No metropolis epitomizes the strengths and weaknesses of the US economic system greater than San Francisco. The strengths are apparent; it’s a pacesetter in crucial business of the twenty first century—synthetic intelligence. However the weaknesses are simply as apparent. Right here’s Purpose journal:
In October 2022, San Francisco raised eyebrows when town budgeted $1.7 million for a single-stall public restroom within the metropolis’s Noe Valley neighborhood. The excessive price ticket, based on metropolis officers, was because of the steep worth of development in San Francisco, in addition to remaining provide chain points.
However the state stepped in shortly after, scrapping the deliberate rest room after outrage unfold over its excessive value to taxpayers. Fifteen months later, the general public plaza the place the restroom was initially deliberate nonetheless doesn’t have a spot to pee—and it doesn’t appear to be it should get one any time quickly.
I learn this text whereas on trip in Tanzania, which has good high quality bathrooms in its public parks. Why is a rustic with a per capita GDP of $1327 ($3595 PPP) higher at constructing bathrooms than a metropolis with a $144,600 per capita GDP? In accordance with Purpose, San Francisco can not afford them.
Clearly, I’m not utilizing “afford” actually, town might actually afford to construct these bathrooms. Quite I’m utilizing “afford” within the standard on a regular basis sense of the time period, as after I say I can not afford to remain in a sure luxurious lodge. Given the excessive value, it doesn’t make sense. Even so, why does San Francisco face a state of affairs the place the worth is so excessive that it’s not value doing, after they have greater than 100 occasions extra assets than Tanzania?
I think that that reply is that Tanzania’s rest room constructing productiveness is way over 100 occasions increased than that of San Francisco. I think that Tanzania might construct a wonderfully wonderful single stall rest room for lower than $17,000. However why is that? Isn’t it simpler to construct bathrooms than massive language fashions?
Purpose journal means that the issue is a set of laws, comparable to guidelines requiring approval from busybody design consultants and radical environmentalists, and mandating the usage of union labor:
San Francisco has essentially the most costly development prices on the earth—and it’s hardly stunning. With a view to construct a public rest room in Noe Valley, at a location that already had the mandatory plumbing so as to add a restroom, builders must go a dizzying variety of regulatory stops. These embody in search of approval from the Arts Fee’s Civic Design Evaluate committee, passing evaluate underneath the California Environmental High quality Act, and getting the go-ahead from town’s Rec and Park Fee and San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors. If that isn’t sufficient, the challenge would even be topic to a interval of “neighborhood suggestions.”
Even after gaining approval, town wouldn’t be free to easily discover the most cost effective acceptable rest room—possible a pre-fabricated choice—and join it to metropolis plumbing. In accordance with a 2022 San Francisco Chronicle article, pre-fabricated loos violate town’s Public Labor Settlement. Including to prices, town would even be required to make use of union labor to assemble the lavatory.
In distinction, the development of LLMs is basically freed from metropolis regulation.
The bathroom instance could seem slightly trivial, however it’s indicative of a a lot bigger drawback. The identical form of laws apply to housing—America’s most necessary business, which is simply one other approach of claiming the business that has the best impact on dwelling requirements.
That is America in a microcosm. When freed from intrusive regulation, we’re the best society in human historical past. However in closely regulated sectors we are sometimes unable to rise to the extent of third world nations like Tanzania. It will be good to have a spot to pee whereas we await the arrival of our future AI overlords.
