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rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
December 30, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 1/1/13
In this edition:
*Happy New Year!
*My Term as Chair
*New Committee Assignments
*Salvos Salutes – Follow Up
*Call It What It Is – Austerity!
*Did You Know?
*Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! I hope 2013 brings you all great health and happiness!
*My Term as Chair
As you may know, I had the pleasure of serving as the Chair of the Board in 2012. Before you offer any congratulations, understand that the role of Chair is simply rotated amongst the members of the Board. Yes, there is technically an election, but tradition here has been that the position of Chair rotates.
Each county does this somewhat differently. In some counties, a single individual has served as Chair for over 25 years. There are counties that have spirited, contested elections for Chair. In other counties, the role of Chair rotates, but only between members of the majority party. Many counties operate as we do. It is all over the board. (Pun intended!)
Serving as the Chair is interesting. There really is more work involved – primarily legislative. The amount of extra work here can vary greatly, but for me in 2012 it was probably 3 extra hours per week for 25 weeks. As always, the amount of work any given Supervisor puts in can and does vary greatly.
There is also at least one additional meeting per week to set the weekly agendas. Plus, the Chair has to sign everything. That might not sound like much, but it would surprise you! I counted, and last week I had over 175 documents requiring my signature!
The biggest difference between serving as Chair and simply serving as a Board member is running the meetings. Running meetings well requires more than just reading the agenda. To do it well, one needs to watch the clock, keep everyone involved, and clearly summarize things. It is tougher than it looks!
Last time I served as Chair was 2008. Blizzards, floods, evacuations, curfews… 2012 was a piece of cake compared to that!
Good luck to Supervisor Rettig as she slides into the role of Chair for 2013!
*New Committee Assignments
The Board of Supervisors tries to rotate the committees upon which its’ members serve. We typically serve on any given committee for 2-3 years, then move on. This ensures that all members get a certain amount of exposure to everything we do. It also ensures that a fresh set of eyes gets involved every so often.
This rotation takes place in January every year, so we are all taking on some new and different challenges. I will be serving in the following roles for 2013:
I will be serving on the Board of the Iowa City Area Development Group (ICAD), which is an appointment I have never held previously.
I will be Johnson County’s representative on the MH/DS Regional Board. This is a new (and yet-to-be-codified) Board. I worked in the field previously and know many of the players; I think that will help.
Another completely new assignment is the Sixth Judicial District Advisory Board. I spent over a decade teaching Batterer’s Education for the Sixth Judicial, so I look forward to reconnecting with some old comrades there.
I will be returning to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) of Johnson County Board, the Juvenile Justice Youth Development Board, and the Job Evaluation Team. I will also be the Liaison to Oxford, Riverside, and Iowa County.
*Salvos Salutes – Follow Up
Last week I gave the seventh annual Salvos Salutes to 11 different Johnson County residents.
The interesting thing? In previous years, these awards have generated a great deal of discussion. Some folks love a pick or two; others hate a pick or two. This year? Virtually nothing.
I’m not certain what to make of this. Maybe it was just too close to Christmas, and people failed to read it. Perhaps I have become predictable. Maybe I need to push the envelope a bit more.
Whatever the case, readers, you continue to keep me guessing!
*Call It What It Is – Austerity!
The ongoing debate over the so-called “fiscal cliff” makes me angry on many levels. One of the most fundamental problems I have with the whole thing was the decision to make any deal at all!
Remember – the “fiscal cliff” is a manufactured problem. It came about because House Republicans refused to vote to raise the debt ceiling – a mostly ceremonial vote that simply authorizes paying debts that were already incurred.
If there was a time to call a bluff, it was back then. Yes, the US credit would be downgraded. Undoubtedly the markets would suffer. But the billionaires and multi-millionaires who would stand to lose the most would have quickly gotten that rectified with the members of the House that they own.
Instead, the President and other Democrats agreed to create the mess we now know as the “fiscal cliff”. And what they did by agreeing to this was acknowledge that the US MUST go through austerity measures.
Personally, I think this is a mistake. While I do believe that the US should work toward a balanced budget, it is much more important in the short term that we stimulate the economy.
Most economists agree (including most Nobel Laureates) that the US economy remains fragile, and could benefit from some stimulus. Look at the devastating effects austerity measures have had in Europe. It is clear that austerity must be instituted over long periods of time, and not forced quickly upon a struggling economy.
Interestingly, most economists also agree as to which types of stimulus are the most efficient. Food stamps and extended unemployment are the most efficient. Infrastructure spending and increased payments to states are next. Education and research are good investments. Spending on the military is not nearly as good a bang for the buck. Every type of tax cut suffers by comparison.
I didn’t make this up. The CBO and other nonpartisan researchers have run the numbers. The President’s original stimulus did not fail; it was actually quite successful. But it would have been much more successful had it not consisted of over 50% tax cuts!
Once we get back on our feet, long-term changes should be implemented to reach a balanced budget. But not until! That is why the decision to accept the premise that we needed to get started on austerity was such a bad bargain for the US!
Austerity now is not the answer!
*DID YOU KNOW? Auld Lang Syne means “times gone by”.
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
December 20, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 12/25/12
In this edition:
*Merry Christmas!
*RIP Mary Sommerville
*”Minority”? WTF?
*Salvos Salutes
*Did You Know?
*Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it. I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!
*RIP Mary Sommerville
Johnson County lost a longtime water quality advocate and environmental steward with the recent passing of Mary Sommerville of rural Oxford. RIP, Mary – your good works live on!
*”Minority”? WTF?
The ICCSD recently adopted a broad policy on diversity. There are several things covered in the policy; I urge all residents of the ICCSD to check it out.
One piece of the Diversity Policy has me particularly steamed. I am the parent of three African American children. As such, I strongly object to the use of the term "minority" to refer to low-income students.
I do believe it is fair to point out that certain groups of students (kids with disabilities and religious minorities, for example) OTHER than racial/ethnic minorities suffer from the way in which we deal with their differences. But I think using the term "minority" to refer to anything other than a racial/ethnic minority flies in the face of conventional understanding, and will cause tremendous and unnecessary confusion.
The fact of the matter is, in the US in 2013, "minority" still means racial minority. We have our share of issues here, too - why confuse things?
*Salvos Salutes!
2012 is coming to a close, and it is time for honoring a few select Johnson County residents with that most treasured of honors, the Salvos Salute. A few observations:
* This is the seventh annual set of awards, and there are always more people who deserve awards than there are awards to give. We live in a great County!
* The focus is on Johnson County. It is certainly worth noting the heroism of someone like Malala Yousufzai, the 11-year-old Pakistani girl who stood up to the Taliban, or Karen Lewis of the Chicago Teacher’s Union. But we have everyday heroes right here in Johnson County that deserve a shout out.
* There are some people out there that could win every year. I am trying to honor different folks, but repeat winners are not out of the question.
* Salvos Salutes do not have specific criteria, but you can bet that in general, most of the winners are courageous, advocate for peace and justice, have good ideas, speak truth to power, avoid hypocrisy, and look out for the less fortunate.
Without further adieu, your 2012 Salvos Salutes go to:
Mary Larew: You know the saying – “Big things come in small packages”? This is personified by the diminutive Ms. Larew, who gets more done than any three people. Mary is an amazing volunteer, and a constant voice for the less fortunate members of the Johnson County community. She can be tough, opinionated, and even demanding. But no one advocates harder for economic justice.
Nathan Reckman: The Press Citizen recently described “whistleblowers” as workers who — often at great risk to their careers — come forward with evidence of illegal behavior, waste, fraud and mismanagement. This perfectly describes Nathan Reckman, who had the courage to come forward with the misdeeds he witnessed in the Auditor’s Office. Luckily for Nathan, he found a different good job locally. Not everyone is so fortunate.
Denise Schares: The Clear Creek Amana Superintendent has been willing to take on cities regarding their use of TIF. Bravo! Superintendent Schares has pointed out how much TIF costs our local school districts and the taxpayers in those districts. I hope she keeps talking, and I hope people begin listening!
Charlie Eastham: A tireless advocate for issues that affect the “least” among us, Charlie puts in a phenomenal amount of volunteer time. Low income housing, poverty, racial discrimination – Charlie is out there doing the right thing!
Toni & Jake DeRyke: It seems as though this couple supports every good cause this county has to offer. They are never in the spotlight, but they are always there. These are precisely the type of caring people that make our county great! And Toni cleans my clock at the Iowa City Scrabble Club!
Ed Flaherty: We have been at war for over eleven years now – the longest war in US history. It is easy to forget this – unless you know Ed Flaherty and his fellow Veterans for Peace. Ed refuses to forget, and refuses to let us forget, even if that becomes uncomfortable. Ed’s message is simple: peace is the best route. If only our leaders would listen!
Jim McCarragher: During the campaign for a new Justice Center, local attorney Jim McCarragher volunteered more time and talent than any other county resident. He had nothing to gain from this advocacy; he simply knew it to be a big community need. Though the measure failed to achieve the required 60%, it did get over 56% of the vote – in no small part due to Jim’s efforts.
Sandy Hanson: The people of Solon have a spark plug in Sandy Hanson, who is probably best known for the Hanson’s Grove antique sales on Highway 1. These sales take a lot of time, but that time pales in comparison to the time Sandy has put in with Seniors, the homebound, and starting the Solon Food Pantry.
Sam Becker: Like many people, I was sad to learn of Sam’s recent passing. Sam and his wife Ruth were instrumental in creating the whole system of supports that exist for people with disabilities. The Arc, Goodwill, Systems Unlimited, special ed in the ICCSD – we take these things for granted. The Beckers STARTED them! In addition to being a popular professor, an internationally known scholar, chairing the Board in Control of Athletics, serving as a community volunteer, an active Democrat, and a selfless philanthropist, Sam was a wonderful husband, father, and friend.
Sally Stutsman: My colleague on the Board of Supervisors is headed to the Iowa Legislature, and I could not be more proud. As I have noted before, Sally deserves most of the credit for improving the County government we now have. Before Sally was elected, we had cronyism, sexism, secrecy, no plan for investing, a lack of transparency, and a lack of written policies. Over many objections, Sally led Johnson County to a government of laws rather than a government of personalities. Sally has never gotten the thanks she ought to for her work in those trying times. Sally will do government right for the people of HD77.
Sue Dvorsky: The old saying is you need to go at least an hour away from home to be appreciated as an expert. Well, we have an expert among us in Sue Dvorsky, whose leadership of the Iowa Democratic Party brought us a big Obama win, two out of four Congressional seats, maintenance of power in the Iowa Senate, a near takeover of the Iowa House, and a party that is right on the issues, financially strong, and a model for the rest of the US. Congrats, Sue, on a job well done!
Congratulations to all our winners!
*DID YOU KNOW? 78 different individuals/groups have received a Salvos Salute since 2006.
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
December 14, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 12/18/12
In this edition:
*Social Security and the “Cliff”
*Diversity Committee
*Regional Mental Health
*Drought Rages On
*Salvos Salutes Next Week!
*Did You Know?
*Social Security and the “Cliff”
There is a lot of discussion out there regarding the so-called “fiscal cliff”. Unfortunately, many of the discussions include cuts to Social Security. Nothing angers me more!
Social Security has never added ONE DIME to the US debt or deficit – in actuality, Congress has robbed the Social Security Trust Fund for other purposes in the past!
You PAY IN to Social Security. This is no handout! It is the best social insurance program we have ever had, and for good reason! It was designed to be self-sustaining, and it works!
If we do NOTHING, Social Security is solvent through 2037. With a couple very minor tweaks, it is fine for 60 years. Simply removing the cap on incomes that are subject to the tax would make Social Security solvent pretty much forever!
I believe the federal government should slowly but surely balance the budget. This needs to be done AFTER the economic recovery has taken hold. It should be done through a combination of spending cuts and tax increases.
And it needs to be done WITHOUT changing Social Security. Leave Social Security alone!
*Diversity Committee
Johnson County is one of the most diverse counties in Iowa. We are about 7% African American, 6% Latino, 7% Asian, and 1% “other”. Not diverse by California standards, but very diverse in Iowa! And that is only ethnic diversity – we also have several residents with disabilities, a large LGBTQ population, a growing group of seniors, and many other types of diversity within the county.
Like many Johnson County residents, I am proud of our diversity. But in some key ways, diversity has escaped us. We (Johnson County) are not doing very well when it comes to hiring a diverse workforce. We may not be doing all we can to support those diverse employees we already have. Heck, we may not even know what we don’t know!
To address these and other concerns, Johnson County has started a Diversity Committee. I serve on the committee, along with about 8 other county employees. I am looking forward to the work of this committee.
Meanwhile, if you have thoughts, I’d like to hear them! Some of you are employers who face similar challenges. Some of you are the diverse folks I am describing. Whatever the case, I appreciate any help you can offer!
*Regional Mental Health
During the 2012 Legislative Session, the Iowa Legislature made a series of huge changes to the services provided to people with disabilities. Previous to this legislation, counties were a primary funder/provider of Mental Health and Disability Services (MH/DS). Now, counties are part of larger regions that will serve in that capacity.
The politics of creating a region have been remarkable. Like making sausage, it is best that few were around to bear witness! The process is not yet finished – all counties will need to enter into a formal intergovernmental (28E) agreement to codify the region. Any or all counties could still opt out. That said, Johnson County has ended up in a proposed region that I feel very good about: Johnson, Iowa, Benton, Linn, Jones, Dubuque, and Delaware counties.
Representatives from these 7 counties have begun meeting to hammer out a potential regional system. Each county has already agreed to a tentative arrangement in which one Supervisor from each county serves as that county’s representative. I am Johnson County’s rep to the region.
The regions have some big decisions to make: Who is eligible for services? What limits will be put upon those services? Who will provide the services? These are but a few of the critical determinations the regions will be making.
I think it is safe to say that no county wanted this change to take place. We have added a layer of bureaucracy without increasing services. The existing MH/DS system WAS broken, but this did not fix anything.
But the Legislature did what it did. The old way of doing business is over. We do not like it, but we must adjust to the new reality. I will update you as to our progress.
*Drought Rages On
When I think of droughts, I think of the growing season. Once crops have come in out of the field, the need for precipitation becomes less critical in some ways, and less obvious in others.
But make no mistake – our drought rages on! There were some rains in the fall that helped a great deal, but they simply did not keep up. We are desperately dry, and it is getting worse.
This is the worst time of year for precipitation, too. Cold air holds less water in general. Water can sometimes run off of frozen ground. An inch of snow looks like a lot of precipitation, but it is the equivalent of only about a tenth of an inch of rain.
We are so dry now that even a slightly above average spring rainfall will not be enough. Groundwater levels are extremely low! The situation really is desperate!
So, spend your next few weeks dreaming of a white Christmas. Or at least a wet one!
*Salvos Salutes Next Week!
We live in a GREAT county! Why? Because of the great people that live here. Unfortunately, we rarely do enough to acknowledge these wonderful people and the wonderful things they do.
That is why I really look forward to Salvos Salutes. It provides an opportunity to mention just a few of these cool people and the good things they do. I hope you look forward to it as well!
*DID YOU KNOW? One in ten people younger than age 64 has some type of disability. (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
December 8, 2012
Sullivan’s Salvos 12/11/12
In this edition:
*Happy Hanukkah!
*FY14 Budget
*Speaking of Budgets…
*Did You Know?
*Happy Hanukkah!
Happy Hanukkah to all our Jewish friends! As you celebrate the Festival of Lights, may your home be bright with happiness and love.
*FY14 Budget
Johnson County has already begun work on the FY14 budget, which will go into effect July 1, 2013. Now is a great time for you to contact Supervisors and tell them what things you like and what things you would like to change.
Visit the County website at www.johnson-county.com and you can listen to audio of all budget discussions to date. The topics are indexed, which makes it easy to skip to the sections you want to hear.
So listen in, then weigh in! I’d like to know what you think!
*Speaking of Budgets…
I am always amazed at the spending that goes on in other governments. The following description of ICCSD discussions appeared in the Press Citizen last week:
Superintendent Murley’s prospective contract sets a base salary of $192,000, an $8,000 increase over the base salary in Murley’s original contract from 2010. If approved, the contract — which is retroactive to July 1 — also would give Murley a $7,150 vehicle allowance, an unspecified technology allowance and family health insurance coverage. The contract also says Murley will be paid out for 41 unused vacation days from the last two years, totaling more than $20,000.
With all due respect to Mr. Murley, this is all too much. I suppose I don’t blame him for asking for it, but I fail to understand why the School Board would approve it. The District fought to keep teacher salaries as low as possible; then they turn around and award a much larger percentage to the boss. What message does that send to teachers?
While I am disappointed that the ICCSD Board would approve such an agreement, I should not be surprised. I don’t think I have EVER seen a School Board or City Council ask their leader to actually lead when it comes to salary and benefits.
Perhaps someone can prove me wrong, but I honestly cannot recall ONE instance of a City Council giving its workers a higher percentage increase than it gives the City Manager. I am serious here. I’ve been a relatively close observer of municipal governments for the past 25 years. Has it ever occurred?
The percentage may have been the same on rare occasions, but the boss’ compensation was then bolstered by vehicle allowances, deferred comp, and other perks. It doesn’t matter if the council is full of liberals or conservatives, Republicans or Democrats. The boss always wins.
This is wrong on a couple of levels. First, by always offering a larger percentage to the boss, you devalue the workers. It sends a terrible message. Secondly, these guys already earn a lot of money, so the raw dollars included in the raises are huge. Most people in the community can only dream of such wages.
So I think this is bad practice even in a good economy. It is even worse when the economy is bad! Leaders must lead by example. You cannot lay off teachers while giving the Superintendent a 4% raise. You cannot lay off sanitation workers while the City Manager gets a $7,000 raise. It borders on the absurd.
There is one local government that is different. That is the County. I can hear it from other governments already – “But OUR people are professionals!” Well, no City Councilor anywhere in Johnson County ever understood human services better than Carol Thompson. No City Councilor understood tax appraisals/valuations any better than Mike Lehman. No City Councilor understood Public Health better than Joe Bolkcom. No City Councilor understood business better than Dick Myers. Sally Stutsman has been an excellent Supervisor. These people are professionals. I’ll take them over any City Manager any day.
Additionally, Johnson County has done the right thing. When the economy was in the tank, the Supervisors took tiny raises – less than 1% in two cases, and never more than the amount negotiated by the unions.
When the economy was doing well, Johnson County rewarded its’ leaders – with the SAME raises everyone else received.
This does not mean Supervisors should be underpaid. Salaries need to be set at a level that attracts good candidates. People who serve in elective office deserve to make a decent living.
I believe Supervisors currently meet this criteria. Supervisors in Johnson County earn $53,000 annually, which ranks 4th among Iowa’s Counties. Supervisors have full benefits. What’s more, Supervisors never punch a clock. Never. What is that type of flexibility worth?
Supervisor salaries can fall behind, and they have. If that happens, it should be addressed. But so long as the existing pay for the position is commensurate, I do not believe in taking a raise greater than the raise negotiated by our unions. That is called leadership. It says we are all in this together.
While other governments have ALWAYS chosen to overcompensate the boss, Johnson County has NEVER done so.
Yet State law encourages city governments to take revenues from county governments. I guess the thinking is that they somehow know how to use it better. Yep.
County government remains the “redheaded stepchild” of our local governments. It gets no respect. At least I can say we do not overpay our leaders!
*Project Holiday
A longstanding community tradition continues this year as Project Holiday returns for the season!
I’ll be volunteering in both Iowa City and North Liberty – your donations of money and time are needed as well!
For more information, see: http://jccrisiscenter.org/pages/posts/help-provide-holiday-meals-to-families-40.php
*DID YOU KNOW? The number of Jewish Iowans is estimated to be only 6,500 – about 20% of whom live in Johnson County. Yet former Iowa City Mayor Moses Bloom (1833-1893) was the first Jewish Mayor of any major American city!
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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