re: What would it take to make NOLA great again?

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1. Repeal of state inventory tax to revitalize warehouse and shipping sector (this was a big factor in shipping moving from the Port of Orleans to the Houston Ship Channel in the 70’s)

2. A complete dismantling of the democratic party’s political machine in New Orleans to allow for better candidates from all parts of the political spectrum to have a realistic chance at being elected.

3. Massive restructuring of municipal government to reduce salary and pension costs while improving services (particularly for water, sewage, roads, and permitting/inspections)

4. Significant repeal of regulations on businesses and buildings outside of the French Quarter to reduce permitting delays and filing burdens for entrepreneurs

5. Better land-based casinos with sports gambling

6. Legalization of marijuana and prostitution paired with creation of a safe red-light district adjacent to tourist areas

7. Repeal of consent decrees which ban NOPD hiring from beyond Orleans Parish lines, along with massive reform of OT policies, increased training, and massive starting pay increase to attract new officers

8. Cleaning out the DA’s office and voting out of corrupt judges who routinely dismiss serious violent criminal charges and set absurdly low bail allowing criminals back onto the street to commit more crimes.

9. Intense focus on literacy education to ensure no children graduate from the 6th grade without being able to read and write.

10. Create a tax credit scheme to entice outside investment from white collar industries like advertising, software, and art design to attract young professionals to live in the city.

11. Incorporation of New Orleans East as its own city separate from the City of New Orleans with its own police, fire, utilities, government, etc. This would likely improve both areas as the East would be run by people who live there and care about its success, and New Orleans would no longer be drug down by the East’s significantly worse crime statistics. I would consider doing the same with Arabi as well.

12. Massive public works infrastructure investment to clean out storm drains, catch basins, prevent seepage, and largely eliminate street flooding from ordinary rain storms.

13. Clean Bayou St. John to make it an inviting and safe waterfront for boating, swimming, and fishing.

14. Connect MSY to downtown and streetcar system via commuter rail.

15. Reform streetcar system via technology and practices to make service more predictable, trackable, and reliable while continuing to expand streetcar lines to cover more and more of the city. That way, the streetcar can become a truly reliable way to get around the city for work and events rather than mostly being a tourist attraction. Perhaps the Canal Street line could be extended all the way to Lakeshore Park, the St. Charles line extended all the way down Carrolton to intersect with the Canal Street Line, and the Rampart/St. Claude line extended to the Industrial Canal at the end of the Bywater.

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Louisiana is almost if not dead last in education.

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Wolfgang Puck

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