There are MANY, MANY layers of government in the US. Where I live, we have: cities - townships - counties - states - federal. Each of which draw taxes and fund workers and projects.

Every single one has a current budget aside from the federal level. So most day to day, local work is getting done. It’s the broader federal work that’s unfunded right now.

So roads are getting fixed, but NASA projects are unfunded. Local fire departments are getting paid, but federal food assistance is not.

If we have a hurricane, then the federal emergency management agency won’t have a budget to manage it (but they’re pretty dismantled already)