Six Billion Dollars For Houston!

[jtmbin]

CNN reported today that the US is spending nearly $6,000,000,000.00 a month to be in Iraq. $72 billion a year. So, without getting into a lengthy pointless debate about the "war" - PLEASE!- I'm curious to know this from you all:

Since we apparently have this money to spend (no debates about this either), what if instead of spending it on a war, we gave $6B to each of the nation's 12 largest cities next year.

Considering that Houston/Harris County spent nearly $1B on the Toyota Center/Reliant Stadium/Minute Maid Park combined or that Chicago spent just $500 million on the incredible Millenium Park or that Seattle spent less than $200 million on the most incredible library I've ever seen, etc. It's a lot of money.

What would you have Houston spend SIX BILLION DOLLARS on?

Before you answer, consider:

ALL of the recent improvements to Hermann Park costs only $32 Million.

A new Central Library is estimated to cost $200 Million.

The entire Buffalo Bayou 20-yr Plan will costs $800 Million

http://www.buffalobayou.org/financing.html

The new Downtown Park will cost $81 Million

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/thiswe...ws/3445523.html

You could finance all of these and still have nearly $5 Billion left.

What would you do in Houston? (This means not Katy/Sugarland/Pearland/etc)

One Rule: Not a dime can be spent expanding or enlarging freeways.

Edited November 30, 2005 by jtmbin

[MaxConcrete]

CNN reported today that the US is spending nearly $6,000,000,000.00 a day to be in Iraq. $72 billion a year.

$72 billion per year is $6 billion per month, not day.

And if I had $6 billion to spend, I would spend it ALL on freeways and streets. Well, maybe I would set aside a couple hundred million for parks.

[dbigtex56]

And if I had $6 billion to spend, I would spend it ALL on freeways and streets. Well, maybe I would set aside a couple hundred million for parks.

After you've succeeded in paving everything, where are you going to put the parks?

[Jeebus]

After you've succeeded in paving everything, where are you going to put the parks?

In little glass displays at musuems so my children can marvel at what used to be.

[RedScare]

As a concession to Max Concrete, I would spend a couple of billion trenching or tunnelling the Pierce Elevated and US 59 around downtown. I would use the next couple of billion acquiring and upgrading Houston's park system. The last couple of billion would go toward finishing the initial phase of light rail, currently slated to be completed by 2025.

Next year, I would complete the Buffalo Bayou Project and run commuter rail to Galveston, Angleton, Richmond, Tomball, Katy, Hempstead, Conroe and Kingwood, via IAH.

[nmainguy]

I'd support funding a world-class public school system first. I don't mean trying to fix the perpetually corrupt and broken HISD either.

I'm talking about getting first rate teachers who would get paid what they truly deserve; put 1 billion in an endowment strictly for teacher recruitment and pay raises based on merit. I would dump Bush's inept and useless "teach to the test" mentality as we wouldn't be beholden to federal funds. UhOh-that might mean reinstating art, foreign language and music education.[GASP] Would that create a too well-rounded student who might end up with some original ideas in preparation for higher education [if he/she so chooses]? I would also offer vocational training for students choosing to opt out of higher education

At the same time I'd renovate the entire physical plant of Houston schools-somewhat like they are doing at Reagan HS.

I know, I'm just a tax and spend Liberal-but you get what you pay for, people-and these kids will be running things when you are retired. So, Yo! you wan sumeone who cant do rithmatic, kompoze a kumplete sentace spueling and to run the kuntry huh do yous?

[The Great Hizzy!]

- I would spend at least a billion building legitimate sidewalks and curbsides in those neighborhoods within the city limits that don't have them, particularly along streets that are already narrow and flanked by drainage ditches (read: most of NE Houston and the extreme Southside).

- I would get with Reliant, TXU, whomever and find out how much it would cost to place major powerlines underground and then subsidize (within reason) the effort to do so.

- I would put together an anti-litter/beautification task force that does more than just talk tough about enforcing anti-litter laws but actually does something about it, such as policing commercial entities that do a poor job of maintianing their properties or holding waste removal companies (such as Waste Management) accountable if they are not removing waste in a neat and tidy manner. Furthermore, I would provide staffing that would do a better job of removing debris from medians and roadways that are not under the jurisdiction of an active HOA. Finally, this entity would be a lot more proactive in cleaning up graffiti and patroling properties that would more often than not be primary targets for taggers.

- I would increase HPD's street officer count by 25%, including the expansion of substations to areas that could use them.

- I would fast track completion of the Buffalo Bayou 20-year Plan, including the purchasing of properties that might pose a deterent to the expansion of the bayou and the waterways that would feed into it.

- I would fast track an intermodal facility on the Near Northside adjacent to Hard Yard, building infrastructure that would otherwise not be included in METRO's 2025/ METRO Solutions plan.

[TJones]

Whole thing goes into the bank to earn interest and I pay as I go to get projects done on time, with penalties occuring if not completed, and rewards for every day completed before expected. The whole time earning interest to finace other projects later.

[west20th]

Whole thing goes into the bank to earn interest and I pay as I go to get projects done on time, with penalties occuring if not completed, and rewards for every day completed before expected. The whole time earning interest to finace other projects later.

Fat chance any government entity would do anything that sensible.

[TJones]

Fat chance any government entity would do anything that sensible.

[jtmbin]

$72 billion per year is $6 billion per month, not day.

And if I had $6 billion to spend, I would spend it ALL on freeways and streets. Well, maybe I would set aside a couple hundred million for parks.

Sorry - BrainBurp

[Houston19514]

Here's a thought...

If you don't want to talk about the war, and don't want others talking about the war, then don't start a thread TALKING ABOUT THE WAR.

What does this thread offer beyond the other recent thread "what would you do with 15 Billion Dollars?

[jtmbin]

Here's a thought...

If you don't want to talk about the war, and don't want others talking about the war, then don't start a thread TALKING ABOUT THE WAR.

What does this thread offer beyond the other recent thread "what would you do with 15 Billion Dollars?

It's not much different I suppose. I never saw the other thread. I don't read ALL of them. Besides, if you WANT to talk about the war, start your own thread. AND lighten up! If new threads could never be similar to a previous thread - this forum would have died a long time ago.

[Houston19514]

I don't want to talk about the war, at least not here on an architectural/development message board. My point (which apparently went right past you) was to object to your sly approach of trying to have it both ways... i.e., you get your "dig" in about the cost of the war while imploring others not to respond in kind. I'm quite familiar with the approach.

[Subdude]

Well, we should try to keep on topic in a given thread. If anyone wants to talk about the war there's a "Free Speech Zone" in Way Off Topic.

Thanks

[jtmbin]

I don't want to talk about the war, at least not here on an architectural/development message board. My point (which apparently went right past you) was to object to your sly approach of trying to have it both ways... i.e., you get your "dig" in about the cost of the war while imploring others not to respond in kind. I'm quite familiar with the approach.

Your smugness might lead you to believe that your "cleverness" went right me. Get over yourself. I don't need to make digs about the war. If you want to debate the war or Cheney policies or liberal vs. conservative theory - I'm game. "Bring it on" - is that familiar to you?

Otherwise, try not getting your nose bent out of shape because someone took an item from today's news and asked a question relevant to that news and to this forum. I do not care if you think it's relevant or not. If you don't, the easy, mature action to take is to not post to the thread. Let it go. If you are that sensitive, you might want to avoid public forums.

[Houston19514]

Your smugness might lead you to believe that your "cleverness" went right me. Get over yourself. I don't need to make digs about the war. If you want to debate the war or Cheney policies or liberal vs. conservative theory - I'm game. "Bring it on" - is that familiar to you?

Otherwise, try not getting your nose bent out of shape because someone took an item from today's news and asked a question relevant to that news and to this forum. I do not care if you think it's relevant or not. If you don't, the easy, mature action to take is to not post to the thread. Let it go. If you are that sensitive, you might want to avoid public forums.

Remarkable. If you "don't need to make digs about the war" then why did you?

You had to cook up a rather preposterous scenario (that if the war in Iraq were not going on the money could be re-allocated in equal portions to the 20 largest cities (and only the 20 largest cities)) in order that you could make your facetious claim that your question is relevant to the news.

You can't seem to understand even though I have stated it clearly and repeatedly, that I DO NOT WANT TO DEBATE THE WAR at least not here on an architecture/development board. There is a reason this board has an off-topic category. And apparently, since you made your little point and then begged people not to debate it with you, you don't really want to debate the war either. You seem more interested in just lobbing in a verbal hand-grenade and then standing back saying "Who, me?"

[Subdude]

One more time. Keep it on topic and away from personal arguments please.

[VicMan]

I'd support funding a world-class public school system first. I don't mean trying to fix the perpetually corrupt and broken HISD either.

I'm talking about getting first rate teachers who would get paid what they truly deserve; put 1 billion in an endowment strictly for teacher recruitment and pay raises based on merit. I would dump Bush's inept and useless "teach to the test" mentality as we wouldn't be beholden to federal funds. UhOh-that might mean reinstating art, foreign language and music education.[GASP]

Didn't HISD just recently unveil a plan to pay bonuses to the best teachers?

And yes, I do want more of all three.

If I had six million dollars, I'd spend it on improving the public transportation and school systems.

Edited December 7, 2005 by VicMan