GET surcharge fails, here come the cuts

[Rob Tucker]

Here's something that won't happen:

Open up the procurement process to allow more competition from smaller local contractors. At the present the procurement rules have it set for 2, maybe three, large contractors to bid based on capacity and insurance requirements.

A few years ago the Pahoa Community Center got an uplift... paint, a few termite riddled beams replaced, a septic system and a bunch of chain link fence. CoH did this for $800,000. What a bargin! Separate the items into individual bids, let small contractors compete and that number goes way, way down.

Then there is stuff like this: A few years back ADA requirements were being addressed. This involved curb cuts in Hiilo for wheelchair ramps at intersection corners. And a sidewalk was installed at Pahoa Community Center from the basket ball court to (the former) backstop at the baseball field.

Hilo handicap ramps were contracted at a budget of $58,000 each (costs $6,000 ea. in L.A.).

Pahoa handicap sidewalk (about 250') was contracted with a budget of $250,000 ($1,000 per linear foot).

So just how hard might it be to find $5 million in cuts in this environment without cutting services? You merely have to want to.