Rebuild New Orleans Now! - National Talking Points

Whether you are Republican or Democrat, most everyone agrees that it is taking far too long for New Orleans to rebuild. That's the topic of today's National Talking Points!

Here's a point that President Bush needs to hear: REBUILD NEW ORLEANS NOW!.

This talking point is simple: Set up a simple plan to rebuild New Orleans that is fair to everyone involved and will create regrowth immediately!

How, you say? Here's the plan.

Program to Rebuild New Orleans NOw! - Key Elements

1) Plat all previously flooded land that is under sea level. Make this plat a "development zone".
2) Form a "development zone" corporation where the shares are publically traded on a major stock exchange.
3) Everyone who owned land or lived in the "development zone" at the time of the Katrina flood becomes shareholders in the "development zone" corporation.
4) For example, landowners get a number of shares equal to their square feet of land ownership. Those who lived on the land, such as a renter, get a proportionate number of shares as the landowner.
5) The "development zone" is zoned and platted for development. For example, business, highrise, and recreational zones are created. All use of the land must be above sea level.
6) Bids are placed to build the infrastructure: roads, utilities, parks, etc.
7) The various zones are leased through auctions, with the monies from the leasing going to the shareholders of the "development zone" corporation.
8) Allow shares in the corporation to be used as collateral for guaranteed government loans.
7) Under the program, the original inhabitants of the flooded portions of New Orleans may start their lives anew elsewhere, yet have the benefit of reaping the wealth from the land they once occupied. Their shares in the development corporation, and the borrowing ability created, will give these folks an opportunity to make a new life elsewhere, or, to later come back to the rebuilt properties. Sea level is the key -- there is no good reason to rebuild structures that are beneath sea level. The structures in this rebuilding need to be consistent with the inevitable reflooding of the land. Only by placing the entire land area under a common development corporation will it be possible to redevelop the property consistent with the nature of the land. Further, only by placing the entire land area under a common development corporation will the overall value of the property increase sufficiently to amply allow both landowner and renter to profit hansomely.