the state parks, and small businesses related to governmental employment suffered a downturn. Governor Dayton ought to be very apologetic to those who suffered during the lay-off. Ultimately, he accepted a deal proposed by the legislature the week before the lay-off began. There was no need for the lay-offs.
The devil is in the small details yet to be worked out, and undoubtedly neither Republicans nor Democrats will be happy with the final budget. Still, that unhappiness is exacerbated by the fact that Dayton could--and should--have taken the deal when first offered, and not taken his blatantly political gamble. Had Dayton said "yes" to the deal when it was proposed, there never would have been the lay-offs. Will voters remember his foolishness? Let's hope so; this sort of political stuntsmanship does not need to be rewarded with a second term.
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