The McMorran Solution:  Two new ideas by Jeff Ragan!

 

Time to think outside the box… after all, when it comes to the “big box downtown”, nobodies been thinking inside of it for the last 50 years…

 

1.        Let’s share this “Cultural Asset” with more people.  Why should the people of Port Huron, hoard the cultural benefits and civic pride of owning the McMorran complex.  Idea number one is not really my idea, just an extension of the current thought process of sharing the complex with the taxpayers/citizens of St. Clair County. This idea is being promoted by Cliff Schrader and others in an attempt to thwart efforts, by the city council to sell the complex.  As Cliff and his sympathizers point out, people outside the city sometimes use the complex, and the thought goes that if they owned part of it they would use it more.  Let’s share with Sanilac County, as well.  It would be an extension of goodwill to allow access to our neighbors to the north.  And while we’re thinking outside the box, let’s think outside the borders, and go International!  Rumor has it that Canadians love hockey.  If they owned part of our complex they would spend those valuable Loonies in our town.

 

By Cliff’s economic calculation, every dollar spent in McMorran turns over seven times before leaving downtown.  That’s a lot of comic books, hot dogs, and beers.  Before long, and with the combined effort of the Downtown Development Authority, Main Street, the Tourist Bureau, and other government agencies, the sea of new dollars splashing around downtown would attract new businesses to fill the ample and available store fronts.  In the meantime, the $350,000 annual deficit and the millions of deferred maintenance could be shifted to a larger base of proud owners.

 

The only problem is a legal and ethical one.  As Cliff points out, McMorran was a gift, in perpetuity.  Is it legal and moral to re-gift?  We should assemble a team of attorneys and ethicists (for balance), to find out.  It would be a shame if this opportunity to share the fifty year blessing, bequeathed to us, could not be extended to our friends and neighbors.

 

2.     I call my second idea “The Cuban Solution”.  It was inspired by an article in the March 29, 2008, edition of the Port Huron Times Herald, where it is reported that Raul Castro is allowing cell phones to ordinary Cuban citizens.  It is proof that the government trusts its citizens to communicate among themselves, responsibly.  They can even think for themselves, responsibly.

 

The article goes on to say that “the government controls well over 90 percent of the economy and while the Communist system ensures that most Cubans have free housing, education and health care and receive ration cards that cover basic food needs, the average monthly state salary is just 408 Cuban pesos, a little less than $20.00.  Cell phone service will be too expensive for many Cubans,”  Apparently, with $20 per month to spend on anything they want, they probably will splurge on other things.

 

In Cuba, they would solve the McMorran problem very efficiently.

 

A.   Change the name.  Mr. McMorran assembled his fortune in the lumber business, exploiting the common worker and raping the environment. The fact that his heir gave the Complex to the People of Port Huron, was just an act born out of guilt and probably involved tax savings that denied the people tax revenues and inheritance revenues that were rightfully theirs.  The new name could be “The Peoples Entertainment And Cultural Emporium”. “PEACE” for short.

 

B.    According to the Census Bureau, the population for St. Clair County is nearly 172,000 people.  Increase each household’s tax by $100.00 per person and you raise $17,200,000!  Now, give each person 12 vouchers to be used at the rate of one per month to attend an entertainment or cultural event.

 

C.   PEACE would be profitable, in fact it would be packed nightly with an average attendance of 5,600 people enjoying the events held at the Auditorium, Sports Arena, and Junior Arena. The events would be a financial bargain at $8.30 per voucher (free due to the tax!).  People who 

    find this a financial burden could probably cancel their Comcast as an entertainment alternative.

 

D.   Many new jobs would be created.  According to some economists, revenue from the PEACE facility would turn over seven times before it leaves downtown – that means $120 million dollars will be circulating downtown.  Think of the tax benefits alone – who needs a Casino?

 

E.    Some of the new jobs would involve special skills.  A Cultural Director would need to be hired that would select a balanced menu of events for the good of the people.  Perhaps a symphony, a historical lecture, something on the environment, a variety of sporting events, perhaps a circus…..the possibilities are endless. A person saddled with this awesome responsibility would need to be paid $125,000 to $150,000 per year, with a generous benefit package and adequate staff.  But the money would be there to do it.  They would not have to rely on advertising or promotion to get people to attend – people would have to attend or face fines.  The solutions are easy when you use the power of government effectively and for the good of the people.