IMPLEMENTATION OF PLATFORM
This is my plan to implement DeSoto Economics First!
My main focus will be on the three main initiatives: The business owners, the workers, and the land zoning.
Here is a way to implement the plan.
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Like building anything great, this plan will cost some money to get it going correctly however, the long term benefit to the city and citizens should far outweigh the cost of implementation. We may need to shift some money from lesser important initiatives to fund these initiatives properly. Think of it like getting on a budget to get out of debt. The sacrifices are short term and a little painful at times but once you get out of debt you realize that it was all worth it.
In order for this to work properly we must fully fund the DeSoto Development Corporation. The city also needs to strengthen their parnership with the DeSoto Area Chamber of Commerce. It will play a crucial role in this plan to work.
The three main initiatives for sustainable organic economic growth are as follows:​
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First, we hire retired local business owners and a retired teacher specifically for the DeSoto Development Corporation who are solely focused on creating online educational courses and programs for entrepreneurs and business owners. An online portal needs to be set up for DeSoto business owners to sign up for free to access the content.
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Business owners will have access to speak with retired business owners on specific days via Zoom calls to answer basic questions. They will also have access to low interest bank loans in which the city has negotiated with the local banks as long as they are a part of the program. This program will only be for business owners who either live in or operate a business in DeSoto.
Second, we hire retired Managers or Executive Managers to create online educational courses and programs specifically for the workers. An online portal should be set up on the DeSoto Development Corp. website for DeSoto resident workers to access for free. The portal will have all of the resources they need to locate, train for and secure jobs. Their portal will also show them companies that have partnered with DeSoto and are looking to hire DeSoto citizens. It should also show approved trade schools connected with the DeSoto Economics First initiative. The plan will be to connect our local workers with our local business owners. This program will only be for citizens that live in DeSoto. This program should also be based out of the DeSoto Development Corp. We want to easily connect the workers with the businesses.
Third, our City Council needs to halt new residential housing for vacant land and focus on rezoning as much land as feasible over to commercial. Each commercial rezoning needs to be zoned for a specific, intentional, commercial use for our future growth in mind and in line with the DeSoto Economics First initiative. This initiative includes not only regular commercial buildings but also the eventual construction of high rise buildings for both commercial and mixed-use residential. This is the only way that we will be able to keep and attract the white collar workers and white collar business owners long term. No new building should be approved to be built on the commercial vacant lands until we as a city are able to sustain and accommodate the filling up of that building. It will only be sustainable when both Initiative #1 and Initiative #2 are up and running smoothly.
Current vacant commercial buildings need to be repurposed for small business/entrepreneur incubators. Just like the DeSoto Marketplace was repurposed for small business/entrepreneurs with products to sell, we need to repurpose other vacant commercial buildings for white collar business start ups. These buildings should be equipped with computer hookups and high speed internet service for every booth.
Also, a new Fire Station on the far north side of DeSoto with a High-Rise Ladder Fire Truck needs to be approved immediately without exception.
If we focus on these three main initiatives it will increase DeSoto’s economic viability well into the future and keep our citizen’s precious dollars circulating within DeSoto. When this happens all aspects of DeSoto will benefit.