Lofty plans vie for cash: Leaders push ideas for urban research center

Hat-tip to Pittsblog.

Lofty plans vie for cash: Leaders push ideas for urban research center 'To build buildings using the available resources, without building the entrepreneurial and research culture, I think that's a mistake,' said TechStar director Lane Brostrom. 'We don't have the critical mass of resources yet, so the question is: Where do you start?'

Both Byrnes and Brostrom are seeking political support for their respective plans. Given tight public finances, both have potential to stir controversy with their ambitious spending plans. Authors of both plans met last month in an effort to reconcile their aims.

Assuming that a compromise can be agreed upon, the question remains whether the plan can complement other efforts under way in Milwaukee, or whether it will overreach the city's capacity to generate patents and start-ups.

'The more of these organizations we have, the better it will be. It will raise the profile of the city,' Byrnes said.

Where do you start? Start at home. Start with the local kids. Start with the schools. Start with open source software. Start with open source software in government -- as a mandate. Eat your own dogfood.

Then kick things into gear with a YOUTH TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT. Build easy steps for local companies to interact with the young job pool. Make stars among the high school students, among the community college crowd, and among the leaders of those populations.

To reach for patents as a benchmark is a wrong-headed direction.

In Milwaukee, I've noted that they are trying to hire 40 new police as well. Platform.For-Pgh.org pointer

There there is the 'profile of the city' bunk. Screw that. Worry more about the 28 shootings on Memorial Day Weekend. Police staffing there has been short by 200 for several years. That sounds so much like Pittsburgh. Go figure.