What would you do with $10.5 million?
I had a great time at my campaign open house — connecting with some old friends and meeting new folks. 
We displayed a couple of posters on which people entered their answers to a question worded something like “IF the city had $10.5 million to spare, how should it be spent?” The responses were diverse, but no one suggested the Crestpointe project.
A few might cost more than $10.5 million, but several listed priorities would use only a tiny fraction of that amount ($10.5 million is a lot of money!):
RETAIL & BUSINESS PROPOSALS
* Sign for Jackson Square with a list of the businesses there
* New attractive light for Jackson Square (”pay attention to this great place!”)
* Grove Center needs generic sign showing businesses
* Subsidize new local businesses in existing retail space (that got one comment of “Amen”)
* Do what’s necessary to revitalize the Mall!
* Initiate and maintain a program to encourage and expand new small businesses
EDUCATION AND ARTS
* Education! and the arts (that got one comment of “I second that”)
* Fund school budget - keep schools strong - good music program - do not go backwards
* Full funding of school system - all those unfunded mandates!
SENIOR CENTER, ETC.
* Build a new senior center and preschool
* Build or acquire senior/community center SOON (that got comments of “I second that!!!” and “I third this motion”)
OTHER LOCAL PROJECTS
* Bike lanes on all thoroughfares
* Invest in the preservation of the north tower of K-25 to jump start massive heritage tourism in the city
* Make Oak Ridge a leader in fighting global warming
* Make Oak Ridge a leader in energy-efficient homes and businesses
* Be part of a regional passenger rail system (that got a comment of “I second that”)
* Condos on ridge top (not Target), rent to city government operations as income
LAW ENFORCEMENT PROPOSALS
* More video surveillance cameras throughout the city
* More police officers
FINANCIAL PROPOSALS
* Pay down debt, borrow no more
* 5 kegs on the 18th hole and put the rest in the bank, hedge funds, and my business in order to get 6% to 8% return for schools
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Great group of people. I hope more talk like tonight gets around town.
Comment by Ray Kircher — April 28, 2007 @ 12:21 am