St. Paul , Minnesota ( CNN ) -- Seventeen-year-old Claire Thomas has found the silver lining in Minnesota 's government shutdown : she gets to spend more time with her two mothers on her summer vacation . Toby McAdams and her partner , Wendy Crowell , were both included in the mass layoff that left more than 20,000 state workers jobless . `` It 's actually a little bit nice to have my mothers home for a teency bit , '' said the soon-to-be high school senior . `` But if it 's ( going to last ) months , I ca n't imagine . I mean already my mom is wandering around a little lost , because she wants to work . ... Both of my moms ' jobs are so important to them . '' McAdams , 43 , has worked for the state for 17 years , currently in the office of emergency preparedness , and Crowell , 50 , studies invasive species for the Department of Natural Resources . Both their jobs were deemed `` nonessential '' by the state , thus they 've been laid off . They 'll receive benefits but no pay , and there 's no guarantee they will keep their jobs when all is said and done . Coming spending cuts could be significant when or if a new state budget is finally agreed upon . Democratic Gov . Mark Dayton offered a budget proposal that included a mix of spending cuts and tax increases to offset the state 's $ 5 billion budget gap , but Republicans in control of the legislature have thus far refused to budge on any plan that includes a tax increase . The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported this week that 138 legislators are still collecting paychecks during the shutdown , while 62 have declined to accept the checks . iReporter : `` I 'm not sure I can wait for my job to come back to me . '' That news certainly does n't make McAdams ' and Crowell 's layoffs any easier to swallow . `` It 's hard . I miss my job , and I miss doing the work that I know is so important for Minnesota , '' McAdams said . The couple worry that , should this continue very long , they 'll have to tap into a college savings fund they set up for Claire and her younger brother , Adam . `` I 'm counting on our family to have a safety net if something bad happens , '' Claire said , just minutes after a brief discussion with her parents over lunch regarding the varying costs of her top college choices . The family has also had discussions on how to cut back with everyday trips to the grocery store . Claire , who also works part time at a nearby farm , has an affinity for `` fancy '' food , which is organic and chemical-free . Doing the family 's shopping will be tougher . `` I would have to compromise my values a little bit ... I would buy cheaper things , buy cheaper milk , '' she said . `` But I work at a farm ( so ) I can use the surplus there , and it helps that we have a garden . '' Aside from the financial effects , McAdams and Crowell worry what a lack of government services -- and thousands of employees -- will do to the state long-term . `` Things are going to get worse , and we are n't going to be able to do anything about it . So it 's going to be painful to watch , '' McAdams said . `` Minnesota wo n't be such a nice place to live after a while . '' `` We have legislators . And their job is to work out a budget for us , '' she added . `` I 'd like to see them do it . ''
Government shutdown results in dual layoffs for St. Paul , Minnesota , family . Democrats , Republicans at odds on how to pay for state budget gap . Both parents ' jobs were deemed `` nonessential '' by the state . They fear they 'll have to dip into kids ' college savings to survive .