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rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
June 25, 2011
Sullivan’s Salvos 6/28/11 In this edition: *Independence Day *Rural Voter Precincts *Did You Know? *Independence Day Happy Independence Day! Please take a few moments this July 4th to reread some of the amazing history of this country. Unfortunately, a big group has been trying to rewrite our history books. That works only if you fail to know our history and discuss it! Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the festivities in Sharon Center, Morse, Coralville, Oxford, Hills, Iowa City, and every other place in Johnson County where fun activities are planned! *Rural Voter Precincts Johnson County will soon be looking at voter precinct boundaries. Here is some background: As a result of the 2010 census, municipalities must redraw precinct lines. This is not just the job of the cities; counties do it, too. Remember, Supervisors only set the precincts for the unincorporated areas. You may feel that Iowa City has too many (or too few) precincts, but Supervisors cannot make that decision. Iowa law leaves that decision to the cities. There is one other law that comes into play here. Iowa law prohibits precincts from exceeding 3,500 in population. That means that the number of precincts in North Liberty (currently 2) MUST go up to at least 4. Coralville is faced with a similar predicament. So if we do not cut back somewhere else, taxpayers will have no choice but to pay for more Election Day expenses. Johnson County has added rural precincts before. Ten years ago, population growth forced a split of Jefferson Township into Jefferson East (Shueyville) and Jefferson West (Swisher). Similarly, Solon was split away from Big Grove. (Tiffin had to be split from Clear Creek because of legislative lines.) It would not surprise me if Newport and/or Penn Townships had to be split after the 2020 census. Again, population growth would force these changes. In my opinion, Johnson County needs to consider the efficiency of some of our smallest precincts. By sticking to township lines, I believe we are perpetuating an antiquated and expensive system, especially when one considers all the available options for early voting. In addition, I am philosophically opposed to the use of private residences as polling places. I believe this creates unnecessary anxiety on the part of some rural voters. One more point - There are guidelines from the state that push for precincts to be as close in population as is practicably possible. Johnson County fails miserably at this test. In many precincts, our cost per vote is outrageously high! With all this in mind, I would suggest five major changes to the rural voter precincts. These are, in my order of priority: 1. Monroe: We should not be using private residences as polling places. There are (admittedly anecdotal) reports of voters who feel intimidated voting at this location. We have the additional costs of a porta-potty. All the residents of the township are accustomed to driving other places to do business – you cannot buy gas or groceries anywhere in the township. It is even on a gravel road, meaning it could be inaccessible in the case of any early snow. With 562 residents and 411 registered voters, this is only 16% of the Secretary of State’s recommendations for maximum precinct size. At $4.95 per vote, only ten precincts are more expensive. Recommendation: Combine with Jefferson West (Swisher). 2. Lincoln: We should not be using private residences as polling places. We have the additional costs of rent and a porta-potty. All the residents of the township are accustomed to driving other places to do business – you cannot buy gas or groceries anywhere in the township. It is even on a gravel road, meaning it could be inaccessible in the case of any early snow. With 205 residents and 149 registered voters, this is the smallest precinct in Johnson County, less than 6% of the Secretary of State’s recommendations. At $12.68 per vote, this is the most expensive precinct in Johnson County. Recommendation: Combine with Pleasant Valley or Fremont. (Vote in PV or Fremont.) 3. Pleasant Valley: All the residents of the township are accustomed to driving other places to do business – you cannot buy gas or groceries anywhere in the township. With 269 residents and 205 registered voters, this is the third smallest precinct in Johnson County, less than 8% of the Secretary of State’s recommendations. At $8.71 per vote, only two precincts are more expensive. Recommendation: Combine with Lincoln or Liberty. (Vote in PV.) 4. Clear Creek: With 265 residents and 171 registered voters, this is the second smallest precinct in Johnson County, 5% of the Secretary of State’s recommendations. There is no good polling place in the township. Currently already voting in Tiffin. At $11.77 per vote, only one precinct is more expensive. Recommendation: Combine with Tiffin. (Vote in Tiffin.) 5. Madison: With 399 residents and 325 registered voters, this is the fourth smallest precinct in Johnson County, about 11% of the Secretary of State’s recommendations. All the residents of the township are accustomed to driving other places to do business – you cannot buy gas or groceries anywhere in the township. There is no good polling place in the township. Additionally, most the population of Madison Township lives off of Scales Bend Road, which will likely be annexed into the City of North Liberty over the course of the next decade. Currently already voting in North Liberty. At $7.18 per vote, only three precincts are more expensive. Recommendation: Combine with North Liberty. (Vote in North Liberty.) These five changes would result in four fewer rural precincts, thus requiring less staff, less equipment, and less taxpayer money. These changes are important, as increasing numbers of precincts in North Liberty and Coralville will already be increasing the costs of elections. It costs $13,000 just to purchase the equipment for a precinct, not including staffing. Multiply this expense by 3 or 4, and you have paid for the equivalent of one FTE. As you may know, the Auditor recently sent out a postcard polling rural voters on this matter. I have several issues with this poll. Here are just a few: 1. It is unscientific. 2. It is worded in such a way that results will be skewed. If I sent out a poll that said, “Do you want your taxes lowered?” what do you think the results would be? 3. The results have been reported in such a way as to skew the narrative. For example – The press release says “58% of respondents said they would vote on Election Day at another township or city, and 42% said they would vote early by mail or in person. But when asked if there were any chance that the closure might result in them not voting, 37% replied “yes”.” Why focus on the leading (and misleading) question “Is there any chance you will not vote?” Why not focus on the fact that 100% reported they would vote in a different way? 4. The poll only went to rural residents. Elections are paid for by all property taxpayers. The opinions of all taxpayers matter here! People in Iowa City, Lone Tree, and every other city deserve the same opportunity for input. 5. Similarly, voters in East Lucas, Penn, and other precincts that already vote in cities were not polled. This would have undoubtedly changed the results of the poll. 6. The poll served its intended purpose – several rural residents are now scared, and fear that they will be asked to drive into Iowa City to vote. Now that they are upset, it will be difficult for the Board to find the political will to keep costs low. 7. Finally, just sending the postcard cost taxpayers over $1000, not counting all the staff time that went into creating it and tallying responses. There are many options for people who wish to vote. They can vote by mail. They can vote early at a satellite voting site, including the Auditor’s Office. They can vote on Election Day at their designated polling place. A person who wants to vote has many options available to her. My suggestions would not change any of these options. The only difference is that people who choose to vote on Election Day would drive to a different location. In many cases, the new polling place will be CLOSER to where they live. In most cases, it is a location they were more likely to be going in the first place! This is a situation where leadership matters. The easy thing to do is decide to spend whatever is necessary so that no single voter is angry. That is a very easy thing to do. Then, when the budget discussions come around in the late fall, you pretend there is nothing you can do about these expenses. Worse yet, Supervisors who vote to waste money in the area of elections may try to make up for it later, and feel the need to make deeper cuts during the actual budget discussions. Then the cuts come from programs that help our most disadvantaged citizens. As I noted, the campaign of misinformation has already begun. There are folks on the phones and in the coffee shops talking about how the Supervisors “hate the rural people”, and “want everyone to vote in Iowa City”. It is not true, but the story already has legs. I think consolidating some rural precincts makes sense. Asking a person who already drives 2 miles to drive 4 is not that onerous, and certainly not worth $50,000. What are your thoughts? *DID YOU KNOW? In April 2011, 25 active duty military personnel committed suicide, almost half the number (51) killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan. (Source: Time.) 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
Sullivan’s Salvos 6/21/11
In this edition:
*Rural Sirens
*Juneteenth
*Roadside Vegetation Award
*T-shirts
*Did You Know?
*Rural Sirens
June means tornado season, so this might be a good time to discuss some of the things the Board has been doing in terms of tornado safety.
At the risk of bragging, I am going to toot my own horn (sound my own siren?) about a recent Board accomplishment. One of the things I have personally been pushing for several years is rural tornado sirens.
You may be thinking, “Rural sirens? Does that make sense? Is anyone there to hear them?” If that is what you are thinking, you need to expand your idea of rural! Take our first rural siren, for example.
It took some doing, but a couple years ago we finally got our first rural tornado siren put up in Frytown. Located in the southern part of Johnson County, Frytown is technically unincorporated, but there must be 150 people who live there. More importantly, a busy day at Yoder’s Auction House might see 300 or more people in one small area. In addition, many in the area are conservative Mennonite or Amish, and may not have access to radio or tv. It makes sense to have some sort of warning system there.
The next rural siren will be going up soon in Joetown. Even further south than Frytown, the Joetown siren will serve the 50-100 residents of that area; more importantly, it will be next to Iowa Mennonite High School and its 140 students. It will also serve Washington Township Elementary, with even more children in that building.
We have plans to add another siren next year in the Big Grove area, in the northern part of Johnson County. In Big Grove the number of rural residents and campers far exceed the numbers we have in southern Johnson County. This will be another great addition.
These sirens are not cheap (they run between $10-20k), but the newer models are virtually maintenance free, so there is little ongoing expense. These are expenditures that I am happy to make!
I have been working on this for quite some time, but we are starting to get there. I think many rural residents are going to be safer as a result.
*Juneteenth
Club Kazi members will be hosting a day of summer fun while celebrating Juneteenth. A Family Carnival will be at Mercer Park in Iowa City on Sunday June 26th from 12:00 to 6:00 pm.
There will be free food (while supplies last), vendors, music, and live entertainment. Children can enjoy story time, a jumping gym, and face painting while adults can enter the bid whist, spades, and chess tournaments. There will be a free health fair and financial wellness fair.
Children and families will also have a chance to win wonderful door prizes including tickets from the Englert Theatre to see the Miles Davis Experience, tickets to the Children's Museum, tickets to see the Cedar Rapids Kernels, gift certificates to local restaurants and much more.
For more information please contact: LaTasha Massey, Club Kazi Co-Chair at 688.5708 or lmassey@co.johnson.ia.us.
Club Kazi is a group of African American professionals that work on different areas of concerns within the Black community. For the past few years we have been working on bringing awareness about overrepresentation of Black children in the child welfare system and how to embrace and support families that foster children of color.
*Roadside Vegetation Award
Congratulations to the Johnson County Secondary Roads Department, who in cooperation with the Johnson County Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management Committee, has been awarded the 2011 Achievement Award for the “Native Plant Community Policy for Roadside Vegetation Management.”
For those of you who have been following this issue, this award is a long time coming! A quick history lesson: Several county residents spent the decades of the 70s and 80s trying to get Johnson County to stop spraying our ditches. In response to their efforts, in the 90s, the Integrated Roadside Vegetation Committee was formed – then they spent ten years debating a series of policies!
The end result was a very forward thinking policy that honors the native vegetation of Iowa, balances the desires of private ownership and government, and minimizes the use of herbicides. No one got everything they wanted out of the policy, but it has both served as a model for other counties and worked quite well.
Our current Roadside Vegetation Manager is Chris Henze, and Chris has done a FANTASTIC job! This award is indicative of good policies, a great committee, and his hard work.
(In addition to “Roadside Vegetation Manager”, Chris also has that classic job title unique to County government – Weed Commissioner!)
This prestigious award comes from the National Association of Counties, with a membership of 3,068 counties in all 50 states. The award will be presented on July 17 at the national conference in Oregon. Congrats again!
*T-shirts
I have about twenty “Sullivan for Supervisor” t-shirts of various sizes, and I would like to get them in the hands of folks who will promise to wear them in parades and to public events.
If you are interested, E-mail me with the size(s) you need, and I’ll get them to you. They are Kelly green. Thanks!
*DID YOU KNOW? The average cost of family health care insurance accessed through an employer is now $19,393 – up over 7% from last year. (Source: CNN.)
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
Sullivan’s Salvos 6/14/11
In this edition:
*Father’s Day
*North Liberty Wards
*Doing More With Less
*Pride
*Bookmarks
*Corn Prices
*Did You Know?
*Father’s Day
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. To those of you who still have a dad around – please cherish that fact! Even though he has been gone for 12 years, I miss my own father every single day. He was not only my dad, but my best friend. I love you, Dad!
*North Liberty “Wards”
I found it interesting that just as I was writing about a District system for Supervisors, North Liberty got a petition forcing an election on a ward system.
We are not talking about a city the size of Des Moines, where citizens in one area could perhaps argue they are overlooked. North Liberty has less than 12,000 residents. An elected official SHOULD be able to represent the whole city!
The same arguments I made last week apply here. Rather than doing what is best for the whole city, North Liberty will get a system of parochialism. Your ward got a park? By God, my ward will get a park! This type of thinking will drive up the cost of government immensely.
I think some folks in North Liberty are angry at their Council. Fine. Recruit candidates. But do not fundamentally alter your government in a way that makes it less efficient.
*”Doing More With Less”
As governments at every level go through a period of austerity, we often hear the phrase, “We’ll have to do more with less.”
While I understand the sentiment, I think it is important to point out that it is EXTREMELY unlikely that anyone can actually do more with less. Like “giving 110%”, “doing more with less” is a turn of phrase that is not likely going to happen.
Sure, there may be situations where people are very wasteful, or processes are very inefficient. In those cases, one might truly be able to “do more with less”.
But that is not my experience with government in Johnson County. If we provide fewer resources, the public will be getting fewer services. There is no “do more with less”. It sounds good, but an optimistic attitude can only go so far. The reality is – less public dollars means fewer public services!
So, when you hear this, point it out. Do not let the budget cutters off the hook. They are free to advocate cuts, but they do not get to claim that services will improve because of it! You cannot have your cake and eat it too! If you voted for budget cuts, then you voted for service cuts. Simple as that.
*Pride
Johnson County will be busy with Pride events this upcoming week. There will be a picnic Friday night, a parade at noon Saturday, and a festival Saturday afternoon, just to name a few.
I LOVE the fact that I live in a state where same sex couples have the right to marry! I LOVE the fact that I live in a city and county with strong Human Rights Ordinances! I LOVE the fact that Johnson County is a relatively open and affirming place! And I LOVE the fact that the rest of the country is beginning to see that we have it right! If you feel the same way I do, join in the fun this weekend!
For a full schedule of events, see: http://www.queerconnections.org/
*Bookmarks
If you have not yet done so, get out and visit the wonderful Bookmarks public art installations. Spread throughout Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty, these large sculptures are a real treat to visit!
Bookmarks is just the latest initiative brought to you through the UNESCO City of Literature. Rest assured, more great reading/writing events are on the way!
Check out photos, maps, and more about Bookmarks at: http://bookmarksiowa.org/
*Corn Prices
It is a good time to be a corn grower! Record corn prices have some farmers rolling in dough right now.
Corn prices were historically around $2 per bushel. Depending on weather conditions, farmers might earn a very small profit – usually less than 2-3%. Then came the ethanol industry and $4 corn. Suddenly, farmers were doing pretty well. Fast forward a couple more years, and we have corn prices at $7.40 per bushel!
A bit of quick math: Corn is $7.40 per bushel. Multiply that by the average Iowa yield of 183 bushels/acre. The average Iowa farm is 353 acres. (Not all that will be corn, so we’ll be conservative and say 67%.) 353 x .67 = 236.5 acres in corn. $7.40 x 183 x 236 = $319,591.
If a farmer broke even at $2/bushel, that is $86,376. Now granted, inputs (fuel, fertilizer, etc.) have gone up tremendously. Still, the annual difference in income from the days of $2 corn is well over six figures!
Obviously, if your farm is virtually all dairy or hogs, and you are purchasing that corn, your business could be struggling. But it is a VERY good time to be a corn grower!
*DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County put down 103,000 tons (206 million pounds!) of gravel in the spring of 2011.
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
Sullivan’s Salvos 6/7/11
In this edition:
*North Liberty Fun Days
*Supervisor Districts – A Bad Idea!
*Did You Know?
*North Liberty Fun Days
North Liberty holds its annual Fun Days celebration Friday-Sunday June 10-12. After a rained-out Blues & BBQ, we need to get out to North Liberty and support that city!
A schedule of all the events is available at: http://www.facebook.com/NLFunDays
*Supervisor Districts – A Bad Idea!
The issue of County Supervisor Districts has reared its ugly head in Johnson County. I think this is a really shortsighted idea!
I am sure there are some who would love to make a little dig at Supervisor Rettig and I, who only live about 12 blocks from each other. But it is not about me personally. I have been consistent in my opposition long before it had the potential to affect me personally – I was the “con” opinion at League of Women Voters forums in both Washington and Linn Counties.
As I said, this type of change is much bigger than two incumbents. It can cost taxpayers for decades to come! That is correct – a district system costs taxpayers more money!
Plus, I do not believe geography matters nearly as much as people think. One high-profile example - Supervisor Harney lives in Newport Township, yet disagreed with the vast majority of Newport residents over the road.
Personally, I voted to vacate a road that is home to one of my friends, very near where I grew up. That was not fun, but I felt I needed to ignore the geography.
Geography is but one thing that binds people together. Despite the immigration of the past two decades, we remain a small community in many ways. Frankly, most elections are won because of who your Mom and Dad are/were. There are old friendships to take into account. Every election has issues of gender, race, religion, occupation, education, political party, and income level, just to name a few.
These issues aren't usually well publicized, but it is clear that many farmers vote for farmers, many UI folks vote for UI folks, many Catholics vote for Catholics, and so forth. This does not even take into account the actual issues of the day - public safety, roads, social services, taxes, and the like. Does geography matter? Yes, but not nearly as much as people think.
This leads to the issue of Supervisor districts. Linn and Washington Counties recently adopted district systems, where the county is divided into 5 districts and only the people in that district vote for that Supervisor. Sups must live in the district they represent. I have several issues with a district system.
First, as I pointed out, geography is often less important than people realize. (See my arguments above.)
Secondly, we have a system of one person, one vote. Iowa City, with 68,000 residents, will always have more voters than Oxford, with 800. Law would not allow a district to be gerrymandered in such a way to guarantee a Supervisor from Oxford. If we had districts, each would contain about 27,000 residents. A district that included Oxford, Tiffin, Swisher, Shueyville, and lots of rural residents would still only amount to 7,000 people. Even if you added North Liberty to the mix, the district would be 7,000 people short. So the idea that you are going to get an Oxford-based Supervisor is still slim.
The best bet for someone wanting a Sup from Oxford is to find a good candidate in Oxford, work with her on issues, and urge her to run. Good candidates CAN win regardless of where they live; it is difficult to win BECAUSE of where you live.
Thirdly, districts actually eliminate good candidates. It is entirely possible that the two best candidates live next door to each other. Why eliminate one from holding office? If it was a job interview in the private sector and you were determined to hire the two best people, you wouldn’t even look at where they lived.
Fourthly, districts add inefficiency to government by creating a patronage system. If Swisher gets a road repair one year, Lone Tree will get one the next, whether it is needed or not. Because rather than looking out for the best interests of the entire county, you have created a system that rewards “bringing home the bacon.” This WILL increase the cost of government!
It also adds expenses to elections. Supervisor Districts create additional ballot types, driving up the cost of elections while adding to voter confusion. That does not even take into account the fact that you need to hold an $80,000 special election just to vote on the change!
Fifthly, districts eliminate some of the representative nature of government. All 5 Sups vote on ordinances, the budget, and everything else. If a Sup is going to spend my tax dollars, I want to have a say by being able to vote for or against her. And the Rural Fund makes up only $3 million of the $75 million dollar county budget.
In Polk and Linn Counties, there are Supervisors who do not have a single county road or rural resident in their Districts. This would likely occur in Johnson County, too, if a District system was in place. This creates an incentive for the urban representative to push all the expenses of County government to the rural side of the budget.
Finally, I dislike identity politics. I frequently hear, “We need a couple farmers on the Board.” I understand the reasoning, but I disagree. Look at all the flaws in this argument:
1. Not all farmers think alike, and not all farmers will vote alike. And who defines which people are “really” farmers?
2. Johnson County has about 4,000 on-farm residents, including children. (That amounts to 3% of overall county residents, and a little less than one in 5 rural residents.) Johnson County has many more teachers than farmers; why don’t we need a teacher on the Board?
3. In continuing the identity politics, Johnson County is home to approximately 5,000 Latinos; 6,000 African Americans; 13,000 people with disabilities; 7,000 gays and lesbians; 20,000 seniors; 25,000 people with Master’s Degrees or higher. Must we ensure that each of these groups is represented? If so, how do we accomplish this on a 5 person Board?
4. What does it mean “to be represented?” While not African American, I am sensitive to issues of race through having three African American children. While not currently a farmer, I grew up on a farm, and we still have several in the family. While I do not have a disability, I used to work at The Arc. Each Supervisor could go on similarly as to why she/he represents everyone well.
Several local business leaders have been advocating for governments to think bigger and more regionally. This proposal goes the opposite direction. I hope Chuck Peters, Clay Jones, and others who have been advocating for less government will publically oppose this silly idea!
I hope that Johnson County never heads down the ill-conceived path of Supervisor districts. It only serves to drive up the cost of government, without improving services.
*DID YOU KNOW? 295 Johnson County residents pay privately for dust control; 48 of those pay for chip seal.
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
Sullivan’s Salvos 5/31/11
In this edition:
*The People’s Budget
*Medicaid
*Arts Fest
*ICARE Pancake Breakfast
*Did You Know?
*The People’s Budget
We hear a lot about two differing approaches to deficit reduction. On the one hand, you have Paul Ryan and the House Republicans calling for massive reductions in both taxes and entitlements. On the other hand, you have President Obama calling for the same thing, but to a much lesser degree.
The problem with this is that the whole debate takes place within extremely narrow constraints. There are other options! We can reduce the deficit, while at the same time protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
First, there are common sense spending cuts. We can cut our military budget dramatically. (The US spends more than the rest of the world combined!) We can end expensive and pointless wars. We can implement a public option for health care. We can break up banks that are “too big to fail”. We can simply choose not to give trillions in tax cuts to multinational corporations.
On the revenue side, we can raise taxes on those earning over $250,000. More importantly, we can raise taxes even more on those earning millions and even tens of millions! We can tax capital gains as heavily as we tax income earned through work. We can impose a financial speculation tax.
When we talk about shared sacrifice, we need to consider the actual definition of “sacrifice”. My $50,000 annual salary is about 100 times the amount my 14-year-old son can hope to earn mowing yards, walking dogs, etc.
Is it a “sacrifice” for me to pay for the rent and food in our household? Should I require him to purchase his own insurance on the open market? Should I be demanding that BJ “share in the sacrifice”?
Consider that a senior citizen on Medicare, whose only income is Social Security, might earn $1,000 per month. Someone earning $120,000 has the same relative wealth to that senior citizen as I have to my son.
Is it fair to ask both to “sacrifice” equally? (Of course, the suggestion has been that only people earning more than DOUBLE that $120,000 be asked to pitch in.)
Many of the ideas I have articulated here can be found in the People’s Budget, an interesting document created by the 81-member Progressive Caucus in the US House of Representatives. It actually reduces the deficit more quickly than anything presented by either Ryan or Obama, and does so with more common sense.
I have not had the opportunity to ask Representative Loebsack about the People’s Budget. I know he is a member of the Progressive Caucus, and I know he supports several individual pieces of the plan. Yet he does not appear to be one of the 41 signatories. I’ll try to find out and report back.
Meanwhile, take a look at the People’s Budget. And recognize that the very narrow constraints of the debate the media allows us to hear are not actually constraints at all!
*Medicaid
From PHI: Contrary to what many Americans believe, Medicare provides little coverage for long-term services and supports. It pays for limited medically necessary home health services, but does not cover home care for individuals who need ongoing assistance. By contrast, Medicaid is the principal payer for long-term services and supports in the United States—it pays for 62 percent ($125 billion) of all spending.
Over 3 million individuals receive long-term services paid for by Medicaid. It is Medicaid-funded services and supports that allow elders and people with disabilities to live in the setting of their choice without draining family budgets across generations.
Nearly 80 percent of paid hands-on care for elders and people with disabilities is provided by direct-care workers, who earn, on average, just $10 per hour. With such low incomes and limited employer-provided health insurance, Medicaid is essential to keeping these workers out of poverty. In addition, without this coverage, these workers are more likely to miss work due to health problems, disrupting the continuity of care so many families rely on.
Of our nation’s over 3 million nursing assistants, home health aides, and personal care aides: Nearly 1 million (28 percent) are uninsured. In 2009, nearly 20 percent, or 600,000 direct-care workers, received health coverage through Medicaid or other public insurance at some point during the year.
*Iowa Arts Festival
In my mind, summer officially begins each year with the Iowa Arts Festival in downtown Iowa City. The event this year runs Friday, June 3 through Sunday, June 5.
For a full schedule of events, see: http://www.summerofthearts.org/portals/0/2011%20iaf%20schedule%20at-a-glance.pdf
*ICARE Pancake Breakfast
Another annual event that kicks off the summer is the ICARE Pancake Breakfast. This year’s event, the 24th annual, is Sunday, June 5 from 8AM to 1PM in the Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp (where the Iowa City Farmer’s Market is held).
Tickets are $8 advance, $10 day of, children 4-12 half price; children 3 and under eat free. The menu features gourmet pancakes, sausage, fresh fruit, orange juice and coffee, with live music and a raffle. All proceeds benefit ICARE, the Iowa Center for AIDS Resources and Education.
*DID YOU KNOW? In 2010, power generated by wind was 15.4% of all electricity generated in Iowa.
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
Sullivan’s Salvos 5/24/11
In this edition:
*Jean Martin
*Memorial Day
*Graduation
*Solon Firefighters Pancake Breakfast
*North Liberty Blues & BBQ
*Kent Park Beach
*Did You Know?
*Jean Martin
I lost a good friend last week with the passing of Jean Martin. Our county lost a quiet but effective champion for senior citizens, mental health, the environment, organized labor, women’s issues, and many other important causes.
One of the biggest fallacies in our society is that only big names and/or big voices get things accomplished. You do not need advanced degrees to be intelligent or to win an argument. You do not need to be wealthy to contribute to charity. You do not need to buy acres of timber to help the environment. You do not need to be a politician to affect social change. You do not need to be elected to be a leader. Jean Martin proved all these points.
Jean Martin was a single mother who earned union wages, worked two jobs most of her adult life, and lived in a mobile home. Yet I challenge anyone to name me a person who gave more to this community.
Jean spent a lot of time quietly helping others. I recall a time in the mid-90s when I was in a conversation with Joe Bolkcom, who was running for County Supervisor at the time. He was looking into the larger campaign signs that are sometimes used in the rural areas. Joe inquired as to who knew anything about those. I recall turning to Jean Martin, who not only knew where to get the signs, but took it upon herself to drive around the county putting them up. Joe didn’t expect her to take this on, but we were told by several people, “Don’t worry - that is just one of those things Jean does.”
There were a LOT of those things! Jean worked the front desk at the Senior Center, often helping folks who were actually younger than herself! Jean could always be counted on to clean up the grounds at the Community Mental Health Center. Jean picked up dog poop at the dog park. Jean spent every Friday evening during the summer raising money for Iowa Shares. She was constantly helping some of her less-fortunate neighbors. Jean was the driving force behind organized labor in Johnson County. The list goes on and on.
Jean was committed to social justice, and she was willing to stand and fight. But she also did what she could do personally. The whole idea of “Think globally, act locally” is embodied in her spirit.
In addition to all of her good works, Jean was smart, funny, patient, kind, caring, and a real joy to be around. We lost a very special person with the passing of Jean Martin. RIP, Jean.
*Memorial Day
Happy Memorial Day! While you enjoy a day off work, please take a moment to thank the women and men who have sacrificed to make this country the place it is today.
If you want to physically show up and show your support, there are several commemorations throughout Johnson County. I could not find a link to a good listing, but I am certain the local media will fill us in as the day gets closer.
*Graduation
Congratulations to all our graduating seniors! Commencement has already taken place at the UI and Kirkwood, and the local high schools are graduating as we speak.
I know that Melissa (and others) accuse me of being overly sentimental when it comes to these types of things. That may be true. But graduation really is a milestone.
Certainly, what graduates do in the future is much more important than what they have done to date. But the fact is, they have accomplished something important. Let’s reflect upon it, and celebrate it! Congrats again to all the graduates!
*Solon Firefighters Pancake Breakfast
The Solon Fire Department is holding its 50th (yes, 50th!) annual pancake breakfast on Sunday, May 29 from 6AM to 12:30PM at the fire station.
Volunteer fire departments run on shoestring budgets. They count on fundraisers like this. Please do what you can!
*North Liberty Blues & BBQ
North Liberty is holding the annual Blues and BBQ celebration Sunday, May 29 from noon-10 PM at Liberty Centre Park.
This gets better every year! This year’s acts include 2 of Iowa’s very best - Kevin Burt and the Instigators and Bob Dorr and the Blue Band! There will be lots of food vendors, including BBQ competitors. Add in games and rides for the children, and you have a great event!
For more information, see: http://www.northlibertyiowa.org/bluesandbbq/
*Kent Park Beach
THE F.W. KENT PARK BEACH WILL OPEN FOR THE SEASON ON SATURDAY, MAY 28. DAILY HOURS ARE 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM.
NO LIFEGUARDS ARE PROVIDED, SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK, SWIM ONLY AT DESIGNATED BEACH, NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED ON BEACH. CANS BOTTLES AND FOOD ITEMS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE BEACH AREA.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE JOHNSON COUNTY CONSERVATION BOARD AT 319-645-2315.
*DID YOU KNOW? 47% of all American adults use a mobile device to access local news. (Source: Pewinternet.org.)
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
Sullivan’s Salvos 5/17/11
In this edition:
*Hills School
*Update on Property Tax Bill
*Hills School
The ICCSD Board is concerned because Hills Elementary School is very low in enrollment.
Let’s cut the crap. The ICCSD created this problem. To pretend they are shocked! shocked! that enrollment is down there is absurd. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy, perpetuated at the expense of a mostly voiceless group of families.
The whole thing makes me so angry that I need to move on to other, less ire-inducing topics. Such as the State budget!!!
*Update on Property Tax Bill
The Legislature is considering property tax changes that may significantly affect residential taxpayers and local governments. This is important stuff – more important than anything I can write!
The following piece is the best analysis I have seen. It is borrowed in whole from my friends at the Iowa Policy project. I made a few edits for length; you can find this and much more at their website: http://www.iowapolicyproject.org.
House File 691 would reduce commercial property tax assessments by 40 percent over five years — an unnecessary cut in our already low-tax state. Reducing commercial property taxes would further shift local funding of cities, schools and counties to residential property taxpayers. In addition to reducing commercial property taxes, the bill severely limits the ability of local governments to meet the needs of their citizens.
Iowa’s Business Taxes Already Low
When one considers the whole range of state and local taxes that fall on businesses, Iowa is a low-tax state. In a report on overall taxes, including property taxes, paid by businesses, the nationally recognized accounting firm of Ernst and Young recently showed that only 15 states taxed businesses at a lower rate than Iowa as a percent of private-sector GDP.
Commercial Property Tax Break Will Spur Little or No Growth
A state or local government’s tax rate — be it corporate income or commercial property or the combination of all taxes on business — is a tiny portion of a business’ overall costs. Taken together, state and local taxes on business are, on average, only about 1.8 percent of total business costs. The commercial property tax by itself would be an even tinier fraction of a business’ overall costs. Furthermore, cities already routinely use Iowa’s TIF law to provide generous rebates of property taxes on new commercial and industrial buildings. The notion that cutting commercial property taxes further by reducing assessments will bring in new economic activity and new revenue is a pipe dream.
Bill Would Shift Taxes from Business to Residential
The bill mandates a 40 percent reduction in commercial and industrial property assessments, phased in over five years. At the same time, the annual growth in taxable residential and agricultural property value allowable under the rollback formula would be reduced from four percent to two percent. The net effect is still a sizeable shift in taxes from commercial and industrial to residential property. HF691 would substantially magnify the shift from commercial to residential: The commercial share would drop all the way to 20 percent while the residential share rises to 54 percent. The bill does express a “legislative intent” to partially reimburse localities for the loss in revenue due to the new assessment limitations on commercial property. But there is no guarantee that even the partial reimbursement will continue. If past practice is a guide, it will not.
Limitations on Local Governments
In addition to slashing business property taxes, HF691 limits the amount of property tax revenue city and county governments may raise to support public services, in exchange for eliminating the cap on property tax rates. Revenue growth would be limited to inflation plus new property valuation.
This limitation is problematic for a number of reasons. First, inflation will be measured by the consumer price index (CPI). The CPI tends to underestimate inflation for costs affecting government. State and local government budgets are largely driven by personnel costs, and the cost to of hiring workers has steadily increased as insurance costs have increased at a pace faster than inflation. Between 2000 and 2010, the consumer price index increased by over 26 percent; the state and local governments price index increased by more than 44 percent over the same period. Over time the revenue limitation would force substantial cuts in local government services because revenues would not be allowed to increase as fast as costs, a problem aggravated by the bill’s limitation on the inflation factor to four percent regardless of actual inflation. Since 2000, the state and local government price index increased by more than 4 percent from year to year six times.
The formula may force further service cutbacks and employee layoffs through another provision. Most local services are services to people, and it is population growth that necessitates expansion of services and increases in local budgets. The formula does not allow for revenue to grow along with population, but instead allows it to grow only with construction of new taxable property. This provision puts additional pressure on local governments to engage in unfair “fiscal zoning” practices to exclude properties that tend to bring in families with children and with below-average valuation, and encourage only high value property that brings with it few people and few additional demands on services. The alternative is to cut services because revenues can’t keep up with the needs of a growing population.
A bill as complex and far-reaching as HF691 demands further analysis and discussion than the General Assembly has given it. Changes of this magnitude deserve — and Iowans should demand — far more study than they have received.
*DID YOU KNOW? 84% of all American adults own a cell phone, and only 33% use it strictly for making phone calls. (Source: Pewinternet.org.)
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
Sullivan’s Salvos 5/10/11
In this edition:
*Amish Farm Tour
*Bike To Work Week
*IC Farmer’s Market
*County Historic Preservation
*IC Historic Preservation
*Social Security Stats
*Hickory Hill Plant Sale
*Did You Know?
*Amish Farm Tour
The Board recently had a very enjoyable tour of southern Johnson County, including Farmer’s All Natural Creamery, Yoder Auction House, and several Amish farms.
The tour was not just for fun, however – Amish farmers are struggling with a couple of Johnson County ordinances, and would like to see some things change.
One of the most important ordinances we have on the books is the definition of a farm. In Johnson County, a farm is a parcel of over 40 acres used for agriculture. A farm of greater than 40 acres may only have two houses on it.
This causes problems for some of our Amish friends. Many Amish families have 6, 8, and even 10 children. Given the current land prices, it is very difficult for an eldest son to afford the 40 acres he needs to begin farming on his own. A father may be able to sell 40 acres to one son, but certainly cannot do it for a second, third, or fourth. This forces many young Amish to leave our area and begin new Amish communities, such as the one near Drakesville in Davis County.
Some of the Amish feel that the 40-acre rule penalizes them. Using “typical” methods of farming, it would be very difficult for a “farmer” to earn a living off 40 acres. This is not the case for the Amish, who have an abundance of labor. There are Amish families earning nearly six figures off as little as ten acres. (That six figures must support a huge multi-generational family, of course!)
So why not just allow Amish farmers to farm less acres? It is not that simple. If we allow it for one group, we need to allow it for all groups. My biggest fear is that we begin creating a bunch of ten-acre lots, and we end up with a bunch of McMansions with chemical lawns sitting atop our prime farmland.
I shared this concern with the Amish men, and they understood completely. My biggest fear is their biggest fear. I think there are a few other rules we can tinker with that may assist small farmers. Meanwhile, I believe we should proceed with caution before we change our definition of a farm.
*Bike To Work Week
Bike to Work Week is May 15 – 21, 2011. Once again, our flagship event will be the “New Pi to New Pi” ride on Wednesday, May 18th. The ride leaves from Chauncey Swan park in Iowa City and ends at the New Pioneer Coop in Coralville, where New Pioneer hosts a dinner and music.
Bike to Work Week is pleased to be affiliated this year with the new website www.thinkbicycles.org , a web site dedicated to promoting bicycle culture and healthy living in Johnson County.
Bike to Work Week Events:
Monday, May 16: Bike to Work Week Breakfast Kick Off
30th Century Bicycles, 310 E Prentiss St.
7:30 to 9:30am. Food by Red Avocado, coffee by Wake Up Iowa City. Free as usual. Door prizes.
Bike/Bus/Car Race, sponsored by the MPO of Johnson County, beginning at 11:33 a.m. at the Coralville Public Library and ending at the Iowa City Public Library.
Tuesday, May 17: Ride through virtual “Bike Town” Free tour of the Hank Virtual Environments Lab, an immersive/interactive bicycling simulator. Includes presentation of local research on child and adult cyclists crossing intersections and tour participants will be given the opportunity to ride the bike through the virtual “Bike Town.” Tour starts at noon, Room 311 MacLean Hall.
Wednesday, May 18: Old Pi to New Pi Ride sponsored by New Pioneer Coop, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Chauncey Swan Park in Iowa City and ending at New Pioneer Co-op in Coralville. Live music, food, and door prizes will be offered. No preregistration is required.
Friday, May 20: End of Week Celebration featuring the Heels & Wheels Fashion Show hosted by the Johnson County Trails Foundation, as well as live music and prizes. Activities begin at 5pm, at the Hawkeye Hideaway. See you there!
Art Show: “bicycle generator installation” at Public Space One, 129 E Washington.
May 16-May 20: The Broken Spoke is sponsoring a raffle for a Kona Ute.
*IC Farmer’s Market
Keeping with tradition, the Iowa City Farmer’s Market began its 39th season on Wednesday, May 4. Please come visit the many vendors each week as they sell their home grown, homemade products fresh to you twice a week during the months of May through October. Also, enjoy musicians as they play live music in Chauncey Swan Park on Wednesdays from 5-7 pm and Saturdays from 9-11 am, June through August.
While the downtown Iowa City market is the largest and best known, there are several other markets in Johnson County; for a complete list, see the website of the Johnson County Local Food Alliance at: http://jclfa.org/Buy%20Fresh%20Buy%20Local.htm#markets
Farmer’s Markets - a sure sign that summer is on the way!
*County Historic Preservation
Johnson County has openings on the Historic Preservation Committee. This committee has a great deal of potential to do many cool things… we just need a couple new bodies. Please consider applying!
*IC Friends of Historic Preservation
Speaking of Historic Preservation, the Iowa City Friends of Historic Preservation is holding a Parade of Historic Homes on Sunday, May 15.
The tour includes Plum Grove, home of Governor Robert Lucas, as well as a look at a few of the Moffit homes. (Those cool, funky little houses that utilize stone in interesting ways? Moffit houses!)
For more info, see http://www.ic-fhp.org/new/index.html
*Social Security Stats
Some interesting statistics on Social Security in Iowa:
Social Security Beneficiaries in Iowa: 574,315
Retirees: 388,139
Widow(er)s: 52,462
Disabled Workers: 68,425
33.6% of non-government workers aged 55-64 are without workplace retirement benefits.
Please allow me to take this opportunity to remind you that Social Security – one of the most successful programs in human history – has NEVER added ONE CENT to the federal deficit.
Social Security is in good shape for at least the next 25 years, and with minor adjustments, will be set for a couple generations.
*Hickory Hill Plant Sale
Friends of Hickory Hill is holding its annual Spring Plant Sale May 13 (4-7 PM), May 14 (10-4), May 20 (4-7) and May 21 (10-4). The sale will be held at 1167 E. Jefferson in Iowa City.
All proceeds from the sale benefit FHHP projects within the park. See www.hickoryhillpark.org for more information.
*DID YOU KNOW? SEATS set an all-time record with 10,326 trips in March of 2011.
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
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