rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
June 26, 2014
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/1/14
In this edition:
*Happy Independence Day!
*Save The Date!
*Sally Hoelscher
*More Sales Tax
*Did You Know?
*Happy Independence Day!
Happy Birthday to the USA! 238 years old and going strong! I hope you and yours enjoy a great Independence Day!
Looking for ways to celebrate? The Jazz Festival is in downtown Iowa City July 3-5, and the 4th has parades in Coralville, Sharon Center, Oxford, and Hills.
*Save The Date!
As many of you know, Melissa and I went to Haiti in April with a group called Community Health Initiatives (CHI). The work this group is doing is beyond description here. So we want to continue to help.
With that in mind, we would like to invite you all to this fundraiser. It just so happens that it is our anniversary the day before, so we would love to spend the night with old friends and CHI friends, all helping a great cause!
We'd be honored if you would join us! Details are below; you can buy tickets at www.chihaiti.org. Feel free to call Melissa or I with questions.
Saturday, August 2nd 6:00-10:00P (Dinner served at 6:30P)
2nd Floor Hotel Vetro.
Dinner, live music, silent auction and cash bar. $50 investment per ticket ($20 is tax deductible). Open to the public. Formal attire suggested
*Sally Hoelscher
ICCSD Board President Sally Hoelscher is stepping down from her position for “personal reasons”.
It is quite unusual for this to occur. I seem to recall former Board member Mike Cooper resigning early because his employer transferred him out of state. I may be slightly off on those details; anyway, an unfilled term is a relatively rare thing.
So what to make of it? I say nothing. Ms. Hoelscher has spent the past three years in the most thankless of jobs. She has been subject to unfair criticisms and downright vile accusations. I have not always agreed with her, but I certainly respect her service.
In that spirit, I’m not going to question her reason(s) for leaving. Her personal business should remain her personal business. I simply hope her and hers are OK, I wish her well and I thank her for serving.
There are many challenges ahead in the ICCSD. Let’s move forward in addressing them – and try to do so while treating each other with some respect.
*More Sales Tax
As many of you know, I am a bit of a wonk when it comes to taxes. My interest in this area has led to some strongly held opinions against sales taxes. Here are a few reminders as to why increasing our reliance on the sales tax is NOT a good idea. (Much of this is from an earlier edition of Salvos.)
Regressivity
This means that the poor pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes than do the wealthy. Sales taxes are the most regressive taxes. Income taxes are the most progressive taxes.
In 2003, a person with an income of $90,000 paid 3.2% of her income in taxes. A person earning $19,500 paid 11.1% of her income in taxes.
Relative to income, the poor pay twice what the middle class pay, and nearly 5 times the amount the wealthy pay. Even with exemptions, sales taxes hit the poor hardest.
Who are the poor?
31% (215,855) of the children in Iowa live in low-income families. 10% (70,857) of the children in Iowa live in poor families. Most of the people living in poverty in Iowa and elsewhere are children. There are more poor women than poor men. Plus we are talking poverty here, which is a much higher threshold than free and reduced price lunch.
Children are the poorest segment of our society. I will quote one of my favorite authors, Jonathon Kozol: “Charity is no substitute for economic justice.”
You cannot raise money for human services and believe they will make up for the damage done by a local option sales tax. Governmental agencies cannot improve their budget situations on the backs of the poorest of the poor. The needs of the poor will outpace any and all services that they have helped to fund.
In the Iowa City Community School District, parents and kids at Twain, Wood, and Hills pay a higher percentage of their income in sales taxes than parents and kids at Wickham, Lincoln, and Shimek. Does this make sense?
Wealthy services not taxed
The services of accountants, attorneys, and stockbrokers are not subject to sales taxes. These and many other services (advertising, consulting, etc.) used primarily by the wealthy and by large corporations go untaxed. In addition, property taxes are deductible, while sales taxes are not.
Sales Taxes versus Property Taxes
“Sales tax proponents frequently use the argument, “Sales taxes are better than property taxes.” First off, this is untrue. This argument is akin to saying, “Drinking is better than smoking, so we need more smoking.” Neither tax option is good for the poor.”
Sales taxes versus property taxes is a red herring. The point is not which is worse, sales taxes or property taxes. The point is that BOTH hurt the poor unfairly. We need to create a more fair system of taxation, and we need to do so creatively. Sales & property taxes are not the only two options available. People who claim these are the only options are being shortsighted. We need to challenge our legislators to allow for greater local use of income taxes. This is the fairest way to finance local governments, and should be part of the mix.
What about renters?
Rent includes the landlord’s expenses plus profit. But there is no profit if there is no renter. So depending upon the market, the landlord can adjust her rent as much as she wishes, so long as the unit remains leased. Most landlords raise rents when they can, regardless of taxes. Most try to squeeze out maximum profit. This is supply and demand and will happen REGARDLESS of taxes. Supply and demand drives the rental market-nothing else. This is a fact, and economists of all stripes have backed this up. So before you E-mail me disagreeing with this fact, talk to a damned economist!
Another flaw in this argument is assuming that landlords are somehow entitled to no less profit than they are currently receiving. Owning property is an investment. People are not forced to own – they can invest in CDs, gold, or the stock market. If your investments are not profitable, sell.
Programs that use relative wealth as a measure of eligibility (such as Medicaid) always include resources (property). It is not enough to have low income; you must also lack other resources, such as property. This is because the net worth of a property owner far exceeds that of a renter. Renters have less real assets. Under a sales tax, renters pay the same as their counterparts with real assets.
What about “outsiders”? Won’t they help pay?
People who live outside of Johnson County pay about 20-25% of the taxes collected. These are by and large not people from Chicago, however, but commuters who purchase goods on the way home.
I cannot, in good conscience, support a shift of the tax burden to people who have less money. What's more, I have trouble saying that a person earning $25,000 should pay more tax just because she lives in Williamsburg, Riverside, West Branch, Mount Vernon, Tipton, etc. Especially when the local wealthy would be let off the hook at her expense. It is critically important that we think of our middle and low-income neighbors who commute to this County.
In addition, there are “outsiders” who pay property tax; they are absentee landowners. Most of the buildings in downtown Iowa City are owned by people who live outside of Johnson County. Coral Ridge Mall, Proctor and Gamble, Regency Trailer Court, numerous student apartments, and thousands of other properties are owned by entities that do NOT call Johnson County home. Substituting sales tax for property tax lets these absentee landlords off the hook. Others will pay for the roads and services that add value to their properties.
Doesn’t everyone else impose a higher sales tax?
Yes. Currently, only Johnson County has no Local Option Sales Tax. When you are the only (or one of the only) counties that does something, you are either doing something very well or doing something very poorly. I believe Johnson County has been doing very well by choosing not to impose this tax.
Theological arguments
I just happen to buy into a worldview that those who are able need to help those who are not. It is a basic organizing principle of any society, for one thing. Most major world religions subscribe to the idea of helping the poor.
I hold to a viewpoint (influenced by Christian doctrine) that says, “The last shall be first and the first shall be last”; “Do unto others”; “That which you do to the least among you, you do to me”; “The meek shall inherit the earth”; “Charity shall cover the multitude of sins”; “You cannot serve both God and wealth”; and “A rich man has a better chance of putting a camel through the eye of a needle than getting into Heaven.” Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and most major religions share similar doctrine when it comes to caring for the poor first. If you think I am making these up, consult your own religious authority.
I prefer to follow this lead rather than doing more to comfort the comfortable.
*DID YOU KNOW? Money raised by CHI will be used to purchase medicine for patients of the clinics in Haiti.
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 20, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 6/24/14
In this edition:
*More on the CAFO
*Sales Tax Proposal
*Did You Know?
*More on the CAFO
I
realize now that I told you about the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) proposed
for Johnson County, but I failed to tell you much in terms of what I think
about it!
The
application was actually withdrawn, so the Board did not need to take any
formal action. Yet we still listened to two hours of public testimony. (You can
listen for yourself on the county website.)
I am generally a fan of individual rights. But that is contingent
upon the exercise of those rights not causing others harm. Back in the 1800s a
philosopher named John Finch said, “Your right to swing your arm ends at my
nose.” I have always embraced a similar view.
Once
we have questions of conflicting “rights”, we have to weigh the rights of a
landowner versus the rights of her/his neighbors. This is where government can
become an exercise in philosophy; it is also why we need to elect thinking
people at every level of government. Elected officials too often decide which
“rights” to respect based upon who they know, or who is in the room. That is no
good.
Does
a farmer’s right to raise noisy livestock outweigh the rights of a neighbor who
is bothered by the noise? I have always felt it does. What if the same farmer
is just cranking up amplified music? Now my sympathies lie with the neighbor. What
about a barking dog? That area gets pretty grey.
Does
a farmer have a right to operate a smelly livestock operation? I think the
answer is yes. Does she/he have the right to cause respiratory diseases in
neighbors 2 miles away? My answer is no. Obviously, there is some grey area in
between those two extremes as well.
Does
a neighbor have a right to a view? My contention has always been no; the
property rights of neighbors outweigh your “right” to a view. That said, we
HAVE adopted a downcast lighting ordinance, which protects you from neighbors
shining lights on your property. The issues are similar, but I come down on
different sides.
How
about water quality issues? I have always felt strongly here. Water does not
respect property lines. Be it storm water or groundwater, I feel it is critical
that we keep it clean. You cannot pollute only “your own” groundwater; water
flows where it flows. So I’m for strict rules on pollution. Our collective
rights clearly outweigh the rights of the individual in those cases.
So
– is there any way to run a 2500 head hog confinement without affecting the air
and water quality of the neighbors? It may be possible, but I would argue that
it is unlikely. And if it is unlikely that the rights of the neighbors can be
ensured, then I do not think it should be built. In addition, the proposed
operator has had manure management problems. The record is concerning. There is
just no reason to believe this would turn out well.
There
are other issues – economic, animal welfare, etc. But as a County Supervisor,
my primary concern is the overall well-being of the public. I do not see how
this application could have met that standard.
On
a personal note – my family and I only buy meat from Lois Pavelka near Sutliff,
New Pi, Nieman Ranch, Beeler, or others who raise animals to the standards we
accept. Some on my left eat no meat at all; I respect that choice. Others don’t
care about the origins of their meat. I would argue that the most effective way
to avoid future battles over CAFOs is to convince more people to care about the
origin of their meat. If there is no demand, there will be no supply.
*Sales Tax Proposal
Iowa City is
considering putting a local option sales tax (LOST) on the ballot in November.
The
city formed a Local Option Sales Tax Exploratory Committee consisting of Tom
Markus, Susan Mims, Eleanor Dilkes, Marian Karr, Simon Andrew, Cyndi Ambrose,
and Dennis Bockenstedt. That committee submitted a 7-page report to the Iowa
City Council in early June. The highlights:
1.) The vote would be held
on the November General Election;
2.) Revenues in Iowa City
would be split 60%property tax relief, 30% road repairs, and 10% affordable
housing.
Remember, Iowa City
has the power to decide whether or not the whole county votes on a sales tax
proposal. But individual cities (and the county) get to decide how the money is
spent in their areas.
The County has not
discussed how sales tax revenue would be used. I am opposed to Iowa City’s
current proposed plan for sales tax revenue.
While
the affordable housing piece is great, sales taxes are our most regressive
taxes. Using 60% of the money to offset property taxes is a direct subsidy to
property owners. People who own property tend to be wealthier than those who do
not. So people who are too poor to own property will now be subsidizing people
who do. Plus, under the proposed plan, the higher your property tax bill, the
bigger your tax relief. So wealthier folks benefit even more.
The
only way I could ever support a sales tax increase is if the money was used
extremely progressively. I could support this if it were 40% infrastructure, 40%
affordable housing, 10% arts and culture, and 10% property tax relief. Or even
removing the arts and culture and going to 20% property tax relief. But the
proposed plan hurts the very people we are attempting to help.
In
addition, I find it disturbing to read how concerned Iowa City is with
“competition” from North Liberty and Coralville. The document produced by the
committee mentioned “competition” or being “competitive” 7 times in 7 pages. I
am fine with Iowa City being “competitive”, but should we not first determine
in which areas we wish to be competitive? Are property tax rates our only
concern? According to whom?
North
Liberty has virtually no public transit and a volunteer fire department. Unless
those things change, the tax rates are bound to be lower. But I reject the
premise that the ONLY area in which cities “compete” is property tax rates.
Iowa City is
“competitive” in that it is a cool place to live. If Iowa City really feels the
need to “compete” in terms of retail, do something major at either the Dodge or
Dubuque Street exits. But property tax rates do not determine competitiveness.
For
one, no new industry is going to pay property taxes, anyway – wherever they
locate, the municipality will rebate any property taxes (including those that
would otherwise accrue to schools and the county). Secondly, I know zero
residential taxpayers who chose where to live based upon property tax rates. So
why is Iowa City so worried?
My
advice to IC would be if you feel the need to “compete”, do so based upon your
AAA Bond Rating, walkability/bikeability, and wonderful amenities.
It
hurts to be opposed to a plan that helps to fund affordable housing. But asking
the poor to pay more is not the way to go. Besides, inclusionary zoning would
get better results and cost taxpayers zero. I get tired of hearing we “can’t”.
I know I’ve been pushing it unsuccessfully for 20 years, but I’m not interested
in giving up.
So
– what do you think? Do you support a local option sales tax? Under what
circumstances?
*DID YOU KNOW?
Islam is full of writings on “the rights of neighbors”. These laws are
really duties that each person has to their neighbors, and they are extensive!
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 13, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 6/17/14
In this edition:
*CAFO
*Pride Events
*North Liberty Summer Lunch
*Sycamore Street Farmer’s Market
*Thank You Dan!
*Did You Know?
*CAFO
The
Johnson County Board of Supervisors has a pending application for a large
confined animal feeding operation (CAFO). It would be off Oasis Road, just
north and east of American Legion Road. It is about 3 miles from both IC and
West Branch. It would be a hog confinement, and my understanding is it would
house over 2,500 hogs. The applicant is a gentleman named Ray Slach. I do not
know Mr. Slach, but I have heard good things about him personally. I have also
heard that his record of manure management leaves a lot to be desired.
The
public has many apprehensions over CAFOs. I’ll try to address some key
concerns:
Water
quality: 2,500 hogs is a large number of animals. Hogs produce about six times as
much waste as humans; that means this facility will be responsible for about
the same amount of waste as the City of North Liberty. Handling that volume of
waste would be a challenge under any circumstances. That said, I know an
irresponsible operator can do more environmental damage with far fewer hogs.
But even if the lagoons are properly contained, there can be issues. With all
the tile in our fields, it is conceivable that large scale manure application
to fields can end up in our drinking water.
Air
quality: I drove out to the site, and it is pretty remote, as much as anything
in Johnson County can be remote. There aren’t many houses nearby. I have been
reviewing the research on odors, and it is all over the board. Obviously,
management, climate, terrain, and average winds all make a big difference. Clemson
University says the odor from a CAFO should almost never exceed one mile. The
University of Minnesota says human health can be negatively impacted up to ten
miles away. Iowa State researchers have conflicting data within a single
university. Clearly more study will be forthcoming. Meanwhile, if you ask folks
who live near them, no study is necessary!
Animal
welfare: It is difficult to imagine that hogs enjoy being confined. There isn’t
much room to move; rooting cannot happen; social interactions are altered
dramatically; antibiotics tend to be overused to compensate for crowded
conditions. On the other hand, farmers realize that animals under stress do not
put on weight as easily as animals that seem content. The pork industry and
animal welfare groups have wildly different ideas regarding what constitutes
humane treatment; again, research lags.
I
have been on the Board ten years, and this is the first CAFO application we
have had that is large enough to trigger the Master Matrix process. That is a
process that allows local governments to comment (but only to comment) on the
process.
So
the bottom line is: local governments are "allowed" to weigh in on
these applications, but the State doesn't really care what the local
governments have to say. But we ARE holding a public hearing on Thursday, June
19 at 9am in the Boardroom. The public may also submit written comments.
If
you care about this issue – please let us know!
*Pride Events
This weekend Johnson
County is full of wonderful Pride events! I’ll call your attention to but two:
The annual Pride
Parade begins at noon on Saturday, June 21st. Lineup is at 11 am at
College Green Park. That will be followed by Pride Fest events on the Ped Mall
in downtown Iowa City.
Please come out (no
pun intended!) and support the LGBTQ population in Johnson County. They are our
family, friends, and neighbors, and they deserve our love and support! And the
events are fun to boot!
For more info about all
the many Pride events, please visit: http://www.iowacitypride.com
*North Liberty Summer Lunch
The
North Liberty Summer Lunch & Fun Program is an all-volunteer effort to
provide free lunch and activities for all North Liberty kids weekdays throughout
the summer of 2014.
Youth
up to age 18 are welcome to join us 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays June 9
through August 18 on the library patio outside the North Liberty Community Center,
520 W. Cherry Street in North Liberty. No registration is required to
participate.
How
can you help? Volunteer–We’ll need five
people each day to help prepare and serve the food, organize activities, and
clean up–an approximate 2 1/2-hour time commitment. Sign up for one shift or
several! Donate–We need gifts of
money and food to make the program work. Spread the word–Follow us on Facebook and share a link to our page
on your own page. Tell your friends what’s happening!
As
of June 7th: Only 20 volunteer slots of 400 remain open. The program
has raised over $5K. 500 single day pool passes will be provided to the kids. Red’s
Alehouse is doing every Thursday lunch.
This
program is sponsored by the North Liberty Unity Coalition, a group of residents
and representatives of the city, area churches, schools, and human service
agencies interested in improving the quality of life for all North Liberty
residents. You can connect with the coalition on its Facebook page.
Congrats
to everyone in North Liberty who made this happen!
*Sycamore Street Farmers Market
I’d like to urge everyone to visit the Sycamore Street Farmers Market.
They're off to a modest start, hindered by a migrating location, a late spring,
and road construction projects.
You'll find them from 3-6pm every Tuesday through October, back
again at the west end of the Sycamore Mall (being re-branded as the Iowa City
Marketplace).
Sellers are bringing their fresh vegetables, baked goods, crafts,
and hot foods ready to eat. More will be coming as crops mature. Spots for
venders are still available at only $15.
What you buy can be good for you, local growers and artisans, and
the southeast side of Iowa City. More details are
at http://www.icgov.org/?id=1108
*Thank You Dan!
The
Little Free Library at the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building is
heavily used. Because of the location, it is a hotbed for children’s books. It
is difficult to keep the library stocked.
I
mentioned this to my friend and neighbor Dan Daly, and viola! I am presented
with a big box of children’s books. I was able to completely fill the Little
Free Library.
Thank
you, Dan! And readers, if you have unwanted children’s books, please feel free
to bring them by the Health and Human Services Building!
*DID YOU KNOW?
State officials reported that
137 construction permits were issued for new livestock operations through
August 2013, a 59 percent increase over 2012, which was a record. For the third
straight year, Iowa has issued a record number of permits for new livestock
operations. Most of them were for confinements to house more than 2,500 hogs.
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 6, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 6/10/14
In this edition:
*Father’s Day
*Election Results
*Registration Numbers
*North Liberty Fun Days
*Juneteenth
*Congratulations Karla Miller!
*Did You Know?
*Father’s Day
Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there! Being a dad is the
best thing I have ever done. It is also the most difficult. I imagine that is
the case for most fathers.
It has been several years since I have had the pleasure of
enjoying a living father or grandfather. If you are lucky enough to have a
father or grandfather around, please take a moment to reach out to him this
weekend.
*Election Results
The results are in, and we have our nominees for County Attorney
and County Supervisor. Turnout was relatively high, at over 10,000 voters.
In
the County Attorney’s race, incumbent Janet Lyness convincingly defeated
challenger John Zimmerman 69-31. I supported Janet and I am very happy for her.
But now the hard work begins!
While
John Zimmerman was not the right messenger, we know there is work to do in our
criminal justice system – particularly in the area of disproportionate minority
contact. I am confident that Janet will get to work on this, but we have a long
ways to go. I’m really glad she will be leading that charge.
In
the Supervisor race, incumbent Janelle Rettig finished first with 4522 votes.
Mike Carberry narrowly defeated Lisa Green Douglass 3458 to 3332 (126 votes) in
the battle for the other spot.
It
would be interesting to be able to determine the impact of 4th place
finisher Diane Dunlap. Dunlap garnered 1319 votes – frankly, that is more than
double what I’d predicted. Did those votes come equally from the other 3 candidates,
or did she siphon off more votes from a particular candidate?
It
will be interesting to see how Mr. Carberry’s supporters behave going forward.
Some are not Democrats, but others claim to be. It is clear that many of them
were anti-Rettig; will some of those claiming to be Democrats attempt to pull
off a Carberry-Etheredge pairing? If so, what does that mean for the local
Democratic Party?
In
other Democratic Party primary action, David Johnson defeated Dennis Boedecker
in a very close House District 73 race; only 30 votes separated the two
candidates. And Kevin Kinney smoked Richard Gilmore in the Senate District 39
tilt.
On
the GOP side, Mike Moore of Washington defeated Johnson County candidates Royce
Phillips and Bob Anderson to win the Senate District 39 nod.
So,
the stage is set. Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to all the
candidates for throwing their hats into the ring!
*Registration Numbers
Johnson
County Auditor Travis Weipert recently put out some very interesting voter
stats. I urge you to take a look at http://www.johnson-county.com/dept_auditor.aspx?id=14782.
Meanwhile, a few highlights: The precinct with the most registered
voters is Iowa City 17 (City High) with 2,224 registered voters. Graham (Morse)
has the least at 350.
Iowa
City 18 (Longfellow) had the highest percentage of Democratic registrations;
the top 9 were all in Iowa City. 54 of the 57 precincts have a higher
percentage of Democrats than Republicans.
Meanwhile, Sharon and Washington Townships in the far southwest
part of the county had the highest percentage of Republican registrations.
Those were two of the three precincts with a higher percentage of Republicans
than Democrats; the other is Jefferson East (Shueyville), which leans Republican
by less than a percentage point.
*North Liberty Fun Days
The community of North Liberty is celebrating Fun Days this
weekend with one final parade in honor of the late Tom Salm.
Unfortunately, North Liberty Fun Days has run out
of gas. Volunteers just can’t do it any longer. They are not raising enough
money. 2014 will be the final year.
I hope this is not a
sign of things to come. And I hope to see you in North Liberty this weekend!
*Juneteenth
Johnson
County is one of many partners collaborating to bring you the annual Juneteenth
celebration.
This
year’s event is Saturday, June 14 from 12-4 pm at Mercer Park in Iowa City.
(Rain location is inside the Scanlon Gym.) There will be free food, vendors,
entertainment, prizes, a health fair, a blood drive, and many events for the
kids.
This
event is free and open to the public. Please call 356-6090 for more
information.
*Words Of Wisdom
There
are a couple dozen folks in Johnson County who seem to be dedicated to the
proposition of making others miserable. It is just such a sad state of affairs.
Unfortunately, local politics seems as nasty as the National stuff.
Leonard Pitts recently wrote an excellent column about the way in
which our politics sometimes overruns our humanity. You can read it here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/17/4121571/partisan-gap-even-extends-to-tragedy.html
This whole thing leads me to think about an old Sufi quote:
“Before
you speak, ask yourself: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?”
I
wish more folks would consider their comments through this prism. I know it is
something upon which I can work!
*Congratulations Karla Miller!
One
of my favorite people is stepping down! Karla Miller, longtime Director of the
Rape Victim Advocacy Program (RVAP) is retiring after years of service to
victims of sexual violence.
It
is easy to take someone like Karla for granted. She has provided decades of solid,
steady leadership in a very difficult arena. You have done well, Karla –
congrats!
*DID YOU KNOW?
The most candidates for the office of County Supervisor was 10 in 1976 –
the year the Board expanded from 3 to 5 members. There were 7 candidates in
both 1992 and 2004. (I finished third of seven in 2004.)
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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