Marshall Blann

The idea is not how cheaply one can govern, but how well.
The costs of division, if any, are not really relevant. Relevant is : will more effective government result.
I wonder if the county could not set up districts, each receiving part of their property taxes, with large measures of self government via charter amendment. Since this would not formally involve declaration of cities or other subdivisions, but would be a part of county government, this might be doable. Then by incrementally shifting revenues to these county organizational subdivisions, the present county government becomes redundent/ impotent. There may be enough sentiment of all the island less Hilo to do this- so it might be possible without fighting the state.
Marshall Blann