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rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
November 30, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 12/4/12
In this edition:
*Items in Salvos
*50-50 Rock Agreements
*Veto Power? Not if You Want Good Government!
*Did You Know?
*Items in Salvos
I get occasional requests to run things in Salvos. I never realized how controversial this could get, but it seems to have caused some friction between some of my friends and I! So please allow me to explain my thoughts.
I have never created “rules” in terms of what I will/will not include. I just don’t want to get that formal, frankly. Getting this out weekly can be a bit of a chore, and I just don’t want to make it any more difficult. I don’t have any staff. No intern. Nothing. This is just me, which can get a bit daunting.
I date each edition of Salvos as a Tuesday, even though you will likely get it over the weekend. The idea of how to date each edition is stolen from the publishing industry; they want you to be able to buy magazines over a period of time knowing they will remain relevant. So Salvos is written in such a way that if you do not read it until Tuesday morning, it should still be relevant.
That affects what I will run and when. If you send me an item on Thursday the 13th for Saturday the 15th, I am extremely unlikely to run it. Because I know several folks will not see it until after the 15th. And I want each edition to be relevant.
So get me your information ASAP. Give me some time to work it in. And please do not be offended if I decided not to run your item. I am doing my best to put out a product that 400+ people will find interesting and informative each week. It is not easy!
*50-50 Rock Agreements
I am frustrated. Johnson County maintains a number of so-called “50-50” rock agreements on rural roads. Allow me to give a bit of history, and I’ll explain my frustrations.
Right of way (ROW) is the area between the actual road and your yard. In the country, it includes the ditch, and usually goes to the fence line. In town, it is the area between the sidewalk and the street. ROW is actually owned by the property owner, but the government maintains a permanent easement. If the government needs a bigger easement, they must purchase it from the property owner.
Years ago, federal and state standards were changed to require 60’ of right of way for rural roads. Like other jurisdictions, Johnson County attempted to comply. In most cases, landowners dedicated (gave) the necessary ROW, because they wanted the improved road that would follow.
In other cases, the landowners refused to donate ROW. Sometimes the County relented and paid for it. In other cases, the County simply left the road in a more primitive condition. Today we call those “minimum maintenance” or Level B roads.
So, in most cases, people who refused to donate ROW ended up with property abutting Level B roads. In some cases this made sense, because the road got very minimal use. In other cases, the roads in question were nothing more than long driveways, with no real public purpose.
Then, over time, something happened. Some of the people who owned land along these roadways argued that they deserved/needed rock on their roads. Never mind that the situation existed in the first place because their daddies were stubborn! By God, they pay taxes, and they deserve rock!
Like today, the Boards of Supervisors in that era were always concerned over losing any single vote. So they decided to grease the squeaky wheel and enter into “50-50” rock agreements. This meant that the person who owned the property would pay half the cost, and the public would foot the rest of the bill.
Over time, many of these 50-50 agreements have faded away. But there are still a couple dozen out there. And they cost you $3500 annually just for the rock. This does not include plowing, grading, and other maintenance.
Needless to say, I believe this to be an example of bad government. $3500+ is a drop in the bucket as far as the County roads budget goes. But it is the principle of the matter. There is no public purpose in splitting these costs. There was no public purpose in 1960, and there is none today.
I believe we should end all 50-50 agreements. Give folks one year’s notice, and end them all. Unfortunately, the current Board simply goes nowhere when we discuss any changes to 50-50 or Level B roads. We cannot get three votes to do anything. And it drives me crazy.
Again, it is more about principle than money. The status quo reinforces the worst possible image of County Boards as weak managers and good old boys, who bestow special favors in exchange for votes. I hate it, and I’d like to end it.
*Veto Power? Not If You Want Good Government!
The City of Iowa City is once again discussing urban chickens. One controversial idea under consideration is the idea that neighbors could veto whether or not someone got chickens. I think this is a horrible idea!
Government must not be arbitrary. The rules that govern us must not be arbitrary. When you allow one neighbor to veto something another neighbor wants to do, you have reached the height of being arbitrary.
Look at the cases of other animals. Some dogs are very loud. They bark at all hours. Their poop smells. Given the opportunity, many folks would opt to deny dogs to their neighbors.
Yet you do not award veto power to neighbors where dogs are concerned. You create rules, and enforce those rules.
Other issues would seem to call for the idea of a "neighbor's veto" before chickens would. Fire pits, for example. The smoke one neighbor creates may have a marked impact on another neighbor, yet no veto power exists in these cases.
Set rules, and enforce those rules consistently. If a neighbor has a legitimate complaint, the facts can be investigated, and penalties applied. To do anything else is not good governance.
*DID YOU KNOW? The Johnson County Ambulance Service arrives in less than 6 minutes over 54% of the time. This is outstanding considering the number of rural calls to which they respond.
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
November 24, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 11/27/12
In this edition:
*RIP Millie Ollinger
*”No” is Easy!
*Board of Adjustment
*Celebrate Your Friends!
*Welfare State of America
*Did You Know?
*RIP Millie Ollinger
Johnson County lost a great one recently with the passing of Millie Ollinger. “Diamond Millie” served as the cook at the Johnson County Jail for many years. She also ran Coralville’s premier honky-tonk back in the day when Coralville had honkey-tonks.
I was never much of a Mickey Gilley fan, but I’m going to play a little today in honor of Diamond Millie – one of the characters that makes this place great! RIP, Mil!
*”No” is Easy!
Sam Rayburn was a legendary Texas politician and longtime (49 years!) Speaker of the US House of Representatives. (A House Office Building now bears his name.) Rayburn was known for being able to get things done. Personally, I like this Rayburn quote:
“Any jackass can tear down a barn. It takes a carpenter to build one.”
This could easily be applied to our politics at the federal level, where the GOP controlled House has been unwilling to work with President Obama to get anything done. Unfortunately, I think the quote can also be applied to our local political scene.
There are an alarming number of people who are simply against everything. And the local newspapers celebrate them.
The County, local cities, local school districts, the UI, churches, businesses, nonprofits… everybody has problems. You can try to improve the situation, or you can criticize the efforts of those who are trying. Frankly, I’m not much interested in the opinions of people who are unwilling to look for solutions.
I recently took in the movie “Lincoln”. I thought the movie was fabulous. I also thought about how difficult it was to do the right thing, and how easy it was to simply say “no”. Thank God that throughout our history, the negativity has not won every battle.
We must remember to acknowledge the work of those who are willing to take a stand. We are not required to agree with their visions. But if you disagree with the plan that is laid out, offer your own solution. Simply saying “no” is a cop out. “No” is too easy.
*Board of Adjustment
Johnson County needs a member of the public to serve on the Zoning Board of Adjustment. This is a very important Board with tremendous statutory power! These are the people who determine if and when there will be any exceptions to policy where zoning ordinances are concerned.
Meetings are once per month, lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours. This is a wonderful opportunity for someone with an interest in zoning, planning, and government in general. For more info, see the Planning and Zoning section of the County webpage at: www.johnson-county.com. Please feel free to contact me for more information.
*Celebrate Your Friends!
I have recently attended a couple of very nice (but very different) celebrations in honor of two people who have some very impressive (but very different) accomplishments. Both events were wonderful and well deserved!
This has gotten me thinking. There are so many cool people in Johnson County. We simply must celebrate more of them.
Yes, we are usually decent when it comes to marking retirements and deaths. But why wait so long? We need to do more celebrating. We need to honor more people. We need to say “thank you” more often.
I have tried to annually notice some of the great people in Johnson County through a “Salvos Salute”. But that just isn’t enough.
I am going to make a point of celebrating more people. I’m not sure each event will be “Mr. Holland’s Opus”; it may be a small affair with two friends getting coffee or a beer. Either way, I promise to do more of this! I hope you will join me!
*Welfare State of America
I read a great article by Peter Frase and Shaskar Sunkara entitled “The Welfare State of America”.
The most interesting part of this piece was their discussion of the relationship between the federal governments and the states as it relates to social services.
Part of the reason so many people feel they do not benefit from “government handouts” is because legislators continue to take the lazy and secretive route, and enact public policy through the tax code. Nobody sees their mortgage interest deduction; therefore, they do not feel they benefit.
The authors also point out that because states and localities are required to maintain balanced budgets, vital social services are often cut, even when funding is available. Witness Governor Branstad’s 2012 veto of funding for food banks, despite Iowa’s coffers being full.
Finally, the public does NOT view these locally funded benefits as “entitlements”. Because of this, former Presidential candidate Mitt Romney and others want to “block grant” such services to the states. This will allow the states in the former Confederacy to cut services; soon, the “block grants” are simply no longer available.
Google the authors. Read the article. It’ll make you think!
*DID YOU KNOW? 52% of the renting households in Johnson County cannot afford the rent ($853) on the average 2-bedroom apartment. (Source: National Low Income Housing Coalition.)
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
November 16, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 11/20/12
In this edition:
*Happy Thanksgiving!
*Justice Center Referendum
*Homeless Children’s Trust Xmas Party
*Convention and Visitors Bureau
*Sign of the Times
*Did You Know?
*Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to Salvos readers! In many ways, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. (Imagine that coming from a fat guy, huh?)
Actually, I love the idea of giving thanks. It is a simple act that does not happen enough.
While I am at it – thanks to all of you who read Salvos each week. And a special thanks to those of you who follow up by sharing your thoughts. I appreciate it! Happy Thanksgiving!
*Justice Center Referendum
The people have spoken, and the proposed Justice Center was defeated, despite receiving an impressive 57% of the vote.
I am disappointed in this result. We worked very hard to come up with what we believe was the very best plan possible.
Why did it fail? Well, first off, in most elections, 57% is a resounding victory. Few candidates achieved that level of support. 60% is a very high bar, particularly in the highest turnout election possible. That led to the defeat more than anything else.
Secondly, there were concerns shared over disproportionate minority contact. This is a real problem; the Iowa City Police Department stops and arrests far too many people of color. Yet our space needs are so great that we would be shipping out dozens of prisoners even if we never housed another inmate of color. Plus, because of inadequate court space, some people of color spend more days in jail than is necessary. We must address disproportionate minority contact; I simply believe we need to build a Justice Center, too.
Thirdly, $46.8 million is a lot of money. It was always going to be a challenge to ask folks to tax themselves for this project. Understand – the project was not elaborate! It was what we need, plus a little room for growth. It will never be cheaper to build than it is today – interest rates cannot go lower! Despite all these positive arguments, to many folks a tax increase is a tax increase. They are all bad – period!
Finally, many conservatives decided to play politics. I must admit, I have been shaking my head at the hypocrisy of many local Republicans. The first time I ran for office (’04) the local GOP was blasting Supervisors Harney and Neuzil for doing nothing on jail/courthouse needs. In ’08, they blasted all three of us. (Perhaps deservedly so!)
But in ’12, suddenly, a Justice Center is a bad idea. Some of the same people who said, “do something” in ’08 changed their minds in ’12. (I still have the e-mails and letters.) Amazing! These folks are clearly not about solving community problems – they are about opposing Democrats. How sad! Hats off to local GOP members like Mike Streb and John Balmer who have stayed consistent on this issue.
So now what? I cannot speak for the whole Board. I think the group is all over the map. I will tell you what I’d like to see happen:
1.) I think we need to come back with a very similar project. After all, 57% is impressive! Change the project too dramatically, and you risk losing that strong support.
2.) I think we can reduce the number of cells a bit, perhaps from the proposed 243 to around 200. We can also “shell out” another courtroom or two. This will bring down the upfront costs by a couple million dollars. Opponents of the project may view this as a win-win. (This will undoubtedly add future expenses, but that is for another Board on another day.)
There may be other tweaks that can be made; I’m willing to listen, but as I said, I am not interested in big changes to something that was so well received.
3.) We can urge the Iowa City Police Department to take their race problems seriously. That is a good thing no matter how you slice it.
4.) I also hope we try again soon. The public does not want to wait another 12 years. We have very real safety, security, and space needs. The public knows that. Now we need to try to get them to vote in support.
What are your thoughts? I’d like to hear them!
*Homeless Children’s Trust Xmas Party
The 22nd Annual Homeless Children’s Trust Christmas Party is coming up on December 1st from 9-12 at the Eagle’s Lodge in Iowa City. This party will serve over 150 of Johnson County’s neediest children and their families.
The Homeless Children’s Trust is a subsidiary of the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP), a local nonprofit that provides 55 transitional housing units, LiHeap heating assistance, and Head Start preschool for 260 children in Johnson County.
The Christmas Party offers games, treats, and entertainment to children while their parents receive a Kmart gift card to shop for them. Presents get wrapped, and everyone gathers back together for lunch.
Donations of toys, games, mittens, hats, or cash are much needed and should be made by November 27. There are several drop off sites: any HACAP location, any Core Fitness location, several Hills Bank locations, KCJJ, KXIC, and many other locations.
In addition, volunteers are needed to play with the children or shop with the parents. Volunteers can contact Mary Larew at 338-1212 (days) or 337-2264 (evenings).
*Convention and Visitors Bureau
I recently attended the annual meeting of the Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB).
I am the person who urged the CVB to consider adding a County representative to its Board. Upon securing the assent of that group, I served on the CVB Board for three years. I can assure you our CVB is the envy of every CVB in Iowa!
The CVB has an interesting annual report – I urge you to check it out at http://www.iowacitycoralville.org/
Meanwhile, congrats to Josh Schamberger and his crew for another outstanding year!
*Sign of the Times
There is a sign in rural Johnson County that makes my blood boil. It says, “Free markets, not freeloaders. Vote Republican.”
I have no problem with people wearing their politics on their sleeves. Putting up signs is free speech. I defend the right of anyone to put up a sign. Unfortunately, our politics now is pretty nasty.
If you are going to put up a sign like this, you invite commentary. I am furious at this idea that Democrats are freeloaders. I am particularly offended when I think of some of the low income Democrats I know. I have worked with the poor for 25 years. I see so many people working so hard – to dismiss all these folks as freeloaders is just SO wrong.
In this case, I find it interesting that the family that put up the sign has received well over $876,316 in federal farm payments between 1995 and 2011.
Yep. The folks who refer to others as “freeloaders” took about a million of our tax dollars. How is that a “free market”?
I know these folks, and like these folks. And I wish they would take down that misguided sign.
*DID YOU KNOW? People under 18 make up 20% of the population in Johnson County. People over 65 make up 10%. (Source: US Census Bureau.)
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
November 9, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 11/13/12
In this edition:
*Election Observations
*Thanks!
*United Way
*A Favorite Quote…
*Seven Myths of Government Bashing, Part 7
*Did You Know?
*Election Observations
My observations on the results of our recent elections:
Starting at the top, President Obama was a clear choice of the American people. He won the Electoral College in a blowout, and won the popular vote by a decent margin.
I hope this will convince the House to compromise with him a bit. My guess is that will not occur until voters begin punishing the obstructionists in Congress. Given the many very partisan Districts out there, I’m not sure that will occur. I guess we will see!
Congressman Loebsack easily outdistanced John Archer to win reelection. Dave is a favorite punching bag for the media, but the thing they fail to understand is how hard he works the District. His constituents – be they in Clinton, Burlington, or Newton – see him a couple times every month. His staff attends everything. His accessibility is unmatched. People have actually spoken to Dave, and found him to be smart and caring. People like that. The media can continue to punish Loebsack for beating Leach, but the people understand.
As for other US House races – It was good to see Bruce Braley win a resounding victory. I was sorry to see Christy Vilsack fall short in her bid. Third District – it is your turn! How about producing a female candidate for Congress in 2014?
At the State level, all the Justices were retained- big blow in favor of equality. Democrats made big gains in the Iowa House, and barely held the Iowa Senate. This result made my job MUCH easier over the next two years!
At the State level locally, my colleague Sally Stutsman is headed to Des Moines. That will create an opening on the Board; more about that in a future edition of Salvos.
I was sad to see friends Dick Schwab, Nate Willems and Sara Sedlacek fall short in their races. I have already reached out to newly elected Representative Bobby Kauffman to see how we can work together.
Locally, the 3 Board incumbents and Sheriff won reelection, and Travis Weipert was elected Auditor. The Justice Center received an impressive 57% of the vote, but fell short of the required 60% needed. I was very disappointed by that result. (More about that in next week’s edition of Salvos!)
A couple other things worthy of mention: where given the opportunity, voters supported legalization of marijuana and marriage
equality. I hope elected officials take note!
I do believe there are two central themes to the evening’s results. First, I think the US voted strongly in favor of equality. The people of this country are not mean. They do not want to hurt their neighbors. They may not love everything about their neighbors, but live and let live ruled the day. The people are basically seeking fairness. That makes me proud to be an American.
Secondly, this was a victory for government. People know government is not perfect. They know government cannot do everything. But they also know that government does all sorts of good things. They want a strong and effective government. Government is NOT something for 47% of the people – it is for 100% of the people!
Thanks again to all who threw a hat into the ring and stood for election. And congratulations to all the winners at every level. I wish you all luck!
*Thanks!
I was reelected on Tuesday to a third term. It is an honor and a privilege to represent the people of Johnson County. I promise to do my best to earn your trust. My sincere thanks for your support!
I am always willing to listen to your comments and concerns. Please feel free to contact me at this e-mail address, or by phone at the Board Office (356-6000) or home (354-7199).
*United Way
The United Way campaign is underway. I hope you will choose to be a supporter.
Melissa and I are big supporters of the United Way and the United Way affiliated agencies. We give generously, I think – about $3300 annually on a combined income of $100k. We also volunteer when and where we can.
So United Way is in our blood. Unfortunately, it does not seem to be in the blood of enough Johnson County residents.
I just heard a statistic that only 4% of all adults in Johnson County contribute to the United Way. Only 4%! That is simply too low, folks.
One in three families in Johnson County uses a United Way service. Let’s get at least one in three contributing to the United Way!
*A Favorite Quote…
Much as we love and support the United Way, we must also work toward systemic change. Wouldn’t it be great if the United Way agencies were not needed so much? This reminds me of one of my all-time favorite quotes, from education activist and writer Jonathon Kozol:
“Charity is no substitute for justice.”
Simple, poignant, and true. I LOVE it!
*Seven Myths of Government Bashing
A friend recently sent me a great piece by Gail Cohen entitled “Seven Myths of Government Bashing”. I like this piece so much that I have decided to divide it into seven parts and run it in Salvos.
Today, Part 7: CLAIM: Anything government can do, business can do better.
ANSWER: In America, we don’t look to government to take on money-making, potentially profitable ventures. We leave that for the private sector, with its healthy, profit-seeking motivation. We look to government to do things that all citizens require, even those citizens that can’t pay.
The postal service delivers mail to everyone, because not everyone can afford UPS and Fed Ex. Public schools have to let in all the kids, even those who might never read or write or do math very well. Not everyone can afford a car, so you have to have busses. Not all goods can be delivered on airplanes, so you have to have trains, even though they’re not profitable. Since we haven’t found a way to keep germs on the poor side of town, we have to have hospitals where poor people can get treated.
Notice every institution I just mentioned is the frequent butt of anti-government jokes. It’s true that none of these ventures make money, because they’re not allowed to choose whom they treat, educate, deliver mail to, or drive around town. Now, businesses often say that they can run these ventures “at a profit,” and do them “better than government.” What they mean is that they can cut people off who can’t pay. But profitability is not the point of these services. They are necessities and are provided by government, for everybody, without regard to profit. Therefore, they will forever be considered “money-losers” and “inefficient.”
*DID YOU KNOW? 43% of Johnson County residents work in the public sector.
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
November 3, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 11/6/12
In this edition:
*Happy Birthday Rachel!
*Election Day!
*Responding to Sandy
*National Adoption Month
*”Good” vs. “Bad” Campaigns
*Housing Trust Fund
*Seven Myths of Government Bashing, Part 6
*Did You Know?
*Happy Birthday Rachel!
Happy Birthday to my oldest child Rachel, who turns 21 today!
Normally, we would be celebrating with Rachel on her birthday. This year, she has agreed to wait until after Election Day. That is typical of Rachel, who is very kind, generous, and sweet.
Happy Birthday, Honey! I love you!
*Election Day!
It is November 6, and that means Election Day. Vote if you have not already done so. If you have voted, go volunteer. And whether your candidates win or lose, remember that we are all fortunate to live in the greatest country on earth, where we have the right to vote!
*Responding to Sandy
One of my personal heroes here in Johnson County is Solon resident Tom Trump. I weathered the 2008 flood in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with Tom, who was a calm, collected, knowledgeable leader.
Well, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Tom is headed out east to put his expertise to use. Good luck, Tom, and our prayers to all the people of the east coast!
*National Adoption Month
November has been named National Adoption Month and November 20th National Adoption Day.
The need out there is tremendous. In Johnson County alone, there are between 100 and 150 kids in foster care every day. There are nowhere near enough foster and adoptive homes to meet the need.
As many of you know, Melissa and I are the parents of three adopted children. We also continue to serve as foster parents.
It has been a life full of tragedies and triumphs. It has not always been easy, but it has been indescribably fulfilling. Along with marrying my wife, it is the best decision I ever made.
If you or someone you know is interested in foster care and/or adoption, please let me know. I am always happy to speak with prospective parents.
*”Good” vs. “Bad” Campaigns
Ever heard of someone who won an election yet ran a lousy campaign? Me, either!
Since we are deep into the political season, I want to share one of my political pet peeves:
I get really tired of all the Monday morning quarterbacking. If the candidate wins, she/he “ran a great campaign”. If she/he loses, the campaign was “terrible”.
Sports analogies get overused in politics, but I think it is apt to use one here. Picture the game of golf. Sometimes you play very poorly, and can get beat by anyone. Sometimes you play poorly and your opponent plays even worse – then you win. Conversely, sometimes you play well and win. It is also possible to play your best and still get beat.
This also happens in politics, though it is rarely acknowledged. Yes, sometimes the loser ran a poor campaign. But just as frequently, they ran a good campaign and still got beat. It happens.
The “experts” who are commenting on these campaigns – local or national - hardly ever have any real firsthand knowledge. Their punditry is usually just hot air.
Many locals will be complaining about the Romney or Obama campaigns – often, that is because they did not get the positions they wanted.
Yes, there are campaigns that are well run, and there are some that aren’t. But I rarely hear anything other than fawning over winners and piling on losers. That is not analysis!
*Housing Trust Fund
I serve on the Board of Directors of the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County (HTFJC). We recently held our annual meeting – so I thought I would share some information about this wonderful organization.
In FY12, the HTFJC awarded $365,800 toward low and moderate income housing in Johnson County. This funding went to Shelter House, Successful Living, the Housing Fellowship, and Habitat for Humanity, just to name a few of the local beneficiaries.
In addition to much needed housing, the HTFJC funds projects that provide valuable work for local contractors.
For more info on the HTFJC, see www.htfjc.org or call 358-0212.
*Seven Myths of Government Bashing
A friend recently sent me a great piece by Gail Cohen entitled “Seven Myths of Government Bashing”. I like this piece so much that I have decided to divide it into seven parts and run it in Salvos.
Today, Part 6: CLAIM: Government is more secretive and less answerable to the people than business.
ANSWER: In reality, businesses routinely hide data that would be of great interest to the general public. Goldman Sachs claims that they had no obligation to reveal that they were betting against their own investors. During the recent financial meltdown, firms routinely cooked the books to hide their losses, claiming such deceptions were legal.
Food companies claim they have the right to call their products “organic,” when they are anything but, and bottled water companies can legally lie about the source of their natural spring (city tap) water. Car companies will hide data about their unsafe vehicles until the resulting injuries and deaths can no longer be plausibly denied. Companies routinely hide the anticompetitive results of their mergers and acquisitions, and mask the deceitful means they use to drive competitors out of business.
Businesses claim these rights because they don’t want to reveal trade secrets, or reveal their true financial health to competitors. In any event, right or wrong, big corporations believe they don’t have to reveal facts that might be harmful to their bottom line, regardless of the central roles their products play in our lives. Government, however, does have an obligation to be transparent, and when it refuses, we can fire officeholders who refuse to be accountable.
Whistleblowers at government agencies are protected by law, and have at least some recourse when they are harassed for speaking up. Although government regulators lie as much as anyone, there are pathways for concerned citizens to get to the bottom of these deceptions. Raise similar charges against a large private company, and they can stonewall until the money runs out (forever).
*DID YOU KNOW? The number of voters in Johnson County doubled between the 1972 and 2008 Presidential Elections, from 36,222 to 73,231.
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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