Shutdown creates local headaches

Published 4:12 pm Thursday, July 7, 2011

Protestors hold signs during a rally at the Minnesota State Capitol, Wednesday, July 6, in St. Paul. Minnesota stands to lose tens of millions of dollars in the nation's only state government shutdown, as lottery tickets go unpurchased, tax cheats go unpursued and 22,000 laid-off state workers collect unemployment and health benefits. -- Carlos Gonzalez/AP Photo/The Star Tribune

Opinions are like solutions to the state’s budget crisis: Everybody has one. Regardless of who they support, many local residents shared what they thought was the worst part about the government shutdown Wednesday.

Rachel Naatz

“I wasn’t really much affected by it. There’s some of my friends that have been affected. I feel bad for them. I’ve heard a lot about the state parks that have been shut down.”

Mahuzon Boko

“I’m African and I came here to the U.S. eight months ago. … My friends and I, we bought a car. We can’t do the driving test, though. We are new to this country. I start school now, I need a car.”

Kaye Lange

“I think we have got to get our act together soon. I really am very upset with our government. I am truly disappointed with how they’re handling it.”

Kate Jordal

“It doesn’t really affect me. I think it shouldn’t have come to this, but I’m not in charge. I think it’s a difficult job so I don’t try to judge too much.”

Kristine Iverson

“The big thing for me was the state parks shut down. I like to go horseback riding and my family goes camping. We had plans to go to Forestville last week, but finding out that we weren’t able to go was kind of disappointing for us.”

Mary Keenan

“The worst part is the inability of people to work together. We elected them to solve problems, not cause them.”