Capitalism/Financial Crisis: ADVICE

As local, state and federal governments and agencies look to their budgets and programs, especially where there is a need to stimulate growth and provide jobs, here is essential advice. (This also applies somewhat to private capitalists, but to a lesser degree, helping more in where you locate facilities and also plan new product).

When you do your program by program examination of what you have and what you propose to do, as part of the review identify the multiple purposes of each program. Do not do this defensively, but do it honestly. Here is an example. I've seen a lot of kind of "arty" programs and projects supported in the past where they are characterized as "revitalizing a neighborhood" or "providing jobs." I'm not bashing arts, but I want to use the example of building a museum to make the point. In the past I've seen local governments decide to invest in some art facility because they hope that it will be a cornerstone of revitalizing a neighborhood, etc. Here's the problem: they "hope." They rarely know. Yet at the same time other essential service programs and other opportunities for revitalization are ignored or starved. This is because "ideals" and "assumptions" cloud the investment and budgetary decision making.

Now, here is where an idea to build a museum (to "revitalize" or to "provide jobs") would be a good idea because it is "multi-purpose." Suppose that it is located in a neighborhood that does not have a Boys and Girls club, strong after school programs, or sports and it INCLUDES in the building of the museum a staffed and safe community center. This way you provide multiple benefits in one decision: 1) you are motivated to locate the theoretical "new museum" in a neighborhood that truly needs the stimulation (even if on the face of it you think, "Huh?" put a museum 'there?') 2) you use the same building and utilities and potentially even the staff for two separate but compatible purposes, to provide art exhibition and to provide a community center that provides real sports, after school programs, and creative activities for the neighborhood's youth, on a large scale, and safely 3) you will get more benefit from infrastructure (road, parking lot, etc) improvements because in all likelihood that area was already deficient 4) you might offset some expense in the long run if educational success of the area is raised and crime is lowered.

Now I know that it's unlikely people are pondering such projects, but keep this in mind for all sorts of projects, such as sports stadiums. I think that people should consider housing a separate but compatible beneficial use for the community (a real one, one that is staffed, secure and is needed, not dedicating an empty room and calling it a "community center") so that great public works projects (including private ones that get tax breaks) are not single purpose. Further, you need to consider "multiple use" in even the types of projects that most are thinking about today, such as public works to improve infrastructure, such as roads and bridges. Use this time to decide if that road or bridge has impact beyond just being safe to drive. In other words, revisit plans and think about if a change in the plans might solve several problems, such as relieve congestion or safety issues, steer motorists toward areas that need the stimulation of more potential customers. Don't feel stuck investing in fixing a road just because it is there, if perhaps the community would prefer a rerouting that supports multiple purpose (restore communities to eliminate commuter traffic going through them, vitalize business sections that are bypassed, have more logical connections using bridges, etc.)

Be honest and have your planners look at each existing or proposed new project with "new eyes" to list the multiple purpose and benefits of each and re-assess and re-prioritize with that perspective and information where it would be advantageous. I hope that you have found this helpful.