state + local

My tax money (along with every other tax paying Minnesotan) funded the Parks in the past, therefore if I/we choose to go to one of my/our tax funded state parks, I/we will do so. For them to close these Parks on the eve of a Holiday weekend is a slap in the face from our dearly unbeloved elected officials. I hope they know their terms end with this. If they think they will be re-elected after this fiasco, they got another thing coming. Like walking papers. My sentiment is aimed at ALL politicians involved with letting this shut down happen. Democrap and Republicant alike. This is horrible on so many levels. Regardless if it is a holiday or not, they should be sitting in Dayton's office trying and trying to come up with something. Not 'enjoying' the holiday. They are rich, and can afford to 'enjoy'the holiday while most of Minnesota is suffering. The actions of our politicians are reprehensible.

Apparently Amy Velasquez has been living in a cave the past week if she was surprised the rest areas were closed, but whatever. If she wants to be ignorant of current events, that's her business. But pretty sweet to hear that people are going to Gooseberry Falls despite the shutdown. I think I'll go there myself this weekend, if for no other reason than to say "State Government, we don't need you anywhere near as much as you think we do!"

Who paid for the parks in the first place, it should be illegal to prevent people from enjoying the parks. I've never needed assistance to enjoy them.

We went by three closed rest areas on the way up here," said Amy Velasquez, who drove from Coon Rapids with her husband, Raul, and their children Natalia, 6, and Marco, 4. "It surprised me that those would be closed." ..oo00O00oo.. And where did they go once they got to the park?

"Who paid for the parks in the first place, it should be illegal to prevent people from enjoying the parks. I've never needed assistance to enjoy them.".....Petty ignorance is still ignorance: without "assistance" the park would have no facilities, no clean up, no maintenance; all are necessary for people to enjoy them.

One would have to be oblivious to current events to NOT know that rest areas would be closed in the event of a state shutdown.

Rest areas require minimal upkeep and could easily be kept open. I hope every person visiting from out of state bad mouth this state and never spend another tourist dollar in it.

"Rest areas require minimal upkeep and could easily be kept open. I hope every person visiting from out of state bad mouth this state and never spend another tourist dollar in it."....Holy Toledo, would that be a good idea! Great for the economy, great for jobs, must be a republican concept. Are you a legislator by any chance?

The Dems must be sweating right now. A couple of days into a lock out and they can't spend any money. The withdrawal must be painful. But like all good Minnesota taxpayers, you will re-elect them all as your way of saying "Thank You Sir, May I have another"

Things the Tea Party lemmings in the GOP thought were more important than keeping parks open and compromising on the budget: "new abortion restrictions, curtailed collective bargaining rights, photo ID voting requirements, a 15 percent reduction in the state workforce, and a ban on embryonic stem cell research." The "job creators" Minnesotans thought they elected have turned out to be "job destroyers". Let's turn them all out in 2012!