Rod Sullivan, Supervisor, Johnson County, Iowa

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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

August 14, 2010

Sullivan’s Salvos 8/17/10




In this edition:


*Special Birthdays
*School Starts
*Teachers Rock!
*Lone Tree Fall Festival
*Good News in Iowa!
*Estate Taxes
*Did You Know?





*Special Birthdays
August is a very special time around my house, as both Melissa (the 17th) and BJ (the 22nd) celebrate their birthdays.

2010 has not been the easiest of years. Several things have been difficult for our family. Yet when I stop to think about my wonderful wife and amazing son, I am reminded that I am a very, very lucky man! I cannot imagine life without these two special people.

Happy birthday, Honey! I love you! Happy birthday, Beej! You are the best!




*School Starts
Hard to believe, but schools are starting once again in Johnson County. CCA begins on the 18th. The ICCSD and College Community get underway on the 19th. The UI, Kirkwood, and Lone Tree start classes on the 23rd. Mid-Prairie kicks off on the 24th. Solon jumps in on the 25th.

On a personal note, I will have children at City (Jordan in 11th grade) and Southeast (BJ in 8th). I am pleased to say that the vast majority of our educational experiences have been outstanding. I look forward to more of the same this year!

Whether you have kids or not, back to school has an impact on us all. You remember the drill. Drive a bit slower and more carefully. Allow a bit more time. And take just a moment to savor the great system of public education we all enjoy.




*Teachers Rock!
As school begins once again, the timing seems appropriate to thank all the wonderful teachers out there for all their hard work.

It makes me sick when people complain about teacher compensation. Despite having summers off, teachers work roughly the same number of hours as private sector employees. Their pay is relatively low given their level of education. They do not have flexible schedules.

Most significantly? They do THE MOST VITAL JOB there is! No job has bigger consequences. No job is more important. Period.

My 3 children have had somewhere in the neighborhood of 75-100 teachers (unduplicated count) in their years in the ICCSD. 85% of those teachers have been fantastic, and over 10% have been good.

I am tired of teachers being unfairly criticized! Teachers, please consider this the electronic equivalent of a big hug! Best of luck in the new school year!




*Lone Tree Fall Festival
The last of our summer festivals runs this Friday-Saturday in Lone Tree, as they celebrate the annual Fall Festival.

There are lots of fun events going on; too many to list here! For the full schedule, see: http://www.lonetreeiowa.com/cc_fallfest.htm.




*Good News in Iowa!
Health reform is having an impact in Iowa! As Iowa Fiscal Partnership researchers show in two new reports:
1. About 60,000 more children are covered by public health insurance in 2010 than were covered just three years before, thanks to improvements in Medicaid and the Iowa children's health plan, known as "hawk-i."
2. Over 50,000 small businesses in Iowa alone may be eligible for tax credits that could help them provide health insurance for their employees, due to immediate effects of the new health reform law.

To see either or both reports in detail, visit the Iowa Fiscal Partnership website at http://www.iowafiscal.org.




*Estate Taxes
As part of the 2001 Bush tax cuts, the top tax rate on estates was reduced from 55% to 45%, and the maximum individual exemption was increased from $675,000 to $3.5 million. This has contributed mightily to the budget deficit that currently faces the US.

That is not all. There is NO estate tax at all this year! If Congress does nothing, the top rate will be back at 55% next year, with a maximum individual exemption of $1 million. (I would go even farther and advocate for 90% and $500,000, but that is just me.)

Needless to say, Congress is under significant pressure from the wealthy to do a permanent repeal. This would be a HUGE mistake! We need to fund our government and balance our budget. The estate tax moves us in that direction.

Even if the taxes are reinstated, most estates would still pay no taxes at all. Less than one fourth of one percent (25 out of 1000) of all estates nationwide would owe. There are many myths out there about farmers unable to pass on the farm due to estate taxes, but Iowa State University found NO cases of this. That is correct – ZERO. It is all a lie. It is all made up.

In addition, most of the income that makes up these estates has NEVER been taxed. This is because the estates consist of unrealized capital gains. Income has been earned for years, but it has never been taxed. Wouldn’t you enjoy the opportunity to skip out on your income taxes?

Estate taxes are an important part of a progressive system of taxation. Estate taxes are the most fair and painless way to fund our government and reduce our deficit. We need more estate taxes, not less!




*DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County has 515 individual insurance contracts; 202 single and 313 family health plans.




Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.

If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to serving you!

---Rod

posted by Rod Sullivan @ 4:23 PM  0 Comments

August 7, 2010

Sullivan’s Salvos 8/10/10




In this edition:

*Happy Anniversary!
*Thanks, Mark & Marc!
*Exploring Western Iowa
*Still No Green!
*Did You Know?





*Happy Anniversary
I don’t really want to get into Leo Greco mode here, and acknowledge every special occasion that occurs in Johnson County. But I certainly need to wish a very happy 20th wedding anniversary to Andy and Michelle Gnida of Big Grove Township.

Andy and Michelle are two of the best people I know. It has been my privilege to call them friends these many years. Here is to the next twenty!




*Thanks, Mark & Marc!
Thanks to local businessmen Mark Ginsberg and Marc Moen for footing the bill for the pianos that sit in downtown Iowa City.

A really cool addition to a really cool place! Thanks, gentlemen! These are the types of things that make our community great!




*Exploring Western Iowa
My family and I recently got back from a trip to the Loess Hills area of western Iowa. It was a beautiful area and a nice trip, but I could not help but look at a few things from the perspective of a County Supervisor.

Upon arriving back home, I made a few calls and verified some information. Here are a few impressions:

I was struck by the prevalence of Level B (dirt) roads. Unlike in Johnson County, these roads are not just for agricultural access. Out in the Loess Hills, dirt roads play a key role in getting people from here to there. Because of the heavy usage, the western counties put more maintenance into their dirt roads. Still, weather renders these roads impassable on a frequent basis. The people who live there simply deal with it.

The cropland is not nearly as good in western Iowa. Because of this, you get two big differences: First, much of the land is suitable only for grazing, which leads to more livestock production. Secondly, more land is preserved for public use, including hunting.

These phenomena have interesting tax consequences. Ag land in Iowa is assessed using a productivity formula. That formula does not really address livestock; it is based on crop production. So farmers in areas where the land is very good (and taxes are therefore higher) have incentives to raise crops rather than livestock. Similarly, when land is marginal for crops, the creation of hunting/recreation areas becomes a more economically feasible option.

Tourism is a real key for the Loess Hills area. There are large swaths of land that are over an hour from Sioux City and over an hour from Council Bluffs. That is pretty isolated. The only other industry is ag. Agriculture alone cannot prop up the whole area. They need to market themselves as a destination if the area is to survive.

Unfortunately, governments tend to come under fire when they invest in tourism; it is often viewed as “less than” other industries. I can understand the skepticism, because not every location has what it takes to make tourism a key industry. And Iowans have been brainwashed to believe that no one wants to visit their state.

But numbers do not lie, and the numbers show that tourism is big business in many parts of Iowa, including Johnson County. The Loess Hills has natural beauty that cannot be recreated elsewhere! This is not a mall or an arena; it is truly unique.

We enjoyed our visit, and we would recommend that others make a similar trip! But given the choice, I’ll take Johnson County.




*Still No Green!
I continue to be frustrated by the lack of action on green initiatives from local governments. I was one of the voting members of the Johnson County Council of Governments (JCCOG) who pushed that organization to take the lead on green initiatives. My thinking was that it made sense for local governments to collaborate on this issue.

I wrote the following in Salvos in April of 2009 – 16 months ago! Unfortunately, nothing has changed. (Except that I am no longer on the JCCOG Board.) Here is the passage from 15 months ago:

One year ago, Johnson County signed on to the Sierra Club “Cool Counties” program. At roughly the same time, Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty signed on as Sierra Club “Cool Cities”.

That is great, right? We are all green here! Regrettably, very little has happened since these agreements were signed.

One of the key components of becoming a Cool County or Cool City is the creation of a citizen advisory committee. I was one of many folks who thought it made sense to make this advisory committee regional, rather than having 4 separate committees. Most elected officials felt similarly, so it was decided that the advisory committee would be a committee of the Johnson County Council of Governments (JCCOG).

The JCCOG committee finally met in very late March. Better late than never, obviously. One would think that applying green principles to flood recovery would have made a lot of sense. What’s more, much of the Federal Stimulus Plan had a green focus. We may have really missed out by delaying so long!

Meanwhile, no big initiatives have come from Johnson County or our cities. Discussion of green ideas keeps getting pushed to the back burner.

The people assigned to this committee are great people. They can advise all they want, but at some point, elected officials need to get moving.

So, next time you hear something from Johnson County, North Liberty, Iowa City or Coralville touting how “green” they are, hold them accountable. Make sure they are doing more than lip service. What actual steps have been taken? Earth Day is coming up. Hold your local elected officials accountable when they show up for their photo ops. Let’s demand some real progress!

Again, that was written 16 months ago. In total, it has been almost three years. Johnson County is trying to move forward; where is the JCCOG commitment?




*DID YOU KNOW? The fringe benefit package for Johnson County employees is equal to 42.3% of salary for family health coverage; 25.7% for single coverage.




Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.

If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to serving you!

---Rod

posted by Rod Sullivan @ 4:28 PM  0 Comments

August 1, 2010

Sullivan’s Salvos 8/3/10




In this edition:


*Funding a Justice Center
*Ag/Biosciences Tour
*Swisher Fun Days
*Did You Know?





*Funding a Justice Center
Johnson County continues to work toward a vote on a new Justice Center, but the road is not always smooth. A recent meeting of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee (CJCC) was an example of why many folks have been frustrated by the process.

The meeting began with Iowa City Councilor Connie Champion expressing her aggravation with the pace of the CJCC. Connie has served for almost ten years, and has seen little action. There were several committee members who shared her disappointment. Somehow, the Press Citizen, Gazette, and DI were all at the meeting, yet none mentioned the frustration in the room. (For what it is worth, you can now listen to audio of Board meetings on your own computer! Check it out if you wish to hear things for yourself.)

The CJCC has 4 subcommittees: Alternatives and Treatment, Finance, Facilities, and Public Information. I am going to focus on the work of the Finance Subcommittee.

The primary job of that subcommittee is to identify the possible methods of funding a justice center. That actually isn’t too hard; Iowa law significantly limits the options. The only options allowed are bond referendum, sales tax referendum, and a lease back agreement.

Realistically, things are even more limited than that. Using a sales tax to fund a justice center is not an option right now. Iowa has capped the amount of sales tax municipal governments can charge. The state recently made a controversial exception to allow for flood recovery. You remember the vote – Iowa City and several small cities passed it; Coralville, North Liberty, and the unincorporated areas did not. So IC is at the max sales tax rate; Coralville, North Liberty, and the unincorporated areas are below.

What would have to occur to use a sales tax? First, the Iowa Legislature would have to amend the law to allow for higher sales taxes. This will not happen.

Secondly, the Iowa Legislature would have to allow all this new revenue to be directed to the county, rather than the cities in which it is collected. Why would cash-strapped cities allow that? Why would the Legislature offend all the residents of all those cities? The very idea is ridiculous!

Thirdly, voters in the cities that rejected the tax last time might reject it again. That could create a scenario where people in Iowa City and small towns pay for the justice center, while people in Coralville and North Liberty do not. That wouldn’t fly!

Finally, voters would need to approve it. In Johnson County, sales tax referenda have fared considerably worse than bond referenda over the years. Using a sales tax mechanism creates a large bloc of opposition from progressives. It is not a good political move.

At one point, the Chair of the Finance Subcommittee (Supervisor Rettig) reported on a conversation she had with State Senator Joe Bolkcom, Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Senator Bolkcom felt that citizens in Johnson County already had the sales tax “tool” available to them; they just needed to vote for it. He thought it was “extremely unlikely” that the Legislature would make the changes necessary for Johnson County to access an extra penny in sales tax. So we heard the facts from the horse’s mouth.

Anyone could look at this situation and see that using a sales tax to fund a project of this immediacy is simply not going to happen. So, as if on cue, a number of members of the CJCC suggested that we explore using a sales tax.

I was livid. The decision had been made for us. We had an opportunity to move on. This is why so many dislike government; they see it as immobile and ineffective.

I moved that we pursue a bond referendum as the funding mechanism. The vote was 9-6 in favor. I honestly cannot understand the 6 “No” votes; to me, this was just common sense.

I know some people wanted the Finance Subcommittee to make a recommendation first. To me, this is like standing in the rain waiting for the umbrella committee to make a recommendation. The proper course of action is abundantly clear. When that is the case, government needs to move!

It has already taken Johnson County WAY too long to address these issues. Some of the people who want to waste valuable time tilting at windmills regarding a sales tax are the same people who cost us 9 months by getting distracted by the Press Citizen building. We need leadership on this issue.

Supervisor Neuzil and the Public Information Subcommittee have done an excellent job of developing a timeline that would put a justice center to public vote in November of 2011. That is aggressive, but it is necessary.

I hope the members of the CJCC and the members of the Board of Supervisors will take more real actions that move us along the timeline toward a public vote.




*Ag/Biosciences Tour
The Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce Ag and Biosciences Tour is Tuesday, August 13 from approximately 1-4 PM.

We will visit Kirkwood for a tour of their many Ag programs; ZJ Farms, a local farm operating under a community supported Ag model; and Cedar Ridge Winery, a local producer of wine & spirits.

We will meet at Sears at Coral Ridge Mall at 12:15 PM to carpool. Wear walking shoes!

The tour is $10 for Chamber members, $15 for others. Please call Heather at 337-9637 to reserve your spot.




*Swisher Fun Days
This weekend brings the annual Fun Days celebration to Swisher. If you are looking for a good time… the folks in Swisher know how to do just that! Check it out this Friday night and Saturday.




*DID YOU KNOW? The current average wage for FT county employees is $24.69/hour.




Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.

If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to serving you!

---Rod

posted by Rod Sullivan @ 3:45 PM  0 Comments



Copyright © 2008 Rod Sullivan, Johnson County Board of Supervisors. All rights reserved.
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