What would you do?

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Anthony_Hugo98
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What would you do?

Post by Anthony_Hugo98 »

Here’s the take. You’re given a $1,000,000,000 fortune, and you’re free to use it however you want toward projects in the city. What projects do you finance, and why?
earthling
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Re: What would you do?

Post by earthling »

Invest it within foundation(s) and then apply most interests/gains to whatever the current weaknesses are in the city per year. Don't blow the $1B up front. Some current KC weaknesses are violent crime, lack of major research university, lack of enough philanthropy toward open public uses for starters. Throwing money directly at these is probably not best approach. Fund some of the best thinkers in these areas who can come up with a plausible strategy and then fund the strategy annually, adjust if not working until problem resolution hits relatively decent target and can be handed off to appropriate org/entity who can manage it from there w/out foundation. Move on to next issues with city for that time. Rinse/repeat.
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beautyfromashes
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Re: What would you do?

Post by beautyfromashes »

- Fund a REIT to purchase buildings rapidly scheduled for demolition.
- Start construction/training business rehabbing and building houses on the East Side in mass. Goal: 100 homes/year.
- Endow and build world class Engineering school at UMKC to rival MS&T and WashU.
- Large donations to NLBM and WWI Museum for large scale expansion and programming.
- Signature tower, just because.
Last edited by beautyfromashes on Thu Mar 04, 2021 1:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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FangKC
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Re: What would you do?

Post by FangKC »

Seed research university expansion.
flyingember
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Re: What would you do?

Post by flyingember »

Water conservation.

We are heavily reliant on rivers that come from the west for our drinkable water. These rivers are reliant on decreasing snowpack levels.

The long term viability of the metro requires us to use a lot less water. A prolonged water shortage is the quickest way to kill people and initiate a mass migration.


One really easy one to start with, ban new lawns and push to replace with native plants. There's a lot of people who would happily tear up their lawns and never water or mow again.
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alejandro46
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Re: What would you do?

Post by alejandro46 »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewing_Mar ... Foundation

Kauffman Foundation is a good organization and seem well run. Focus on entrepreneurs creating new businesses who will invest back into Kansas City in the future. $2.0 Bln endowment.

Also, I would fund a super PAC to unseat Theresa Loar and well as fund a campaign to create a regional Transit Initiative. $50m should be overkill.
flyingember
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Re: What would you do?

Post by flyingember »

alejandro46 wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 12:47 pm
Also, I would fund a super PAC to unseat Theresa Loar
I was intrigued how much work it would be to recall someone on the council.

30 days to submit signatures after filing the claims against them to the total of 20% of the last mayoral vote

13392 signatures needed or 478 per day across four weeks

With 10 locations at once that's 47 per location per day.

Not unreasonable as a goal. I have no idea if it's realistic but it's plausible it could happen.
brewcrew1000
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Re: What would you do?

Post by brewcrew1000 »

- De-Annnex the Northland
- N/S Road Diets on Main, Broadway, SW Trafficway, Gilham and Troost from River Market to the Plaza
- StreetCar Extension on Independence Ave, and another Route starting at Armour/Paseo traveling west to Broadway then south on Broadway and Over to 39th/StateLine - These 2 routes would cover a fairly dense part of a city and provides easy access to a major business center (KU Med)
- Branding Campaign to Change the Name of the City
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Highlander
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Re: What would you do?

Post by Highlander »

1. Significant contribution to UMKC endowment ($800 MM) with explicit purpose of boosting an area of study that could make a substantial impact on the region (e.g., Engineering or Health Studies).
2. Give $60 million to the zoo for a North America exhibit that would include a Missouri and Great Plains component (that would include cloned black footed ferrets).
3. Reserve the remainder for start up companies with the stipulation they be located in the general Crossroads/Downtown area.
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Re: What would you do?

Post by shinatoo »

I would open a Payday/Title loan in all the disadvantaged communities.

We would charge reasonable interest rates that you could lower by taking personal finance classes.

Then we would fund a bank that caters to low income people.
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