Imagine having a School of Innovation where we teach young San Francisco students to think creatively for the ever changing jobs of the 21st century that demand constant innovation.
I propose that the new MUD Board sponsor a high school, a School of Innovation, where we train a diverse group of San Francisco students for the jobs of the new Utility District. We teach them to think creatively, to take initiative in solving problems and developing new products, procedures, and solutions to the complex problems of the 21st century. We teach them to be skilled at many jobs and we offer them good paying jobs, diversely interesting job opportunities, the lifetime job security common in the 1950's, AND affordable company housing in San Francisco.
Imagine a public utility company where employees, management, and customers work together for their mutual benefit.
Imagine San Francisco becoming the world leader in the development of underground utility infrastructure and related products; and that we fund a 21st century City by the development and marketing of these products.
I propose putting together a group of experienced blue-collar construction workers who have a lifetime of experience with the problems of water and sewage management and underground utilities, a group of very creative thinkers, and a few patent attorneys. I propose that we in San Francisco develop a new composite underground utility pipe that provides for all eight underground utilities all in one pipe. I propose that we develop, test, patent, and implement this composite pipe under the streets of San Francisco in a twenty-year development plan and that we fund the latter portion of this massive project from proceeds of product patents.
Imagine anticipating future shortages in electricity and water supply and acting today knowing that there will be many severe problems due to increased demand of a ever growing population.
I propose that we imagine what future shortages which might occur and plan to be prepared for them. We will someday run out of oil and we will have severe droughts and a limited clean water supply with growing demand. We need to stop electing politicians who only plan from election to election, who only react to crises, not anticipate them.
Imagine having an inexhaustible supply of clean electricity as we now have a secure supply of clean water in San Francisco.
I propose that we plan ahead and developed sources of wind energy in the Great Plains. In the early decades of the 20th Century forward thinking San Franciscans bought land, secured property rights, and easements on land in other parts of California that provide the supply of clean water and electricity that we enjoy today.
We need to buy land or air rights above farm land in the Great Plains and develop wind farms that will provide San Francisco a secure and inexhaustible supply of clean electricity for the reminder of the 21st century. We need to look at what super conducting materials are being developed that we could implement for transporting this clean energy to San Francisco users and some to sell to our neighbors.
Thoughtfully investing in infrastructure for the future is what a wise elected official needs to do. We cannot wait for 20th century politicians in Sacramento and Washington to think of this for us, because they won't.
Jim Reid
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