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Imagine if you were a member of a country club that gradually descended to a state of dysfunction and disrepair. The roof of the clubhouse leaked, the quality of the food and the level of service deteriorated, the nets on the tennis courts had large holes in them, the interval between mowing the grass on the greens and the fairways of the golf course lengthened and the entry road was full of potholes.

Members voted year after year not to raise their dues, complaining that they weren’t getting their money’s worth.

Then a prominent long-time club member died and left his fortune to the club. It was enough to significantly improve club operations for a year. Members breathed a sigh of relief — the club would be improved and no dues increase would be needed. What would happen when the bequest had been expended was not discussed.

As a concerned member, you’d want this addressed or you’d quit.

Sound like Hawaii? Some have quit — they’ve left for the mainland.

Hawaii suffers from a self-inflicted malaise, made stark by the pandemic-induced state revenue shortfall.

We have under-invested for years in our physical infrastructure and in our people. Witness: The poor condition of our roads and our parks. The housing shortage that has resulted in high housing costs and homelessness. The shortage of physicians and teachers. The under-funding of public worker pensions and health benefits. The state’s inability to timely process unemployment claims. The looming costs of accommodating the effects of climate change.

There is a perception that most voters would prefer to endure a continuing deterioration in the quality of life than to have those who can afford it pay more taxes to improve it.

The state and counties need more tax revenue to deal with these issues. There are bills in the Legislature that would increase tax revenues from those able to afford it. But the staggering sums the state and counties are receiving from three federal stimulus acts may enable us to get through another year without raising taxes.

However, and this is significant, it is only by deferring the current cost of future government worker benefits that we will be able to get through this fiscal year and next, even with the stimulus money, without raising taxes. Kicking the can down the road by deferring these payments further burdens the taxpayers of the future.

If it’s hard to raise taxes this year, it will only be harder next year — an election year. For its future, Hawaii needs now.