Government shutdown still looms

From the Arizona Republic:

With hours to go before the budget deadline Tuesday, there was still widespread uncertainty on how state government would function if Republicans did not reach a deal by midnight.

Officials in Gov. Jan Brewer office were developing a plan to ensure all public-safety functions of the state could be carried out today regardless of the budget situation.

Prisons, the highway patrol and an emergency-response team at the Arizona Department of Transportation are among the public-safety functions likely to be included in any temporary funding. Scores of other government agencies, from the Motor Vehicle Division to Child Protective Services, would likely close.