Decaying roads
Decaying roads
We always hear about the shortage of trained/skilled medical doctors in Hilo, and we can all poke around the bushes for reasons why this is so.
But one never hears about a shortage of dentists in Hilo, so why should this be the case? They both have to spend serious time in university/medical school studying/training before being let loose to practice on the public, and Hilo remains Hilo — whether for a doctor or a dentist.
Is it because the dental business is subject to easier regulations set by local government and/or insurance companies? Perhaps. Or are folks paying more regular visits to dental clinics than medical clinics and thus spending more on dentists than doctors, resulting in increased income for dentists?
I think I have a more logical reason. The fearful state of Hilo’s street surfaces. Anyone having to commute up and down Waianuenue Avenue or Kinoole Street (among many, many others) more than four times a week rattle along so badly that their tooth fillings are shaken loose — to the point of falling out.
The last time I checked, Hawaii (and Hilo) is still part of the United States of America, where entrepreneurial medical professionals who recognize the value of the basic economic tenet of supply and demand will set up a dental clinic rather than a medical clinic.
The streets in Hilo are awful, whether state or county or managed by Harry or David (no, not the guys from the gourmet gift company). Both Harry and David and their crack (pun not intended) roads departments are guilty of allowing the streets to fall into such a serious state of disrepair that we the people have had to face an increase in taxes to fix them.
Why is this always the case? Have neither of these guys ever been in business where the term “running maintenance” is understood to the point where their businesses are managed to ensure the ongoing success of their ventures? Imagine a business, any business, running short of money for the maintenance of their primary assets, willy-nilly increasing the price of their product or service?
Perhaps it is because Harry and David have no competition. They merely increase taxes on the people for the gross mismanagement in their operations, be it Hilo street maintenance or the Oahu rail project or the county Department of Water Supply.
And one more thing. Harry and David apparently are very concerned about the growth in the homeless populations statewide, and they are now throwing more money at it. One wonders if they ever considered the ongoing research by various study groups that have quantified the dollar total of benefits the nonworking people and/or homeless are eligible for in Hawaii?
In terms of dollars per hour, this segment of the population can receive total state and local benefits in the region of $30 per hour — for not working?! And Harry and David wonder why the homeless/nonworking demographics are growing?
In business schools, one learns various methods of solving problems. One that sticks out in my mind is the four-step method:
1. What is the apparent problem?
2. What is the real problem?
3. What are the alternatives?
4. Implement the best alternative.
Chris Tamm
Hilo