By MARTIGA LOHN and PATRICK CONDON
Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Parks, road projects and rest stops are just a few of the first noticeable casualties now that Minnesota's state government has closed for business. State worker layoffs could be next.

The state government shut down just after midnight, the victim of an ongoing dispute over taxes and spending between Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative majorities.

Even before the final failure, officials padlocked highway rest areas and state parks, herding campers out. The full impact will hit Friday morning as thousands of laid-off state employees stay home until further notice and a wide array of services are suspended.

The shutdown came after a day of fitful negotiations. The two sides remain fundamentally divided over how much the state should spend the next two years.