The orchestra comes, hat in hand

As usual, they're lining up at the trough:

Legislative and community leaders are considering giving more ­public money to the Minnesota Orchestra as its yearlong labor dispute leaves the future of the state’s largest arts organization — and its stellar reputation — in limbo.

The orchestra seems no closer to settling than when the musicians were locked out on Oct. 1, 2012. Leaders, including former Gov. Arne Carlson, wonder why, if the Vikings stadium is getting $450 million in taxpayer money, the state can’t come up with at least a sizable chunk of the $6 million needed to resolve the orchestra’s deficit.

The obvious answer -- the Vikings shouldn't be getting $450 million in taxpayer money. Of course, most orchestra-goers rarely show up wearing Helga braids, so perhaps visibility is a problem. Maybe the orchestra fans ought to show up at the Lege next session, wearing white tie and tails while attempting to be recreate the Viking horn with an oboe.

But wait. Aren't the sainted Legacy funds supposed to cover this sort of thing? Too late; that money's already gone:

For one thing, the first idea that springs to many minds — using Legacy funds for an emergency fix — is moot. Accessing these sales-tax-generated funds, which have aided arts groups across the state since they were first made available in 2009, would not be possible until 2015, because the $26.7 million allocated for fiscal year 2014 already has been committed. Also, most of the grants have been for comparatively small amounts, distributed among a large number of the more than 1,600 arts groups, and a grant of several million would be an unusual step.

So what to do? Well, as usual Phyllis Kahn has an idea:

Dibble will co-author a bill being introduced next session by Rep. Phyllis Kahn offering another possible resolution of the orchestra’s woes — community ownership, an idea she previously floated concerning the Minnesota Twins. While both orchestra musicians and management are remaining mute on this concept, others don’t count it out. “Just because it’s an old idea doesn’t mean it’s not valid,” Carlson said.

When your only tool is a hammer, everything becomes a nail.