rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
January 31, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 2/4/14
In this edition:
*Iowa’s Budget Giveaways
*Hummus For Haiti – Still Time!
*Local Food Summit
*Free Tax Help
*Did You Know?
*Iowa’s Budget Giveaways
The Iowa Legislature
is back in session. And I just don’t care. I have never had lower expectations.
Much of my disillusionment stems from last session, when the Legislature passed
the biggest tax cut in state history.
That cut will hurt
us for decades. Maybe half a century. I was going to write about the impact,
but my friend Mike Owen from the Iowa Policy Project beat me to it. A very
slightly edited version of his piece is reprinted below.
Iowa’s
2014 legislative session opens with a budget dilemma: how to set a sustainable
course for the future while dealing with the consequences of new tax cuts and
other decisions in 2013.
The
state started off FY2013 with a surplus of almost a billion dollars and
lawmakers responded with moderate gains for the middle class. They doubled the
state’s Earned Income Tax Credit for hardworking but low paid Iowa families,
expanded health care coverage, assured no tuition increases at state
universities, and restored some funding for other essential services that had
been cut back.
However,
these gains are all imperiled by one of the biggest tax giveaways in the
state’s history — the property tax cuts enacted in that same 2013 legislative
session — and a decision to give away millions of the surplus in a regressive
set of smaller tax credits.
Revenue
is expected to grow in FY2015 by 4.5 percent as the Iowa economy continues to
rebound. Even with this level of growth, however, revenues will not be
sufficient to cover estimated commitments. As a result, the end-of-year surplus
is expected to shrink by over $230 million. Built-in expenditures and the state
school aid formula will require most of the estimated revenue increase.
Then,
when the $128.7 million cost of the property tax bill is included, estimated
net appropriations of $7.07 billion will exceed estimated receipts ($6.98
billion) by $88.1 million. Funding that shortfall will require dipping into the
remaining dollars from the FY2014 surplus.
It’s
not just the state budget that will be affected. Since the legislation did not
absorb all the cost of the property tax cuts in the state budget, local governments
will lose $741 million over 10 years. This will put strain on public services
like fire and police protection, local libraries, parks, hospitals, elementary
and high schools, and streets and public transit.
In
addition to the property tax cuts, several other tax changes already in place
for this year and next will have an impact on services. One is that many
business tax credits have been modified, with caps raised to significantly
increase potential spending through the tax code. These changes will cost the
state nearly $475 million by FY 2024.
Another
major change was the creation of the Taxpayers Trust Fund income tax credit,
which will commit funds from the Taxpayers Trust Fund for the foreseeable
future. The cost to the treasury in the current year is over $90 million, for a
tax credit that only returns income taxes — ignoring those who are too poor to
pay income tax but do pay significant shares of their income in sales and
excise taxes.
In
future tax years, a balance in the Taxpayers Trust Fund in excess of $30
million will trigger the availability of tax credits in the next year. The
money in this fund comes from the previous years’ surpluses that otherwise
would have been available to support general fund services or, potentially, to
build up a stronger rainy day fund.
All
of these multiyear commitments will continue to deplete any future surpluses
and create problems in future years to sustain essential services. Even if the
state maintains strong revenues and modest spending growth, vital programs and
services will likely continue to be underfunded.
Iowa
Workforce Development has already closed 36 out of 55 field offices and only
has enough money for one full-time wage theft investigator; wage theft costs
the state hundreds of millions of dollars a year in lost wages and tax revenue.
The Iowa State Patrol is at its lowest staffing level in 40 years. Over the
last decade funding per student at the community colleges is down 12 percent
and 25 percent for the Regents. Over an extended period, K-12 schools have had
their per-pupil spending held below actual cost increases, which over time
compounds the underfunding of public education.
Iowa
lawmakers must recognize the long-term impact of tax cuts on spending choices.
Past choices will force future legislatures to lower investments on critical
services on which economic growth depends.
The
Iowa Fiscal Partnership is a joint public policy analysis initiative of two
nonpartisan Iowa-based organizations, the Iowa Policy Project in Iowa City and
the Child and Family Policy Center in Des Moines.
Mike Owen
Executive Director
*Hummus For Haiti – Still Time!
My
wife (Melissa Fath) and I are going to Haiti in March with Community Health
Initiative (CHI). CHI is a non-profit organization with the mission to provide
basic health care to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
Fundraising
is an important part of the trip. In addition to paying for our flights, we
must personally purchase all the medicine we take in. The cost of medicine
alone will be well over $1000.
Our
friend Ehab Sarsour has generously offered to help us with the fundraising for
this trip. Ehab makes the most delicious, creamy hummus known to man using
fresh lemons and imported chickpeas and olive oil and he is willing to make
some for you if you make a donation to CHI. So make a donation in
one of the two ways listed below by February 7th. Then e-mail me at rodsullivan@mchsi.com and let me know that you have donated. We will
then deliver the Hummus to your door sometime the weekend of February
15th.
Donations can be made:
1. On the website using Paypal
or a credit card at http://chihaiti.org/donate/how-donate/. On the page there is a “add special instructions to the seller” box.
Please indicate your preference that it goes to fund the trip of Rod or
Melissa’s March trip.
2. Write a check made out
to “Community Health Initiative, Haiti”. Please include a note with the check
to indicate that it goes to fund the trip of Rod or Melissa’s March trip. Per
IRS rules, please do not write our names anywhere on the check. Checks can be
mailed to:
Community Health
Initiative, Haiti, PO Box 5908, Coralville, Iowa 52241.
Thanks
very much for your help!
*Local Food Summit
Growing
the Local Food Movement in Johnson County: Share Your Vision February 08 at 10:00
AM at Montgomery Hall, Johnson County Fairgrounds.
Join
the Johnson County Food Policy Council and special guests to learn about and discuss farm conservation,
edible landscapes, local food impacts and policies to support farmers in
Johnson County. In addition to presentations from local and regional local
foods professionals, the forum will have plenty of opportunities for attendees
to share their ideas.
Keynote
speaker is Kyle Richmond, a member of
the Dane County, Wisconsin, Board of Supervisors, who also is a member of both
the Dane County Food Council and
Madison Food Policy Council. Supervisor Richmond will share how those bodies
have worked with farmers and the community to create positive changes within
the county’s local foods movement.
Grant
Schultz of VersaLand, a 145-acre learning farm near Morse, will talk
about soil and water conservation. VersaLand develops code, systems, and
machinery for sustainable farming systems, and shares its knowledge through
public workshops.
Fred
Meyer, founder and director of Backyard Abundance, will discuss edible landscapes. Backyard
Abundance is a Johnson County environmental education nonprofit that helps
build vibrant communities by creating beautiful, resilient landscapes that
provide healthy food and habitat.
Anyone
with an interest in Johnson County’s local foods movement should attend this
forum, including farmers, restaurateurs, environmental groups, municipal
officials, students and consumers.
The
Johnson County Food Policy Council, created by the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, is a volunteer citizen-led group with the purpose of improving
dialogue and discussion and providing necessary advice on food and agriculture
issues to the County, municipalities, community boards, local agencies,
nongovernmental organizations, businesses, and other interested groups.
*Free Tax Help
For much more information, please visit the County
web page: http://www.johnson-county.com/dept_soc_ser.aspx?id=275
*DID YOU KNOW?
Haiti is not only the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, but it
ranks last in most health related measurements. The average Haitian lives 20
years less than an average American.
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
January 24, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 1/28/14
In this edition:
*Humus For Haiti
*MLK Service
*Iowa City Charter Review
*Vonnegut and I
*Free Tax Help!
*Did You Know?
*Humus For Haiti
My
wife (Melissa Fath) and I are going to Haiti in March with Community Health
Initiative (CHI). CHI is a non-profit organization with the mission to provide
basic health care to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
Fundraising
is an important part of the trip. In addition to paying for our flights, we
must personally purchase all the medicine we take in. The cost of medicine
alone will be well over $1000.
Our
friend Ehab Sarsour has generously offered to help us with the fundraising for
this trip. Ehab makes the most delicious, creamy humus known to man using fresh
lemons and imported chickpeas and olive oil and he is willing to make some for
you if you make a donation to CHI. So make a donation in
one of the two ways listed below by February 7th. Then e-mail me at rodsullivan@mchsi.com and let me know that you have donated. We will
then deliver the Humus to your door sometime the weekend of February 15th.
Donations can be made:
1. On the website using
Paypal or a credit card at http://chihaiti.org/donate/how-donate/. On the page there is a “add special instructions
to the seller” box. Please indicate your preference that it goes to fund the
trip of Rod or Melissa’s March trip.
2. Write a check made out
to “Community Health Initiative, Haiti”. Please include a note with the check
to indicate that it goes to fund the trip of Rod or Melissa’s March trip. Per
IRS rules, please do not write our names anywhere on the check. Checks can be
mailed to:
Community Health
Initiative, Haiti, PO Box 5908, Coralville, Iowa 52241.
Thanks
very much for your help!
*MLK Service
Congratulations
to the Consultation of Religious Communities (CRC) for yet another outstanding
MLK service.
My
only issue with these services? We need to see some different faces in
attendance. Like many other issues, only the “usual suspects” show up.
Please
work with me to change that next year!
*Iowa City Charter Review
Have
you ever wondered why Iowa City government is organized the way it is? It is
because of the City Charter – the blueprint for City government.
Iowa City established a City Charter in 1976. Charter Review
Commissions were established in ’84, ’94, and ’04. A new 9-member commission
will start in ’14 and report to the Council by April 1, 2015.
I
recently made application for this commission. I feel I have a pretty good
resume for the job. I am a 30 year resident of Iowa City, and I have a deep
love of this city. I had plenty of opportunities to move over the years – I
never took them, because Iowa City is where I choose to be. I know the people
of Iowa City, and due to a 20-year career in human services, that includes
knowledge of groups that are often marginalized. I have spent a decade working
in local government, and have received the electoral support of the people of
the city three times. I am also a public policy geek. That geekiness includes
the structures and functions of local governments. My level of knowledge – both
locally and more broadly – would be a real benefit to the commission.
Despite
that resume, I am not certain I’ll get much consideration. I have been a
persistent critic of Iowa City, and my guess is that some will hold that
against me.
Meanwhile,
if you live in Iowa City, YOU should apply. They need a large and diverse group
of applicants. I realize I am recruiting the competition here, but I urge you
to throw your hat in the ring.
*Vonnegut and I
I
recently reread Slaughterhouse Five, the classic work that author Kurt Vonnegut
wrote while teaching at the UI Writer’s Workshop. I have also been thinking a
lot lately about the income inequality that is so pervasive in our country.
Suddenly,
the two came together. I had completely forgotten the following passage, but I
thought it was worth reprinting here:
“Americans,
like human beings everywhere, believe many things that are obviously untrue,
the monograph went on. Their most destructive untruth is that it is very easy
for any American to make money. They will not acknowledge how in fact hard
money is to come by, and, therefore, those who have no money blame and blame
and blame themselves. This inward blame has been a treasure for the rich and
powerful, who have had to do less for their poor, publicly and privately, than
any other ruling class since say, Napoleonic times.”
“Many
novelties have come from America. The most startling of these, a thing without precedent,
is a mass of undignified poor. They do not love one another because they do not
love themselves. Once this is understood, the disagreeable behavior of American
enlisted men in German prisons ceases to be a mystery.”
Vonnegut’s
writing may include too many space aliens for your liking, but he gets at some
very fundamental truths.
*Free Tax Help!
One
of my proudest accomplishments as a Supervisor has been instituting the Free
Tax Help clinics in Johnson County. These have been tremendously successful,
bringing over $1 million annually into the local economy.
This service is
available for free to taxpayers earning less than $50,000 a year. The IRS
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program trains University of Iowa
students and AARP volunteers to provide FREE Income Tax Preparation Services to
qualifying workers. Additionally, the University of Iowa student volunteers
have completed a semester long tax preparation course.
There
are six (6) locations throughout Johnson County that provide FREE Tax
Preparation Services – Garner Elementary in North Liberty, Northwest Junior
High in Coralville, Southeast Junior High in Iowa City, the Iowa City Public
Library, the Tippe College of Business, and the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior
Center. Schedules are available on the website. Spanish translators are
available at some locations by appointment.
Johnson
County is pleased to partner with the University of Iowa Tippie College of
Business, Johnson County AARP, Iowa City Public Library, Iowa City Community
School District, Iowa City Housing Authority, and United Way of Johnson County.
Financial support is provided by ISED Ventures, University of Iowa Community
Credit Union, United Way of Johnson County, and Veridian Credit Union.
For
much more information, please visit the County web page: http://www.johnson-county.com/dept_soc_ser.aspx?id=275
*DID YOU KNOW?
Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007), “the
best least-read novelist in America,” taught at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop from
1965 to 1967. He was then 43-years old, and married to Jane Marie Cox for 20
years; they had three children of their own and had adopted the three children of
Vonnegut’s deceased sister. The writer came to Iowa City with his two
daughters, Edith (Eddie) and Nannette (Nannie).
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
January 17, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 1/21/14
In this edition:
*Spreading Salvos Love!
*You Subsidize Low Wages!
*Did You Know?
*Spreading Salvos Love!
I
have been sending Salvos out since I began as a Supervisor in January of 2005.
(Actually, the first couple editions came out in December of 2004, just before
I took office.)
The
newsletter was not named “Sullivan’s Salvos” at that time; that name came from
my friend Charlie Funk. Meanwhile, over the past 472 weeks, subscribers have
received around 460 issues of Salvos. (I have taken a few weeks off for family
vacations, etc.)
I really wasn’t certain that I would be able to maintain this
volume of writing. And I’d be lying if I said it was easy. But it is a bit of a
labor of love.
Hopefully, folks have found it interesting. I have been intrigued
by the responses. A couple dozen folks have unsubscribed in protest over one
issue or another; some have returned, but not all. There are a handful of folks
who offer their thoughts frequently; I really appreciate this! Two or three
people actually respond at length on occasion; I feel as though I have made a
couple of friends this way! Most subscribers stay subscribed, but I don’t
really know if they read it or not. And that is OK.
I
have not done much to increase readership since those earliest weeks. The
number of subscribers quickly grew to 500, dropped off to around 480, and has
remained within about ten of that number ever since.
Johnson
County is a very transient community, and it is truly remarkable how many
people come and go. Unfortunately, over 30 readers have died during this span.
Many of my readers no longer subscribe because they moved away. And just as
people go, new people arrive. I know there are people new to Johnson County who
might be interested in subscribing. Given that, I decided to reach out a bit –
hence this article.
I
ask that you please do me a favor. Forward this edition of Salvos on to a few
friends. Encourage them to sign up. I’d like to add a few new readers to the
mix.
Thank
you for sharing, and thank you for reading! I look forward to your feedback in
the future! It has truly been a pleasure!
*You Subsidize Low Wages!
There
is a great deal of discussion right now about wage inequality and the minimum
wage. One thing that I rarely hear included in this discussion is that we all
subsidize low wages.
What
do I mean by that? A worker who puts in 30 hours per week at $7.25 per hour
cannot make a go of it without help. That person will bring home about $800 per
month in a community where the median rent is over $750. The math simply
doesn’t work.
So what happens when low-income workers cannot make it? They
typically turn to government programs. Subsidized housing, food stamps,
subsidized childcare, free and reduced school lunches, Medicaid, HAWK-I,
heating assistance – these are just a few of the government programs designed
to assist the poor.
Who pays for government programs? We all do. So, should we
continue to subsidize these low wages, or should we ask multi-billion dollar
companies to pay a living wage? In my mind, the choice is pretty easy.
Look
at Wal-Mart. The Walton family is the richest family in the world, with a net
worth of over $150 billion. In 2010, six members of the Walton
family had the same net worth as either the bottom 28% or 41% of American
families combined (depending on how it is counted). That is crazy!
Wal-Mart
earns about $15 billion each year. What if they gave every low wage employee
$10/hour? Understand - $10 per hour is not enough to live on, but it is getting
closer. What would that cost Wal-Mart? I did the math. They have 1.2 million
employees. Assuming an average of 30 hours per week, going to $10 per hour
would cost them about $2 billion. And that assumes everyone earns minimum wage;
some of those 1.2 million are managers, pharmacists, etc. and already earn more
than $10 per hour. But let’s call it $2 billion. Now the company only earns $13
billion annually. Isn’t that enough?
More importantly, how much would it
save YOU if Wal-Mart paid for their employees rather than YOU doing it? The
Waltons created the problem – why shouldn’t they pay for it?
Plus, these higher wages would
actually help the economy – it would even help Wal-Mart! As Henry Ford noted,
he made the most money when his Ford employees could afford to buy the cars
they produced. That principle still applies. If Wal-Mart workers had a 38%
increase ($7.25 to $10) in their hourly wages, you can bet there would be a lot
more money spent at Wal-Mart!
Granted, there are many small
business owners who also pay low wages. A $10 minimum wage might be difficult
for some of them. But I see some distinct differences between these folks and
Wal-Mart.
For one, most small business owners I know pay the best wages they
can. Their workers are not just numbers – they are people the owners are with
40 hours per week. The owners know these folks, know their families, and want
them to do well. So my guess is that wages of $7.25 are already less likely in
those cases. Plus, many small business owners end up earning less than $10 per
hour themselves, and they are the ones taking the risk.
If this sounds like I’m arguing against a higher minimum wage –
I’m not. I do believe the minimum wage should be higher; a gradual but speedy (over
two years, perhaps) increase to $10 is not unreasonable at all. I also believe the
minimum wage should be indexed for inflation, so we quit falling so far behind.
Small business owners may see the benefit of paying $9 or $10 per
hour, but corporations won’t. They are myopic. It is all about the bottom line
in the next quarter. So the short term needs of the 100 people who actually
give a damn if Wal-Mart earned $15 billion or $15.1 billion outweigh the needs
of the rest of us.
My Grandmother was actually a beneficiary of the first minimum
wage law. She recounted the story to me once. As a young lady in the early
‘30s, she was working 54 hours per week and earning twenty cents per hour. New
Deal legislation cut her hours to 40 per week, and raised her pay to the new
federal minimum - a quarter per hour. She gained free time, but lost money!
(She scored a good union job a few years later.)
More import than the minimum wage, however, is progressive
taxation. People who earn $12 an hour should not be helping to subsidize people
who earn $8 per hour. Let the Waltons pay for them!
Our system of taxation should be much more progressive toward the
top. The wealthy need to pay much, much more in taxes. And the VERY wealthy –
like the Waltons – need to pay even more. That will help pay for the programs
used by low-wage workers without sticking it to the small business owners who
do not earn six and seven figures.
What
are your thoughts on the minimum wage?
*DID YOU KNOW?
332,000 Iowans – about one in ten - would benefit from an increase in
the minimum wage. Of workers affected,
55 percent are women. Over 4 of 5 workers affected — 81 percent — are age 20 or
over. Almost half — 46 percent — work full time (35 hours or more per week).
Almost 1 in 4 workers affected — 23 percent — have children. (Source: Iowa
Policy Project.)
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
January 10, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 1/14/14
In this edition:
*MLK Day
*Iowa Caucuses
*JECC
*Did You Know?
*MLK Day
The
federal holiday honoring the birthday of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther
King, Junior is Monday, January 20, 2014.
The
Consultation of Religious Communities (CRC) Interfaith Service is Sunday,
January 19 at 7pm at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church.
My
family and I attend the Interfaith Service every year. It SHOULD be packed. It
is not. What’s more, you rarely ever see elected/appointed officials at the
event. I wonder what kind of impact it would have to see the Superintendent of
Schools or Chief of Police at the event?
The
University of Iowa is once again sponsoring several events in honor of MLK.
Also known as Human Rights Week, here is the list of events:
UNITY MARCH
Monday, January 20, 3:30
P.M. at the East steps of Old Capitol Museum.
TIME TO REMEMBER DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
Monday, January 20, 4 P.M.
at the Senate Chambers of Old Capitol Museum.
BRINGING THE VISION HOME:
CELEBRATING IOWA WOMEN OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
Thursday, January 23, 6
P.M. – 7:30 P.M. at the Black Box Theater in the Iowa Memorial Union.
Please join us as we
celebrate the legacy of Iowa women who contributed to the civil rights
movement. Opening remarks by Dr. Georgina Dodge, Chief Diversity Officer and
Associate Vice-President, a special spoken word performance by Wisdom Beyond
Words and a multi-media tribute to Iowa women civil rights activists. A
reception with light refreshments will follow.
It
makes me proud to see my alma mater recognize the man and recognize the need
for the holiday. Unfortunately, the UI is virtually alone in our community when
it comes to recognizing this day.
We often hear about Christians who feel that Christmas has
lost its meaning, union members who feel that way about Labor Day, and Veterans
who feel the same about Veteran’s Day. I fear that this could be happening to
MLK Day as well.
America
has come a long way since the 60s, and overt racism is now typically (but
certainly not always) frowned upon. We still have a long way to go, however.
MLK’s work – our work – on racial issues is far from done.
We
need more discussion on race. But it is even more important that we remember
that King was a radical in many ways. America grudgingly accepted racial
reforms because they were less dangerous to the status quo than the other
issues King championed. King took seriously the Biblical teachings that the
love of money is a sin, and that rich men will not be welcomed into Heaven. He
proposed seismic changes to the political and social structures that exist in
America. In addition, King was adamantly anti-war.
To the status quo, he was the most dangerous man in the world.
They were happy to grant him concessions on Jim Crow if they could maintain
their financial and military might. The fact that he kept pushing on the
Biblical teachings regarding greed meant he was destined to die. He was too big
a threat.
Take
some time this week to read some of the great books that are out there on Dr.
King. More importantly, take some time to read the things he wrote himself. And
Happy MLK Day!
*Iowa Caucuses
Most
people do not realize this, but the Iowa Caucuses are NOT an every 4-year
event. Yes, Iowa’s Democrats and Republicans meet every 4 years to help select
Presidential nominees. But the Iowa Caucuses actually occur EVERY year.
This
year is no different. People from every precinct in Johnson County will have
the opportunity to Caucus with their neighbors on Tuesday, January 21, 2014.
Caucus
locations vary by precinct and party; check the Johnson County Auditor’s site:
(http://www.johnson-county.com/dept_auditor.aspx?id=14567)
for specific details on your location.
Democracy
is not a spectator sport! Please join us!
*JECC
You
probably recall all the controversy over the Joint Emergency Communications
Center (JECC). I have been perhaps THE loudest critic of the decisions that
were made when JECC was formed.
While
I still adamantly believe that JECC was created incorrectly and inefficiently,
I want to give credit where credit is due. The JECC is operating quite smoothly
and efficiently right now under the leadership of Director Tom Jones.
We
all recall why JECC happened in the first place. The League of Women Voters had
been advocating something similar for years. Then 9/11/01 occurred, and we all
witnessed what a lack of interoperability meant. Lives were lost because
emergency personnel could not communicate. We knew that we were lacking here,
and we knew we could provide better services to the people of Johnson County.
I
am really chagrined that developing the JECC took so much fighting. I probably
lost a friend in the process. That said, I would fight the same fights all over
again if I needed to – good government is always worth fighting for.
Though I have been JECC’s biggest critic, I never questioned the
need for joint dispatch. It is good to see that League of Women Voters’ vision
finally paying dividends. It is also really good to see the JECC operating
well. Congrats and thanks to Tom Jones and the staff at the JECC – you have
done fine work!
*DID YOU KNOW?
The Iowa Caucuses became the first nominating event in the nation in
1972, but really gained notoriety in 1976 when the process catapulted previously-unknown
candidate Jimmy Carter to the Democratic Party nomination.
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
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As always,
feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to
serving you!
---Rod
January 3, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 1/7/14
In this edition:
*Happy New Year!
*Campaign Promises
*Property Tax Rates
*Property Tax Rates, Part Two
*Did You Know?
*Happy New Year!
Welcome
to 2014! Let’s make this the best year ever!
*Campaign Promises
I
may be crazy for doing this, but I thought I’d take a look back at the platform
I ran on when seeking reelection in 2012. I am now one year into that 4-year
term; let’s see how I am doing. I listed 5 goals for this term:
Goal: Work with cities for
sensible TIF usage.
Results: This is a pretty
tough lift. After the Governor’s huge commercial tax cuts, cities have few
other places to look for revenue. Cities have zero incentive to do anything
else. And when a city and the county go head to head, the county ALWAYS loses.
Legislators have priorities, and those are cities, not counties. The task is convincing
city leaders that county government matters. Obviously, this will require
ongoing work.
Goal: Improve rural
housing conditions.
Results: Nothing like
choosing easy goals, huh? While this problem remains daunting, there actually
have been some significant improvements made on this front. First, the Health
Department adopted a new and improved Health Nuisance Ordinance, which covers
many of the health issues we found in our run down housing. While this doesn’t
accomplish everything our failed Property Maintenance Ordinance would have
addressed, it has made a measurable improvement in many properties. Secondly,
the County has twice spent $20,000 with the Housing Trust Fund to identify and
address serious home improvement needs. This has resulted in key life safety
improvements to several rural residences, mostly mobile homes. Finally, the
cities of North Liberty, Coralville, and Iowa City have agreed to join the
County in looking at affordable housing issues countywide. This could well be
the biggest victory of all! So, while much work remains, some very good things
have occurred.
Goal: Increased support
for Human Services.
Results: While the actual
dollar amount going toward human services has not increased, it has not
decreased, either. Given the aforementioned commercial tax cuts, this may be
the best we are able to do. There was another big positive, of course – the
County sold the old Public Health Building to the Crisis Center for $1, kicking
off the 1105 Project. I’m extremely proud of my role in that endeavor!
Goal: Improve Affirmative
Action results.
Results: If you walk into
a County building, you will either find someone who speaks your language, or an
employee can hook you up to a telephone translator. That is pretty cool! The
County now has a Diversity Committee, which is succeeding in bringing some new
voices into the conversation. We have several ideas to implement, and Diversity
has been included as a goal in the County’s Strategic Plan. That said, the
employment numbers still have a long ways to go. Johnson County is about 80%
Caucasian, but our workforce is closer to 97%. We’ll continue to work on that.
Goal: Improve race
relations.
Results: Another
easy one! The County Attorney, Sheriff, and Jail Diversion staffs have begun
greater outreach to minority communities. I am an original member of the
Coalition for Racial Justice, which has the possibility of being a huge asset
to local governments down the road. As you might imagine, much work remains.
So,
those are the results as I see them. Obviously, it takes 3 votes to get
anything done on the Board of Supervisors; I find myself on the losing end of
far too many 3-2 votes. That said, part of the job is convincing your
colleagues to join you in voting for the things you think are important. I
still have work to do on that front.
What are your thoughts? You are the ultimate judges as to whether
or not we have achieved any successes. I look forward to your comments!
*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!”
Bull!
Here are the facts - 43 Iowa Counties have higher property tax rates than
Johnson County, ranking Johnson 44 out of the 99 counties. (Source: Iowa State
Association of Counties.)
I have not mentioned this in quite some time, but it bears
repeating. Misinformation abounds. Now YOU have the correct information, so
when somebody says otherwise, you can set her straight.
*Property Tax Rates, Part Two
A
friend recently sent me the following interactive map from the Brookings
Institution: http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/2013/county-property-taxes-map
You
can click on any county in the US, then see where that county ranks in terms of
several property tax metrics. I found this really fun!
While
the map is fascinating, it deserves greater explanation. For one, we need to
once again stress that the biggest factor in high property taxes is valuable
property. An apartment building in Manhattan is worth a lot more than a mobile
home 200 miles from Albuquerque. Because it is worth much more, it will pay
much more.
Secondly, these taxes include all taxing jurisdictions. So totals
include cities, schools, counties, community colleges, and a couple more tiny
levies. When I discuss our levy rates, I focus on the county rates. This makes
sense, as those are the only rates over which I have control.
Thirdly, different states have different ways of funding local
governments. There are places with low property tax rates, but quality services
– these locales rely more on income and/or sales taxes. Or certain states might
fund things that are county-funded in other states. So comparisons are probably
best within states.
Finally, some states (and counties) fund very few services,
period! In Iowa, for example, counties vary wildly in the amount they spend on
Public Health. While Johnson County spends almost $4 million, some counties
spend under $100,000. Personally, I am willing to fund Public Health. From what
I’ve heard, so are most of my constituents.
So
how did Johnson County rank? Average home value = $180,200. Home value rank =
537 (out of about 3,100). Average taxes paid = $2649. Taxes paid rank = 258
(out of about 3,100). Taxes as a share of value = 1.47%. Takes as share of
value rank = 555 (out of about 3,100).
There
is much to digest there. Suffice to say, I am extremely comfortable with the
tax rates in Johnson County. If you would like to discuss this in greater
detail, just give me a call.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Property taxes in the US date to the very earliest Colonial times. By
1796, state and local governments in fourteen of the 15 states taxed land.
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
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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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