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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
June 28, 2013
Sullivan’s
Salvos 7/2/13
In this edition:
*Happy Independence Day!
*RIP Maynard Hebl
*Supreme Court Decisions
*”Death To DOMA” Celebration
*Welcome Dana Aschenbrenner!
*Did You Know?
*Happy Independence Day!
Happy
Independence Day! If you are a regular reader, you know that I am a Thomas
Jefferson buff. July 4th always reminds me of this amazing but true story:
Thomas
Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4th, 1826 – exactly 50
years to the day after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. They
were the last surviving Founding Fathers – Jefferson at age 82, and Adams at
age 90. Adams’ last words were, “Thomas Jefferson lives,” though Jefferson had
actually passed away four hours earlier.
Wow.
We live in an amazing Country! Perhaps you believe in fate, perhaps not. But
that is a pretty cool story!
I
hope you all have a safe and enjoyable 4th of July!
*RIP Maynard Hebl
Johnson
County lost an icon this past week with the passing of Maynard Hebl.
Maynard
was a VERY active volunteer, including the heading up the Johnson County
Cattlemen’s Association and serving several years on the Johnson County
Planning and Zoning Commission.
Maynard
even held two elected offices at once: Union Township Trustee, and Ag Extension
Director. You could always count on Maynard to step up when help was needed.
It
never really surprised me that the Iowa City Landfill was developed on/near
Hebl family land, because Maynard was very easy to get along with. I’d prefer
to negotiate with that smiling gentleman in the cowboy hat over just about
anyone else!
Maynard
Hebl was a kind and generous man with a great attitude, who left us far too
soon. RIP Maynard.
*Supreme Court Decisions
The
United States Supreme Court has been in the news a lot lately, with several big
decisions in the past few days. I am a bit of a Supreme Court junkie, so it was
a very exciting week!
While
I am excited by the Windsor Ruling that overturned the Defense of Marriage Act
(DOMA), I was crushed by the decision in Shelby to gut the Voting Rights Act.
Add in other Court decisions that were very anti-worker and anti-Affirmative
Action, and my celebration is somewhat muted. I am THRILLED for my LGBTQ
friends, but find myself looking at huge uphill battles in other areas. The
rich and powerful still retain tight control on this country.
I’ll be honest; I HATE the Roberts Court! It is not that they are
so very conservative, though they are. It is because despite the typical
conservative moaning over “activist judges”, this is the most activist court
since the mid-60s, and perhaps EVER! They say one thing, then do another.
Needless
to say, the recent case that seemed the most hypocritical was Bush v. Gore in
2000. I realize that was the Renquist Court and not the Roberts Court, but
Scalia, Thomas, and Kennedy all played key roles in that debacle. It was the
very height of hypocrisy: the pro- “State’s Rights” Court overturning a State
of Florida decision. We have witnessed similar hypocrisy in the past week, as Justice
Alito criticizes his colleagues for “overreaching” during Windsor, even though
the day before he voted to invalidate a provision the Court was not even
reviewing!
Speaking
to the conservatism of the current Court is this 2010 article from US News and
World Report: “A new paper by Richard Posner, a judge who sits on the Seventh
Circuit Court of Appeals, and William Landes, a law professor at the University
of Chicago, is now making its way through the academic community. In "Rational Judicial Behavior: A Statistical Study," Posner and Landes use a database that
includes the political background and voting records of the past 70 years of
Supreme Court justices—who appointed each justice and how the justices decided
every case—to come up with a ranking, from most conservative to least
conservative, of the 43 justices who have served on the court since 1937.”
“Their
conclusion: Four of the five most conservative justices to serve on the Supreme
Court since Franklin Roosevelt, including Roberts and Alito, are currently
sitting on the bench today. Justice Anthony Kennedy, another current Republican
appointee, is ranked No. 10. (The table has a full list.) Justices Ruth Bader
Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer, the two current justices nominated by Democratic
presidents, are among the 15 "least conservative" justices of the
past 70 years. Thurgood Marshall, who became the first black Supreme Court
justice when he was appointed in 1967, has the most liberal voting record on
the list. Clarence Thomas, the second black justice, who was appointed to the
court in 1991, is ranked the most conservative.”
Even
when forced by facts to do the right thing (such as approving the Affordable
Care Act) they throw conservatives a large bone (no need to expand Medicaid!)
that wasn’t even on the table. Again, this is the most activist court in at
least 50 years.
I
firmly believe that some day, the Roberts Court will be viewed with the same
disdain as the Waite Court of the 1870s and ‘80s. That Court undermined
Reconstruction, allowing Jim Crow, and decided in Santa Clara County vs.
Southern Pacific Railroad that corporations are people. They allowed the robber
barons to gain unprecedented wealth without regulation. Unfortunately, we still
suffer from their decisions 130 years later.
*”Death to DOMA” Celebration
My
misgivings about this Supreme Court did not stop me from joining the “Death to
DOMA” celebration at the UI Pentacrest. It was great to see so many folks so
happy! Congratulations to all on this historic day!
*Welcome Dana Aschenbrenner!
Johnson
County named its first-ever Finance Director this past week with the
appointment of Dana Aschenbrenner of Iowa City.
Dana
is no stranger to County government, having served almost 11 years as a Deputy
Auditor and almost 2 years as a Deputy Treasurer.
The
Finance Department is a new creation, and a cost-neutral attempt at a more
integrated system of financial oversight. To create the department, the
Treasurer’s Office, Auditor’s Office, and Board of Supervisors’ Office each
gave up an employee.
I
look forward to greater cooperation and better results for the public.
Congrats, Dana!
*DID YOU KNOW?
James Monroe, the 5th President of the United States, also
died on July 4th.
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
"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
June 22, 2013
Sullivan’s
Salvos 6/25/13
In this edition:
*Goodbye, Jo Hogarty!
*Goodbye, Jim Swaim!
*Congrats Valerie Kemp!
*Juneteenth Celebration
*The Fez
*Did You Know?
*Goodbye, Jo Hogarty!
Jo
Hogarty of North Liberty is retiring after serving almost 27 years as the
secretary in the Board of Supervisors’ Office. She joins her husband (Joe) who
is also retiring after a long and distinguished career at Proctor and Gamble.
Jo
has seen many things, good and bad, over a long career. One of her first days
on the job, she broke up a physical fight between Recorder John O’Neil and
Supervisor Harold Donnelly. She laughed about typing up letters for
then-Supervisor Dick Myers when she could not read his writing. Jo fondly tells
the story of the Reverend Bob Welsh, still a fixture at Supervisors’ meetings
today, feeling guilty because of all the copies he requested. To make up for
it, Reverend Welsh purchased Jo a nice electric stapler, which she uses to this
day.
The
list of Supervisors with whom Jo has served is long and colorful: Janet
Shipton, Lorada Cilek, Mike Cilek, Harold Donnelly, Bob Burns, Denny
Langenberg, Dick Myers, Betty Ockenfels, Pat Meade, Don Sehr, Steve Lacina,
Charlie Duffy, Joe Bolkcom, Sally Stutsman, Jonathon Jordahl, Carol Thompson,
Mike Lehman, Terrence Neuzil, Pat Harney, Larry Meyers, Janelle Rettig, John
Etheredge, and myself.
Through it all, Jo has been hard working and professional. More
importantly, Jo is a kind woman who really cares about all of us and our
families. Thanks, Jo – you will be missed! Enjoy your retirement!
*Goodbye, Jim Swaim!
Another
retirement of note – Jim Swaim is stepping down soon after 40 years as
Executive Director of United Action for Youth (UAY). As a matter of fact, Jim
is the ONLY director UAY has ever had!
I
cannot say enough good things about Jim. He dedicated his whole life to
improving the lives of kids who had it rough. He advocated, strategized, and
got his own hands dirty. Jim Swaim walked the walk. He is truly one of the real
heroes in our midst. I admire the heck out of him.
Someone else has been hired to run UAY, and I’m certain she’ll do
a great job. But you do not replace a guy like Jim Swaim. Thank you, Jim, from
the bottom of my heart!
*Congrats Valerie Kemp!
Congratulations
to Valerie Kemp of Johnson County, who is being honored with the top national
award in her profession – the Scotia Knouff Line Officer of the Year Award.
Valerie is an 18-year employee of the Department of Corrections,
Sixth Judicial District. She is a probation/parole officer, but you wouldn’t
necessarily recognize the job the way she does it. Valerie has long been
involved in restorative justice efforts, and has made a huge impact in the
lives of people affected by the criminal justice system in Johnson County.
I have been a fan of Valerie Kemp for a long time. She has served
as an example to me in terms of trying to create a world that is more fair for
people who are poor, or victims, or under-educated, or people of color. Her
work has been inspirational.
Finally,
the rest of the world has noticed! The Scotia Knouff Line Officer of the Year
Award is the most competitive and perhaps the most prestigious practitioner
award offered by the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA). This
award honors a probation, parole or community corrections officer who has
performed assigned duties in an outstanding manner and/or made significant
contributions to the probation, parole or community corrections profession at
the local, regional or national level.
Congrats,
Valerie! You deserve it!
*Juneteenth Celebration
The Johnson County Juneteenth Community Committee,
Johnson County Social Services, Johnson County Community Partnership for
Protecting Children, Iowa City Parks and Recreation, The Coalition for Racial
Justice, ACT Inc., Iowa Dept. of Human Services, Title Boxing Inc., Strike
Martial Arts, Iowa City Human Rights Commission, Diversity Focus and the
University of Iowa African American Council, University of Iowa Chief Diversity
Office and many others invite you attend this fun-filled event for families.
The
Johnson County Juneteenth Community Committee will be hosting a day of summer
fun for all families living in Johnson County on June 29 from 12 pm to 6 pm at
Mercer Park in Iowa City.
This
is the 3rd Annual Iowa City Area Juneteenth Celebration Commemorating the End
of Slavery. Volunteers and community members will assist in activities and
games for the carnival. There will be free food (while supplies last), vendors,
music and live entertainment. Children can enjoy story time, a bouncy house,
clowns, face painting and water games (IC Fire Dept.). Adults will be able to
enter into a Bid Whist and Spades Tournament. There will be a Health and
Financial Wellness Fair indoor and a chance for participants to win wonderful
door prizes.
New
Features: This year we will have a sweet potato pie contest that will be judged
at the beginning of the event and we are taking baker’s applications up to the
day (Judging begins 12 pm to 1pm). We will also be hosting our first Juneteenth
Blood Drive!
This
is a community event for all community members of every background. It will be
uplifting for families and will provide an exciting, relaxing, safe afternoon
for you to spend time with your loved ones as well as other families in the
community on a summer day in June. Please join us at this historical event!
Rain
Location: Mercer Park Gymnasium. For more information, please contact: LaTasha
Massey, Event Chair, Community Projects Specialist for Johnson County Social
Services, 356-6090 or lmassey@co.johnson.ia.us
*The Fez
There
are many things that make Johnson County a great place to live. It does not
hurt that we are home to a Steely Dan tribute band!
After
being coaxed by friends, I finally caught The Fez Friday night. It was a fun
show! Check them out!
*DID YOU KNOW?
You can fill out flood damage reports (for FEMA and insurance purposes)
online at the County website.
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
"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
June 15, 2013
Sullivan’s
Salvos 6/18/13
In this edition:
*Goodbye, Harry Graves!
*NSA – Privacy Debate
*Gender Balance
*Still No Media
*Property Tax Rates
*Did You Know?
*Goodbye, Harry Graves!
Johnson
County Conservation Director Harry Graves is stepping down after a 42-year
career in Conservation, 12+ of it here in Johnson County.
I
have something I like to do when all the county officials get together at the
Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) meetings. While people are relaxing,
with their guards down, I try to get information. It sounds sneaky, but it
really isn’t so bad.
Where
I’m going with this: I have twice sat around with groups of Conservation
professionals. Both times, I asked, “Who is the best? Who is the very best
Conservation Director in Iowa?” Both times, there wasn’t much conversation.
They all replied, “Harry Graves.”
I
think those folks were (and are) correct. Harry is the best darned Conservation
Director in Iowa. That is not to say that Harry and I haven’t had our differences;
we’ve had a few. But my respect for Harry runs deep. Harry Graves is
passionate, intelligent, caring, dedicated, charming, funny, and deeply
committed. I LOVE Harry Graves. I want Harry Graves in my foxhole.
The
foxhole reference feels apt, as Harry and I have been on the same side in
several political battles. It doesn’t seem like supporting Conservation should
be a fight. But it is. It ALWAYS is. And you have to prepare as though you are
going into battle.
The battle of which I am most proud is the $20 million
Conservation Bond that passed with 61% of the vote in 2008, part of the largest
turnout election in Johnson County history.
The
bond vote didn’t just happen. Harry and I plotted and schemed for three years
prior to that vote. We faced and overcame several obstacles. Once the public
became aware, we knew they would embrace it. Harry knew that this was the right
thing to do. But getting to that point… I could write a book. I’ll never forget
it.
I
have no doubt that the Johnson County Conservation Department will continue to
flourish. There is a great Board and staff on hand. Many more good things are
on the way.
Meanwhile,
thank you, Harry. You were a gentleman, a scholar, and a true conservationist.
In the truest conservation ethic, you left things better than you found them.
Best of luck in your retirement.
*NSA – Privacy Debate
Like
many Americans, I am disappointed in the recent revelations regarding the NSA
and collecting data on Americans.
On one hand, it really isn’t surprising. I recognize that the
American government has spied on its own citizens dating back to the days of
George Washington. None of that makes it right; I just feel that some people go
too far in the righteous indignation they direct toward President Obama. Obama
should not be doing this. Neither should Bush, Reagan, Eisenhower, Nixon… it is
a problem regardless of the political party of the President. Always has been.
Additionally, private companies collect data on us all the time
without our consent. Again, this does not make it right. But I trust Big
Government more than I trust Big Business. That does not mean I want either
collecting data on me, but at least with the government I get a vote.
The key point in all of this is the balance of power in government.
First, there is the role of the courts. I think the government should be forced
to get warrants, and I don’t think the courts should grant them automatically.
Secondly, Congress does not need to approve this. Somebody needs to stand up!
In
my mind, Ed Snowden and Bradley Manning are heroes. We are punishing the
messengers, when we should be punishing the NSA. This situation sucks. It makes
us all feel very powerless. I hope we can make strides toward better protecting
our privacy.
*Gender Balance
A
few years ago, the Iowa Legislature passed a law requiring gender balance on
all city and county Boards and Commissions.
We
recently saw a report that noted only TWO Iowa counties are in full compliance
with this law – Van Buren and Johnson. That makes me proud!
This
has been hard work, and it is nice to see it paying off! Congrats to Executive
Assistant Andy Johnson, who has carried most of the load.
*Still No Media
Meetings
of the Board of Supervisors still go uncovered by local media. We haven’t had a
newspaper reporter there in weeks.
I
don’t blame the reporters. Their beats are too big. They are overworked,
underpaid, under-resourced, and not allowed to follow leads or write anything
in-depth. The fault lies at the top, where the money flows.
You
can still view and/or listen to Board meetings a few different ways; just go to
www.johnson-county.com for details.
*Property Tax Rates
Lots
of people like to lie about property tax rates in Johnson County, claiming, “they
are some of the highest in the country!”
Bullcrap!
Here are the facts – newly updated with current fiscal year data - 39 Iowa
Counties have higher property tax rates than Johnson County, ranking Johnson 40
out of the 99 counties. (Source: Iowa State Association of Counties.)
If
you are a regular reader of Salvos, you know that I refuted all those arguments
piece by piece last week. Interestingly, I received ZERO responses. That tells
me that people either don’t care or agree. I hope it is that you agree!
I’m
going to run this every week in Salvos, just to be sure you remember it. So
when somebody says otherwise, you can set them straight.
*DID YOU KNOW?
There are approximately 475 Johnson County residents currently on
probation; approximately 75 more are on parole. (Source: Sixth Judicial
District.)
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
"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
June 9, 2013
Sullivan’s
Salvos 6/11/13
In this edition:
*RIP Gail Peterson
*Pride Festival
*North Liberty Fun Days
*Property Tax Rates
*Property Tax Rates, Part Two
*More County Financial Info
*Did You Know?
*RIP Gail Peterson
Melissa
lost her oldest sister this past week, completely unexpectedly and far too
young.
Gail
Peterson of Keller, Texas is survived by her husband Don and two adult
children. Gail was kind, caring, funny, and deeply religious.
Meanwhile – the rest of us need to pick up the phone and call our
siblings. You simply never know when this type of thing is going to happen
next.
*Pride Festival
The
IC Pride Festival is celebrated this week with several area events. There is a
picnic Friday night, a parade and festival Saturday, and several performances
throughout the week.
I
am so proud to live in a county that is willing to celebrate its LGBTQ
residents! This is truly one of the things that makes Johnson County a great
place to live!
For more info on all the events, see: http://iowacitypride.com
*North Liberty Fun Days
The
community of North Liberty is celebrating Fun Days this weekend with several
cool events!
As it states on the Fun Days Facebook page: “North
Liberty Fun Days is one of the longest standing local celebrations in the state
of Iowa. With events ranging from carnival rides and musical performances to
the car show, North Liberty Fun Days has something for everyone.”
North Liberty is a
fast-growing town that has really accomplished some great things! The people of
North Liberty have many reasons to be proud, and much to celebrate!
Hope to see you in
North Liberty this weekend!
*Property Tax Rates
Lots
of people like to lie about property tax rates in Johnson County, claiming, “They
are some of the highest in the country!”
Bullcrap!
Here are the facts – newly updated with current fiscal year data - 39 Iowa
Counties have higher property tax rates than Johnson County, ranking Johnson 40
out of the 99 counties. (Source: Iowa State Association of Counties.)
I’m
going to run this every week in Salvos, just to be sure you remember it. So
when somebody says otherwise, you can set them straight.
*Property Tax Rates, Part Two:
A
few folks have asked me about the previous paragraph, and asked me to explain
why the statistics from the Tax Foundation are so meaningless.
I’m pretty wonkish when it comes to taxes. I have found that many
misperceptions exist. I’ll try to explain my problems with their statistics
here:
1.) The Tax Foundation claims to be offering a comprehensive look
at taxes, but they are actually only discussing property taxes. Sales, income,
and other taxes matter as much if not more. Some jurisdictions are praised by
the Tax Foundation that have sales tax rates of over 10%! That has a tremendous
disparate impact on the poorest families! Yet those jurisdictions are praised
by the Tax Foundation.
2.) The Tax Foundation lumps all property taxing entities
together. In other words, Johnson County could have the lowest property tax
rate in the nation, but if the school districts and cities (which receive about
83% of all property taxes) have high rates, the overall property taxes paid in
the county will be high. Johnson County actually ranks #44 out of Iowa’s 99
counties in property tax rates.
3.) Similarly, they do not split out jurisdictions. Let’s use Lone
Tree as a hypothetical example. You could live in Lone Tree, and have extremely
low property taxes. Your county, city, and school rates could all be among the
lowest in the nation. But if larger entities (such as IC and the ICCSD) are
high, the whole County looks high. (Obviously, the reverse could be true also.)
So the measurement can be extremely inaccurate.
4.) The Tax Foundation uses “median real estate taxes paid”.
Another thing that measure fails to take into account is whether or not it is a
single-family home. Real estate taxes will be higher on an apartment building
than a single-family home. The owner will also earn more income from an apartment
building than from a single-family home.
5.) Finally, the Tax Foundation ignores the reality of valuations.
The property taxes you pay are made up of the valuation times the rate. (There
can also be credits and rollbacks, etc.) But the fundamental formula is
valuation times rate.
The Tax Foundation seems to love Pocahontas County, so let’s
compare valuations there to valuations in Johnson County.
First, a bit of demographic background: Pocahontas County has
7,150 residents, down 2.2% from the 2010 census number of 7,310. That is the
fastest drop in Iowa in those two years. It has lost fully half its population
since 1960.
Johnson County has 136,317 residents, up 4.2% from the 2010 census
number of 130,882. That is the fastest growth in Iowa in those two years. Population
has nearly tripled since 1960.
8% of the housing units in Pocahontas County are multi-family. In
Johnson County, the number is 36%. The median household income in Pocahontas
County is $42,545. In Johnson County, it is $54,000.
So here is the most important fact: the median home valuation in
Pocahontas County is $55,700. In Johnson County, it is $180,200.
In other words, a house that costs you $55,700 in Pocahontas
County will run you $180,200 in Johnson County. That is a factor of 3.25!
So, let’s say tax rates are the same in both counties. You will
pay 3.25 TIMES the total taxes here. But that is hardly a bad thing! Only a
fool would trade the rising valuations of Johnson County for the falling
valuations in Pocahontas County!
None of this is intended to serve as a knock on Pocahontas County.
I have no doubt it is full of hardworking people who want nothing but the best
for their citizenry. I wish them nothing but good things. I simply believe
people need to look at the whole picture.
Believe it or not, there are even more issues with the Tax
Foundation numbers, but there are five with which you can start. Meanwhile, for
accurate information on your COUNTY taxes, see the Iowa State Association of
Counties (ISAC) website at: http://www.iowacounties.org.
*More County Financial Info
Did
you know that taxpayers in Johnson County pay the 70th highest
property taxes per capita in the State? Did you know that in per capita County
spending, we rank number 87? Did you know Johnson County’s long-term debt ratio
is zero?
There
are many misperceptions out there regarding the financial status of Johnson
County. A quick look at the Iowa State Association of Counties website will
open your eyes to the truth!
I
urge everyone to visit this helpful chart: http://www.iowacounties.org/Services/Research/FiscalInfo/CFO/2012/Table27.pdf
There
are lots of people out there misrepresenting our financial status. They could
not be more wrong! Compared to any and every one of our peers, Johnson County
has done a magnificent job with your tax dollars over the past several years. I
am extremely proud of the job we have done with the budget here in Johnson
County. I think you should be, too!
*DID YOU KNOW?
Pocahontas County is 98% white, with Native American the largest ethnic
group. (Source: US Census Bureau.)
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
"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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