gonna repost my response from your thread at rpg.net, see if it gets different response here than there.
4e needs:
Most sources of static damage bonuses to not stack.
Inherent bonuses as part of the game's assumptions, or all half-level attack and damage bonuses removed, all +X from weapons removed and the math reworked from there.
All classes make basic attacks with their primary stat.
feat tax fixes worked into whatever they were made to fix. (Assassin and Warlock, I'm looking at you. The assassin works if you give it 3 or 4 "feat tax" feats for free, and upgrade the damage on powers a little, like the warlock got)
Get rid of all feats now made redundant or useless by basic math changes, and new damage stacking rules.
Further reduce the feats by killing the super boring/redundant crap. Should be fairly obvious. Make multi-classing give auto access to power swapping at no additional feat cost. You can just swap one power per slot from the class you're MC'd into.
Make the classes work with PHB style and essentials style options being more smoothly compatible. Example: Rangers should be able to more smoothly dial between the fully martial power based PHB thing and the more nature magic using basic attack based hunter/scout thing.
Assume themes from the beginning. Adjust any math that needs to be adjusted accordingly.
Reduce number of attack powers, increase number of utillity powers, expand page 42 to a chapter if needed, and put that info in the PHB. Front and center. Make it very, very clear that you can improvise, and how the mechanics of improvisation work.
Some simple rules for playing gridless. Mostly, forced movement could be pushback, or call out a few examples of short range moving you could do, like pushing someone into being flanked, or pushing someone far enough away that they have to move in order to get to you again/you can move away without shifting, stuff like that.
a DnD 4e Basic edition that can be mixed with the core game without any conversion needed.
also, fewer items that are more broadly usable, rules for designing your own items, more weapon and armor properties, ways to make simple weapons as good as superior weapons, even if it involves feats like the spiked chain thing. Weapon "multi-class" feats shouldn't count as multi class feats.
obviously, print the skill challenges using the most current updated rules, but also include good guidelines for mixing skill challenges with combat, making multi scene skill challenges, etc.
Allow players to make money from making things. I know haggling works, but if magic items don't have stat bonuses, it's less of a big deal if players have a lot of money, and they can spend it one fun things like creating merchant businesses, buying an inn, building a castle, etc.
Don't "balance" rituals via cost.