State Leaders Ask for Aid to Help Minnesota Orchestra Dispute

Former Govenor Arne Carlson who was govenor of Minnesota from 1991-1999, announced that the Minnesota Vikings should contribute money toward resolving the Minnesota Orchestra lockout.

In a recent article, he said, "I can see the Vikings saying, 'We did get a very good deal from the state, so we'd like to be part of the solution. I think we should certainly ask them if they would do it. ... Just as the public contributed to the Vikings, I think the Vikings can be part of this solution."

Carlson further said, "The leadership has to wake up and realize that losing the orchestra is comparable to losing the Vikings. Let's act accordingly."

In addition, Minnesota Representative Phyllis Kahn promotes her bill, which would allow people to own stock in the orchestra. She says, "The purpose of a bill is that you get people talking about it, so they talk about what the structure should be. One of the things we thought about is we wanted to have a broad community ownership."

For more information on the Minnesota Orchestra, visit: http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/