rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
June 30, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 7/5/16
In this edition:
*RIP Francine Jacobs
*Brexit – Here and Abroad
*Calling Out the Corridor Business Journal
*Bernie Sanders
*Did You Know?
*RIP Francine Jacobs
Johnson
County lost a labor leader recently with the passing of Francine Jacobs.
You
heard that right! Most folks knew Francine as a great mother, grandmother,
aunt, and an all-around wonderful person. She was a caregiver to many, and
should be remembered as such.
But
while many folks know Francine’s husband Tom Jacobs for his decades of service
to organized labor and the Democratic Party, many of those same folks do not
realize the important roles Francine filled in AFSCME, local labor
organizations, and the local Democratic Party. She was a true blue activist and
leader!
It
would be difficult to find a kinder, gentler, more caring, more giving, more selfless
couple than Tom and Francine Jacobs. RIP, Francine!
*Brexit – Here and Abroad
There was a very
disturbing vote across the Atlantic – Great Britain voted to leave the European
Union.
The website Vox put
this forward: A comment on the Financial Times website from a commenter named
“Nicholas” said the following:
“A quick note on the first
three tragedies. Firstly, it was the working classes who voted for us to leave
because they were economically disregarded, and it is they who will suffer the
most in the short term. They have merely swapped one distant and unreachable
elite for another.
Secondly, the younger
generation has lost the right to live and work in 27 other countries. We will
never know the full extent of the lost opportunities, friendships, marriages
and experiences we will be denied. Freedom of movement was taken away by our parents,
uncles, and grandparents in a parting blow to a generation that was already
drowning in the debts of our predecessors.
Thirdly and perhaps most
significantly, we now live in a post-factual democracy. When the facts met the
myths they were as useless as bullets bouncing off the bodies of aliens in a HG
Wells novel. When Michael Gove said, ‘The British people are sick of experts,’
he was right. But can anybody tell me the last time a prevailing culture of
anti-intellectualism has led to anything other than bigotry?”
First,
what an amazing piece of writing, especially for someone just commenting on a
news site!
Secondly, I feel so sad for our British brothers and sisters. Fear
and hate won out in a national election; I can think of few things sadder.
Finally, Americans should be afraid – very afraid. What just
happened in Great Britain can DEFINITELY happen here! When people feel
disaffected, they go one of three routes: they drop out, they vote Bernie, or
they vote Trump. Our challenge is to convince the dropouts and the Bernies that
we MUST not elect President Trump! The problem is, they got to this point
because politics has not worked for them. We have a job in front of us!
*Calling Out the Corridor Business
Journal
There
is a small local newspaper in Coralville called the Corridor Business Journal
(CBJ). Don’t feel bad if you have not heard of it – Salvos has almost as many
subscribers. The CBJ loves to take shots at the Johnson County Board of
Supervisors. The main reason for their dislike of the Sups is that the CBJ
believes politicians are too timid on the minimum wage.
Confused?
Didn’t Johnson County take bold action to raise the minimum wage? We certainly
did. You see, the CBJ feels politicians should be pushing to ABOLISH the
minimum wage! (If you do not believe me, check out the editorial their June
27-July 3 issue.)
You
heard me correctly – the CBJ believes businesses are weighed down by
unnecessary regulations, including the minimum wage, and they want politicians
to boldly call for its repeal.
Are
local conservative politicians too timid? Yeah, I think we would agree on that.
Too many conservatives masquerade as Democrats in the hopes of getting elected
in Johnson County. I’d rather they stayed proud conservatives; I think it would
be better for both parties.
To
his credit, CBJ Publisher John Lohman ran for office once. He finished 6th
out of 8 candidates in the 1997 At-Large Iowa City Council Primary. So he put
his ideas out there. The public apparently didn’t care for Mr. Lohman’s ideas,
as he only received 8% of the vote, almost twenty percentage points behind the
fifth place finisher. (The top four advanced to the General Election.)
But
back to the issue of the minimum wage…The CBJ trots out the same tired
arguments FDR heard when the first Federal minimum wage was passed in 1938. I
find it comical that the CBJ thinks their discredited ideas amount to good
economic policy when they have been so thoroughly rejected by mainstream
economists.
So,
CBJ – here is a challenge: I hereby challenge CBJ Publisher John Lohman to a
debate on the local economics of the minimum wage. Time and place are
negotiable, but the debate must be recorded and unedited. (I called Mr. Lohman
and discussed this challenge.)
So,
John… are you going to continue to sit behind your computer and call names, or
are you willing to show some of the courage you claim elected officials are
lacking?
*Bernie Sanders
As
you know, I was a Bernie guy. I’m proud of that – there are lots of problems
out there that require progressive solutions. I am VERY proud to have been on
the side of progressive solutions. I have fought for progressive policies my
whole life; I’m not going to stop now.
And
in some ways, our side won! I have recently heard two candidates for federal
office speak. Both talked about an increased minimum wage; more affordable college;
and Wall Street reforms. The Sanders agenda has become the Democratic Party
agenda! And it should! We can argue over details, but we are now fighting for the right things.
That said, in my opinion, it is time for Bernie to call it quits.
It was a great run, but it is time to begin working on behalf of our nominee. I
was relieved to see Bernie endorse Secretary Clinton. I hope he goes even
further in expressing his support for her, and urges his followers to do the
same. Then he can get back to work pushing our politics toward the needs of the
people.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Despite a minimum wage of $9.15/hour, Johnson County has the lowest
unemployment rate in the region at 2.5%. That is a figure many economists refer
to as “full employment”.
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 23, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 6/28/16
In this edition:
*Happy Independence Day!
*An Apology…
*Guns
*Celebration of Community Partners
*Did You Know?
*Happy Independence Day!
Happy
Birthday to the USA! 240 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, and the 4th
has parades in Coralville, Sharon Center, Oxford, and Hills.
*An Apology…
I
ran into local politico John Balmer the other day. For those of you that might
not know, John is a local business owner, a former Mayor of Iowa City, and a
man once known locally as “Mr. Republican” in Johnson County.
John
was disappointed in something I had written in a previous edition of Salvos. I
wrote, “GOP stalwarts like John Dane, John Balmer, and the rest are trying to
steal a Democratic Party Primary.”
John
objected – and rightfully so – to the idea that he was somehow “stealing” an
election. Getting Republicans to register and vote as Democrats is perfectly
legal, and the only way John can have any influence in a local election.
It
is also perfectly legal for John to recruit his fellow conservatives to run in
Democratic primaries. I get frustrated by it, but it is legal (and smart) for
him to do so if he can. He had an excellent candidate this time around; he
often does.
My
point – inartfully made – was that Democrats should turn out, lest Republicans
decide our primary for us. While I stand by that sentiment, it was wrong of me
to insinuate that John had attempted to “steal” something. All of his actions
were legal and logical. I apologize if I made it seem otherwise.
*Guns
The
recent mass shooting in Orlando cut many ways. It laid bare our homophobia
problem. It called into question the efficacy of the terrorist watch list. And
it once again brought to the fore the issue of guns in America.
According
to Politifact: There have been 1,516,863 gun-related deaths since 1968,
compared to 1,396,733 cumulative war deaths since the American Revolution.
That’s 120,130 more gun deaths than war deaths -- about 9 percent more, or
nearly four typical years worth of gun deaths. And that’s using the most
generous scholarly estimate of Civil War deaths, the biggest component of
American war deaths.
Are
we really OK with this? Do we really feel satisfied shrugging our shoulders and
saying, “There is nothing we can do.” I, for one, am not OK with the status
quo.
I
can read, so I understand full well that the Constitution says the Second
Amendment, “shall not be infringed.” But it IS infringed. It has been infringed
since the day it was written. Every part of the Bill of Rights has been
infringed in some way. That is how our form of government – with the Judiciary
a coequal branch – was designed to work.
Allow
me to cite some examples. Even back in the 1700s, prison inmates were not
allowed to have arms. Why not? Because it would be stupid! Prisoners with arms
would not work. So our founders did not allow it. They purposely infringed upon
the Second Amendment.
Then
there is the issue of age. Should two year olds be able to own/operate guns
without adult supervision? Of course not! But isn’t requiring adult supervision
an infringement? Of course it is!
How
about the type of arms? That is not spelled out in the Constitution. Can every
person reasonably expect to own a nuclear weapon? Of course not! But isn’t limiting
nukes an infringement? Of course it is! (Noted liberal Antonin Scalia actually
made this argument!)
We
infringe upon the Second Amendment already, and 99% of all Americans agree. Now
we need to go a bit further, and infringe a bit more.
Specifically,
I support the following changes:
1.
Allow
the Center for Disease Control and other scientific organizations to thoroughly
study gun injuries and gun deaths.
2.
Require
thorough background checks for all gun purchases – even between family members.
Close EVERY loophole. (87% of NRA members agree!)
3.
People
with histories of violence in their backgrounds do not get permits – period.
Neither do people with histories of serious mental illness. Yes, there should
be due process; but let’s do this! (75% of NRA members agree!)
4.
Ban
sales to people on the terrorist watch list. Again, with due process. (74% of
NRA members agree!)
5.
All
guns should be registered with the federal government.
6.
Ban
“cop-killer” ammunition and hollow point bullets.
7.
Repeal
the protection from liability laws that currently cover gun manufacturers. This
will undoubtedly push manufacturers to produce safer products.
Would these changes solve every problem? No. But just because you
cannot solve every problem does not mean you do nothing! Would these laws be
“infringements”? Yes. Would they save lives? Yes. Are they common sense? Yes.
*Celebration of Community Partners
On Wednesday, June 29, 2016, the Johnson County Board of
Supervisors will host the event “Enhancing Quality of Life in Johnson County: A
Celebration of Community Partners,” at the Johnson County Health and Human
Services Building, 855 South Dubuque Street, Iowa City, in second floor
conference room 203. A reception catered by Shelter House’s Culinary Starts
program begins at 4:30 pm; a brief program will start at 5:00 pm.
The event is an opportunity for the Johnson County Board
of Supervisors to recognize and thank community organizations that receive
county funds. Those organizations’ staff, volunteers, boards of directors and
individuals who have benefited from the programs are invited to attend. The
public is also welcome.
For fiscal year 2017, the Johnson County Board of
Supervisors allocated more than $2 million through various grant and fund
allocation processes to more than three dozen community partners, including
social services organizations, libraries, and economic development groups. In
fiscal year 2017 the Board will also direct $600,000 to address critical
affordable housing needs.
The Board of Supervisors has awarded additional funding to
social service agencies to meet emergency needs and implement innovative programming.
Unlike many grant
programs, county funding can be used by organizations for critical operating
expenses, helping build financial stability. In addition, county funds can be
used to leverage additional money from federal, state or private resources.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley opposes a ban on terrorist suspects buying
guns. WTF, Chuck? Iowa Senator Joni Ernst said, ”gun control takes our
attention away from our top threat – radical Islamic extremism.” Yet Muslims
have killed less than 5,000 people in the US dating back to our country’s
origin; Christians have killed over 1.5 million – mostly with guns. So is it
really our “top threat”?
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 16, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 6/21/16
In this edition:
*Juneteenth
*We’re Having A Party!
*More Dad Stuff
*More on That $400…
*Unity Picnic
*Did You Know?
*Juneteenth
Join us for a day of family fun,
free entertainment, health and information fair, free food (while supplies
last) and more! We are celebrating Juneteenth and the civil rights movements
past and present. You won't want to miss this!
Juneteenth
will be celebrated Saturday, June 25 from 12-6 PM at Mercer Park in Iowa City.
*We’re Having A Party!
Anybody
know the old Sam Cooke song by that title? I love Sam Cooke! But that is not
the point…
2015 was a difficult year for us.
Melissa turned 50, but had breast cancer surgery just a few days later. Fast
forward a few months, and things are looking good.
So 2016 is the year we celebrate all
the blessings in our lives! Melissa is 50. Rod turns 50. The kids are grown.
The mortgage is paid. In the words of Barry Manilow, "Looks like we made
it!" So we are going to celebrate!
If you know us, you are invited! If you
don't know us, come by and introduce yourself! We really want all our friends,
family, and acquaintances to be a part of the celebration!
Please join us for food, drink, music,
karaoke, dancing, volleyball, and more! Bring your singing voices, costumes,
instruments... the show must go on!
We have reserved the rustic Club 76 in
rural North Liberty, so there is plenty of room to shig it up! There will be
something for everyone!
No presents, please
- your attendance is your gift. Call us at 319-354-7199 if you have any
questions.
Saturday, June 25, 4pm – 12am
Club 76 The Lodge
2349 Mehaffey Bridge Road, rural North Liberty
*More Dad Stuff
The
weekend of June 17-19 is an emotional one for me, as I move my middle daughter
Jordan to Memphis, Tennessee to begin her professional life. (That is why your
Salvos showed up a bit early this week.)
This
occasion makes me want to reminisce: In case you did not know, Jordan was
adopted. She first came to our house as a 5-year-old little girl – but those
first 5 years were eventful. She dealt with problems that most of us can never
dream of.
Her
bravery in the face of danger inspired me. At age 5, Jordan took it upon
herself to protect her brother and herself. She demonstrated more courage as a
little girl than most adults I have ever met.
Our
time together has not always been easy. Jordan has had to work, and work hard.
We have been through a lot. She has done what she needed to do, and the results
are fantastic!
As time went on, Jordan grew into a wonderful young lady. She is
bright, hard working, and believes strongly in fairness and justice. She is
honest, trustworthy, and follows the rules. She really cares about those who
are less fortunate. She is a good girl!
Jordan had a great career at City High. She served as a mentor for
CCIA; she participated in basketball and track; she was a member of the Spirit
Club; she worked two jobs; she attended church and church youth groups; and her
grades were solid.
At Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, she earned a
scholarship to study psychology and participated in Division I track for four
years, along with the Glam Club. She earned her BS in Psychology about a month
ago.
We
fight – sometimes loud and long! But I cannot imagine loving someone more. And
I admire her – so deeply. I am so very proud. I really don’t have the words.
It is really neat to be able to say that one of the people I
admire the most is my own daughter. I am a very lucky man!
Selfishly, I wish she was going to be closer. I have already shed
a few tears, and I know there are more to come. But hopefully she will spread
her wings for a while, then decide to come back closer to home. Meanwhile,
Memphis is an AWESOME city to visit! It is home to great BBQ and some of the
best music in the world! I can live with that!
Congratulations,
Honey! I am proud of you and I love you!
*More on That $400…
Hopefully
you are aware of the recent study that showed that 50% of all Americans could
not access $400 if they needed it for an emergency. $400 is NOT much money!
I
was reminded of this during Jordan’s move. Jordan has done everything you could
expect a young person to do. She is a model young college grad, who got a “real
job” immediately following graduation. While the job won’t make her rich, it is
a decent rate of pay for a first job. She has worked hard and played by the
rules. But man, did she ever need her parents!
We
rented a van to move her belongings. We put a deposit on the apartment. We paid
the first month’s rent. We put a deposit on utilities. We bought her groceries
to get started. Trust me, we are in for way over $400!
But
what is a young person to do? Jordan was a D-I athlete in college, which paid
for school but limited her ability to work. She worked every summer, but at a
very low wage job. She has a little bit in savings, but not nearly enough to
make this move on her own.
We
are very fortunate. Jordan is very fortunate. We can afford to cover these
expenses for her and get her started in life. But more than 50% of all
Americans could NOT help their child in this way. What do those young adults
do? Where do they turn? Every American should be very concerned about this!
More
importantly, what about people who need $400 not to move cities, but because
their lease was not renewed? Their car won’t start? They had a medical bill?
They had to miss work because their child was sick? What do these people do?
We
have work to do, friends. Until everyone in our society has a stronger safety
net, we have work to do.
*Unity Picnic
The
Johnson County Democratic Party has a nice tradition – after each primary
election, winners and losers alike come together and hold a unity picnic in
support of the slate of nominees.
That
event was held last Friday, and most of the candidates and a few of the elected
officials showed up. I never miss this event – it is important. I’m glad the
Party does this. I look forward to working with our whole slate as we move to
the fall elections.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Memphis is home to the National Civil Rights Museum, which encompasses
the Lorraine Motel, where the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior was
assassinated in 1968.
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, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 6/14/16
In this edition:
*Thank You!
*Election Results
*Election Thoughts
*City-County Relations
*Pride Events
*Did You Know?
*Thank You!
I
was reelected on Tuesday with 62% of the vote. Boy, does that ever feel good!
Needless to say, I have several people to thank:
1.
My
wife, Melissa Fath. It is not easy to be the spouse of an elected official. I
am SO blessed to have Melissa as my partner!
2.
My
mother, Susan Sullivan Smith. Mom handed out a gazillion brochures. She worked
her tail off, plain and simple.
3.
My
kids. They march in parades and do all sorts of other tasks they do not enjoy
doing. They are troopers!
4.
The
voters. I have worked really hard. I think we’ve accomplished some great
things. It feels great to know the voters approve!
5.
My
Treasurer, Gary Smith. Keeping track of the money and filing the official
reports is tedious, thankless work. I could not serve without Gary’s dedicated
behind-the-scenes service!
6.
The
other candidates. There are some strong differences of opinion, but every
candidate treated me with nothing but kindness and respect.
7.
The
Iowa City Federation of Labor. City Fed is not only a source of funds and
volunteers; it is a source of friends. I am so proud to be a delegate to Iowa
City Fed!
There are plenty of other people I could thank, but readers would
grow weary of the whole list. Please allow me to just offer a big THANK YOU! to
everyone who helped with this election. I promise to do my best to make you
proud!
*Election Results
The
top of the ticket featured a race for the Democratic nomination for the US
Senate. Former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge defeated Rob Hogg by a
comfortable margin, 48-39%, even though Hogg got 60% here in Johnson County. Candidates
Tom Fiegen and Bob Krause trailed with and 6.8 and 6.7%, respectively.
Another important race was in House District 77, where two
Democrats and two Republicans squared off for the right to face each other in
the fall. On the GOP side, former Tiffin Mayor Royce Phillips defeated Paula
Dreeszen of Iowa City handily, 72-28%. On the Democratic side, North Liberty
Mayor Amy Nielsen defeated Tiffin resident Abby Weipert by a count of 63-36%.
You know I was interested in the Supervisor race! This race saw 6
candidates running for 3 seats, and when the dust cleared, I was the top vote
getter with 5077 votes (62%). Fellow incumbent Lisa Green Douglass finished
second with 4344 votes (53%), and Kurt Friese took the final seat with 4032
votes (49%).
There
were also uncontested races for Sheriff and Auditor, with incumbents Lonny
Pulkrabek and Travis Weipert cruising to victory.
*Election Thoughts
Those
of us who are intimately involved in elections are often guilty of thinking
that everyone cares as much as we do. Fact is, no one cares as much as we do.
This
election was a classic case of something being a really big deal to a really
small group of people. There was lots of noise on social media, but turnout was
a pathetic 11%. So while there were definitely several small groups of people causing
a fuss, the emphasis there is that they were small groups.
You
hear many people talk about the upcoming Presidential election as a choice
between the lesser of two evils. (Polls show these are the two least popular
candidates in the history of the polls.) The County Supervisor race had a hint
of this as well: who made you angrier? The local “activist” whose efforts have
done a great deal to hurt Democrats over the past few cycles? Or the GOP
stalwarts like John Dane, John Balmer, and the rest trying to steal a
Democratic Party Primary? Whichever chaps you most, there were reasons to be
angry.
The
big winner? Organized labor. Once again, the Iowa City Federation of Labor put
a great deal of time and money into the election, and once again their endorsed
candidates won.
The
local Democratic Party needs to have a couple difficult conversations. Once
that gets done, I am going to go to work and attempt to build upon the many
great things that have happened over the past ten years. I hope others will
join me.
*County-City Relations
There
were several letters to the editor (almost all for one particular candidate)
that claimed we needed to elect that candidate “to improve City/County
relations.”
The
letter writers are stuck in the past! I’ve been following City and County
politics closely for 25 years (at least). The relationship between Iowa City
and Johnson County has never been better. Period. The relationship between
Coralville and Johnson County is the best it has been in 20 years.
The
letter writers could not be more incorrect. Johnson County currently has a very
good relationship with both Iowa City and Coralville.
*Pride Events
The
annual IC Pride events run all throughout the month of June. I love the annual
Pride Festival, and I marvel at how far we have come. I remember Pride in the
early ‘90s, being one of only a few people marching with the Johnson County
Democratic Party, and being videotaped for participating. Things have sure
changed!
Some upcoming Pride
events: Friday night June 17, join us for a laid back evening in Upper City
Park with free food till it's gone (over 200 servings). We will be serving
Pizza Pit, and a vegetarian option will be available.
On Saturday, June 18,
the Pride parade is at noon, followed by Pride Fest events on the Ped Mall.
Everything is free and open to the public.
I am really bummed; I have a family event, and I will miss Pride
for the first time in several years. All my best to all my IC Pride friends!
*DID YOU KNOW?
The record for most votes in a Democratic Supervisor Primary is Joe
Bolkcom, with 5368 in 1996. I am actually serving in that exact same seat; it
went from Joe to Carol Thompson in 1998, and from Carol to me in 2004. (Source:
Johnson County Auditor’s Office.)
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 3, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 6/7/16
In this edition:
*RIP Tom Wall
*Sullivan for Supervisor!
*Election Night Party!
*Bullet Voting
*Clinton vs. Sanders
*Did You Know?
*RIP Tom Wall
I
was stunned to hear about the untimely passing of Morse area farmer Tom Wall.
Tom
ran the family farm near Morse, and we had many great conversations over the
years. We talked Johnson County history, especially the Nolan Settlement;
soybeans, livestock, 4H, the Fairgrounds, the Morse Village Plan, and sports.
Tom knew a lot about many topics, and rather than just complain about things, he
liked to try to solve problems.
Tom
was very smart, kind, funny, and willing to pitch in way beyond his share. Tom
was a gentle giant, a family man, and just a great guy. He will be missed. RIP,
Tom.
*Sullivan for Supervisor!
As
you (hopefully) know, I am running for reelection. Early voting has already begun
for the June 7 Democratic Party Primary; I thought I should take a moment to
make my case to Salvos readers!
I
grew up on a Heritage farm (150 years in the same family) near Sutliff, and
attended K-12 in the Lisbon school system. I attended the University of Iowa,
earning a BA in 1988. I have held several positions in the field of human
services, including 6 years with the Department of Human Services and 6 years
as Executive Director of the Arc of Johnson County.
I
am married to Dr. Melissa Fath, a Research Scientist at the UI and a volunteer
Pharmacist at the Free Medical Clinic. We have 3 adult children-Rachel, Jordan,
and BJ, and have served as foster parents for another 40+ children.
I
have been active in many local organizations, including volunteering for the
Shelter Overflow, Furniture Project, United Way, Community Foundation of
Johnson County, Affordable Homes Coalition, Coalition for Racial Justice, UI
Center for Disabilities and Development, Hoover PTA, City High Little Hawks
Club, Yes for Kids Steering Committee, and the Batterer’s Education Program.
I
am a member of several community organizations, including: St. Andrew
Presbyterian Church, Iowa Foster & Adoptive Parent Association, Sierra
Club, Burr Oak Land Trust, Johnson County Historical Society, Johnson County Ag
Association, Center for Worker Justice, ACLU Hawkeye Chapter, AFT Local 716,
and NAMI. I also served 4 years as Chair of the Johnson County Democratic
Party.
Some of the accomplishments of which I am proud:
Leadership during ’08 floods.
Human Rights
Ordinance.
Sensitive
Areas Ordinance.
Conservation Bond
Initiative.
Started 1105 Project with gift of old
Public Health building.
Saved Sutliff Bridge.
Trails
funding.
Community ID.
Free Tax Help
project.
Livable Community
Successful Aging.
Outdoor warning sirens to unincorporated
Johnson County.
Local Foods Policy Council.
“A” in local government transparency from
Sunshine Institute.
Heritage AAA Outstanding
Elected Official – 2009.
Raising the
minimum wage.
Funding
affordable housing.
I
respectfully request your vote on or before June 7. Thanks!
*Election Night Party!
We
are holding an Election Night Returns Party Tuesday, June 7 at 8PM at Boyd’s
(formerly Bob’s Your Uncle). Come by for free pizza and a cash bar, and join us
as we watch the results roll in.
*Bullet Voting
As
is the case with any election, some folks are trying to decide what strategy
they should use as they go into the voting booth. I heard a few people debating
whether or not to “bullet vote.” I was surprised to find a few people who had
no idea what this term meant. So, a brief explanation:
We
will use this year’s election as an example. There are 6 candidates for 3
seats. Imagine that you have 2 candidates that you REALLY like, and you are
pretty indifferent about the third seat.
If
you cast all 3 votes, you are giving the exact same weight to the third person
as you did to the two you really like. Imagine a scenario where one of your top
2 lost to your third choice by ONE vote – and you cast that vote!
In
this scenario, many savvy voters will only cast two votes. That type of
under-voting is also known as “bullet voting”.
There
are some out there who feel bullet voting is somehow inappropriate; they feel
you should use every vote you are given. On the other hand, many see it as the
only sensible thing to do.
Personally,
I often bullet vote. What are your thoughts?
*Clinton vs. Sanders
There
is a great deal of gnashing of teeth as pundits speculate whether or not
supporters of Bernie Sanders will get on board with the campaign of Hillary
Clinton.
Please
allow me to take you back to 2008… it was June 7, 2008 when Hillary Clinton
suspended her campaign and threw her support to Barack Obama. Sound familiar?
Additionally,
a CNN poll from July 5, 2008 showed that only 54% of Clinton supporters would
support Obama. That was 120 days before the election! Again, sound familiar?
Yes,
there is a concern about party unity. Both sides have a lot of work to do in
this area. But the sky is not falling.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Turnout in Democratic Primaries during Presidential years have been very
low when there is no open seat. (’12 saw 5329 voters; ’08 saw 5130.) When there
is an open seat, turnout is much higher. (’04 was 9305 voters; ‘00 was 7400.) Source: Johnson County Auditor’s
Office.
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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