rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
November 30, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 12/5/17
In this edition:
*Family
*Goodbye, Mickey!
*Candidates, Parties, and Johnson County
*Woman Flipping Off the President
*Being “Rural”
*Iowa’s Cities
*Did You Know?
*Family
I
am excited! My kids will all be gathering at our house this next week!
My
son BJ now works at Disney World in Orlando. It is REALLY hard to get time off
at Disney between November 15 and January 15, so we are really glad that he got
away. He worked Thanksgiving, and can work Christmas, and score some points.
My
daughter Jordan works at a place almost exactly like Four Oaks in Memphis,
Tennessee. Because the kids live at the facility, it is also a job that
requires people to work on holidays. Jordan, too, worked Thanksgiving and can
work Christmas.
My
daughter Rachel already lives with us, along with boyfriend Collin and baby
Zuri. This will be the first opportunity her aunts and uncles will have to see
her in person!
In
addition, their sister Dashianne and her son Kyson will be here from
Indianapolis!
I
will be honest – I struggle with my kids living so far away. I know, I know –
they could be even further! I’m just really happy to have this time!
*Goodbye, Mickey!
Johnson
County is saying goodbye to our Grants and Communications Specialist Mickey
Miller. If you have noticed all the tweets, posts, and info coming from Johnson
County – that is Mickey at work. Plus, she has helped us to secure several tens
of thousands in grant funding over the years. Thanks, Mickey, for all your
great work!
Mickey
is leaving to focus on her small business – Mount Vernon Confections (http://www.mvconfections.com).
The chocolate is great- please check them out online or on Main Street in Mount
Vernon!
*Candidates, Parties, and Johnson
County
As
I have mentioned previously, I have yet to choose a Gubernatorial candidate.
Regardless of which candidate I choose, I can tell you what I am going to
demand from her or him. The same goes for anyone running for Statewide or
Federal Office, and political parties:
Quit
using Johnson County! I am REALLY tired of Democratic candidates and the
Democratic Party engaging in a one-way relationship with the people of this
county!
Here
is what happens 95% of the time: The candidate/party leader shows up at a
fundraiser, and laughs about “how great it is to be here in Democratic Johnson
County!”
Next,
she/he extracts an inordinate amount of campaign contributions and volunteer
time from the people of Johnson County. Then, if things go REALLY well, she/he
is elected, with Johnson County providing a 30,000 (or more) vote Democratic
margin.
Then
we move to governing. Now the newly elected person/party has bad news: she/he
can’t support any progressive legislation. Because, well, “There are other
counties out there, you know! They aren’t all like Johnson County!”
I
am tired of dancing this same dance every two years. Step up, Democratic
candidates and Democratic Party!
*Woman Flipping Off the President
I’m
sure many of you have seen the image of the woman riding her bike who flipped
off President Trump’s motorcade. I’m sure many of you have also heard that she
lost her job as a result.
There
is one simple way to make certain this never happens to you: join a union. If
there is no union where you work, form one. It is not easy, but it is truly the
only protection against this type of thing.
*Being “Rural”
I
just wrote something similar to this a couple months ago. But the same tired
arguments keep popping up. But this is a topic I care a lot about, so here we
go again:
There is a lot of
talk about the “urban-rural divide.” While there is certainly something to
this, I think it is largely a political construct. There are people who benefit
from making things “us versus them” rather than bringing everyone together.
I guess what really
chaps me is people who grew up in Chicago, Des Moines, and Bettendorf trying to
tell me I do not understand farm life. I take that really personally.
I grew up way out in the country, on a gravel road, a few miles
from the nearest paved road. I rode
the school bus 40 minutes each way. We had a party line phone. Rather than buy
eggs at the store, we gathered them from a cousin’s hens. Though we didn’t use
them, our house had an outhouse, a summer kitchen, a cistern, and a root
cellar.
BOTH
SIDES of my Mom’s family have Heritage Farms. You know Century Farms? That is
100 years. Heritage Farms are 150 years in the same family. My family has been
farming the same area since before Iowa was a state!
As a young person, I did just about every type of farm work. I
baled hay, walked beans, hayed horses, picked sweet corn, detassled corn, moved
cattle, loaded hogs, and picked apples, just to name a few.
Want
to talk rural? I am happy to talk rural! I will put my rural bona fides up
against just about anyone! So don’t tell me “no one on the Board understands
rural life.” First, you are wrong. Secondly, I take deep offense at that.
If
you want to talk policy, we can talk policy. But don’t challenge my roots,
‘cause brother, they are deep!
*Iowa’s Cities
I
was at a Legislative forum the other day, and picked up these tidbits from the
Iowa League of Cities:
As of 2010, Iowa had 947 incorporated cities. (The number is
slightly lower now.) Over 490 of those cities are home to less than 500 people.
Over 750 of those cities lost population over the past ten years!
Cities in Johnson County look much different. No cities in Johnson
County are below 500 people. No cities in Johnson County lost population. Iowa
City ranks as Iowa’s 5th-most populous city at 77,000 residents,
while Coralville (20,200) and North Liberty (19,000) come in at numbers 24 and
25.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Iowa’s largest city is Des Moines, with about 215,000 residents. Beaconsfield
and LeRoy are tied for the honor of smallest city at 15 people each. (Source:
Iowa League of Cities.)
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
November 22, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 11/28/17
In this edition:
*50-50 Rock Agreements
*Holiday Shopping and Events?
*Money for Mental Health
*Poverty
*Did You Know?
*50-50 Rock Agreements
Johnson
County maintains a number of so-called “50-50” rock agreements on rural roads.
Allow me to give a bit of history, and I’ll explain my frustrations.
Right
of way (ROW) is the area between the actual road and your yard. In the country,
it includes the ditch, and usually goes to the fence line. In town, it is the
area between the sidewalk and the street. ROW is actually owned by the property
owner, but the government maintains a permanent easement. If the government
needs a bigger easement, they must purchase it from the property owner.
Years
ago, federal and state standards were changed to require 66’ of right of way
for rural roads. Like other jurisdictions, Johnson County attempted to comply.
In most cases, landowners dedicated (gave) the necessary ROW, because they
wanted the improved road that would follow.
In
other cases, the landowners refused to donate ROW. Sometimes the County
relented and paid for it. In other cases, the County simply left the road in a
more primitive condition. Today we call those “minimum maintenance” or Level B
roads.
So,
in most cases, people who refused to donate ROW ended up with property abutting
Level B roads. In some cases this made sense, because the road got very minimal
use. In other cases, the roads in question were nothing more than long
driveways, with no real public purpose.
Then, over time, something happened. Some of the people who owned
land along these roadways argued that they deserved/needed rock on their roads.
Never mind that the situation existed in the first place because their
granddaddies were stubborn! By God, they pay taxes, and they deserve rock!
So decades ago, the Board of Supervisors enter into “50-50” rock
agreements. This meant that the person who owned the property would pay half
the cost, and the public would foot the rest of the bill.
Understand – these roads were NEVER technically Level A roads –
they never met the minimum requirements. But they were given special treatment,
creating a nonexistent class of “A-“ or “B+” roads.
Over time, many of these 50-50 agreements have faded away. But
there are still a couple dozen out there. And they cost you $4500 annually just
for the rock. This does not include plowing, grading, and other maintenance.
But the cost to the public really isn’t the issue. These roads do
not meet minimum standards. From a liability standpoint, they should be signed
as Level B. It really doesn’t matter what condition the road is in – the public
needs to understand that the road does not meet minimum standards, and they
enter at their own risk.
So, the Board finally got around to passing a long-overdue
ordinance cleaning up this mess. People with 50-50 agreements can keep things
just the way they are. But the County is going to put up a Level B sign where
the road lacks the required right of way.
Some neighbors are angry, claiming this will harm their property values.
Thing is, the County has not allowed homes to be built on Level B roads for a
couple decades. These few cases are just grandfathered in. It is not good
public policy to permit the building of a home on a Level B road. It never was.
So, a couple dozen families are angry. But I am convinced (as is
our legal staff) that we have just made a significant improvement in terms of
lowering our liability. The travelling public is now safer. I am willing to
take that trade.
*Holiday Shopping and Events?
Planning
your Holiday events? Starting your Holiday shopping? If so, please remember to
look for the little blue sign that says, “We support the Johnson County Minimum
Wage - $10.10.”
Obviously,
Republicans in the Iowa Legislature took away Johnson County’s ability to set a
minimum wage. But a coalition of local individuals, led by the Center for
Worker Justice, have gone door-to-door to local businesses, asking them to
pledge to pay at least $10.10.
And
the campaign has been very successful! Already over 150 local businesses have
made the pledge, with more businesses pledging every day.
I
am going to spend my dollars in a way that does some social good. I am going to
spend my dollars in a way that reflects the teachings of the season. I am going
to support businesses that pay $10.10 this Holiday season. I hope you will do
the same!
*Money for Mental Health
Iowa
Department of Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven recently said, “There will
never be enough money to properly provide the mental health services. That’s
true not only in Iowa, it’s true all over the country.”
Bullcrap!
What total bullcrap! The US spends just under $200 billion annually on mental
health care, most being spent in prisons and jails. The US has spent about $2.5
TRILLION fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Basically, those wars could pay
for mental health care thirteen times over!
And
you are about to see that $2.5 TRILLION number again soon – that is the net
worth of the 400 wealthiest families in the US.
So,
Mr. Foxhoven – stop lying! The Federal and State governments CAN afford to
treat our mental health care needs. You are simply choosing to do other things.
*Poverty
The
Dow Jones sits at an all-time high, and the net worth of the 400 wealthiest
families is now over $2.5 TRILLION. Yet 5 million more people are food
insecure. The total number of food insecure Americans is now 41 million – more
than the combined populations of Texas, Michigan, and Maine. (Statistics from
The Nation.)
Things are very similar in Johnson County. The poverty rate in
Johnson County has risen from 18% in 2005 to 28% in 2014. Wealthy people here
are doing very well, while the poor fall farther and farther behind.
I labeled this section, “Poverty”, and frankly, it is a poor choice
of labels. Unfortunately, we have come to use “poverty” as an important
indicator. In reality, poverty is just an artificial construction.
Mollie
Orshansky, a statistician at the Social Security Administration (SSA) developed
the current U.S. poverty measure in the early 1960s. Orshansky developed her
poverty thresholds by taking the cost of a minimum adequate diet for families
of different sizes and multiplying the cost by three to allow for other
expenses. In 1969, the Office of Management and Budget issued a directive that
made these thresholds the federal government's official statistical definition
of poverty.
This
is important, because a single person requires at least twice the poverty
threshold ($12,000) just to live. In Iowa City, market rate rent for a
one-bedroom apartment is $775/month. That adds up to $9300 in rent alone. That
does not include water, gas, electric, or any other utilities. So take
$12,000-9300 – still no utilities included - that leaves $2700. $2700 divided
by 12 = $225/month – for everything else. That simply does not cut it.
The
poverty definition fails to an even greater degree as you increase the family
size. According to current definitions, poverty for a family of four is $24,000
– only twice that of a single adult.
We
really need a new definition of “poverty” in the US – one that realistically
reflects the minimum amount a person needs to get by. When you hear about
programs that use 130-150% of poverty? That is a step in the right direction.
Just understand that anyone earning below 200% of poverty is simply not meeting
her basic needs.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Five Johnson County cities -
Coralville, Hills, North Liberty, Oxford, and University Heights - will have
female majority city councils in January. (Source: John Deeth.)
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
November 16, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 11/21/17
In this edition:
*Happy Thanksgiving!
*National Adoption Month
*ACA Navigation Available
*Roy Moore
*Charity Versus Justice
*Define “Progressive”?
*Did You Know?
*Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy
Thanksgiving to Salvos readers! In many ways, Thanksgiving is my favorite
holiday. (Imagine that coming from a fat guy, huh?)
Actually,
I love the idea of giving thanks. It is a simple act that does not happen
enough.
While
I am at it – thanks to all of you who read Salvos each week. And a special
thanks to those of you who follow up by sharing your thoughts. I appreciate it!
Happy Thanksgiving!
*National Adoption Month
November has been named National
Adoption Month and November 20th National Adoption Day.
The
need out there is tremendous. In Johnson County alone, there are between 100
and 150 kids in foster care every day. There are nowhere near enough foster and
adoptive homes to meet the need.
As many of you know, Melissa and I are the parents of three
adopted children. We also continue to serve as foster parents.
It has been a life full of tragedies and triumphs. It has not
always been easy, but it has been indescribably fulfilling. Along with marrying
my wife, it is the best decision I ever made.
If
you or someone you know is interested in foster care and/or adoption, please
let me know. I am always happy to speak with prospective parents.
*ACA Navigation Available
Due
to recent federal funding cuts there is no longer an Affordable Care Act (ACA)
navigator working to assist Johnson County residents with health coverage
enrollment through the Marketplace. Through a collaborative agreement, Johnson
County Public Health (JCPH) and Iowa City Free Medical Clinic are sponsoring
services to be provided by a Certified Application Counselor (CAC) to address
this loss of assistance.
During
the Marketplace open enrollment period (November 1 - December 15, 2017), a former
ACA navigator, Karen Wielert, will be working with county residents as a CAC.
She will assist with enrollment and re-enrollment in Marketplace insurance
plans. She will offer office hours at JCPH and Iowa City Free Medical Clinic as
well as the Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty Public Libraries.
To
take advantage of this service, individuals should contact Ms. Wielert directly
by phone 319-535-2679 or email johnsoncountycac17@gmail.com to make an
appointment. Individuals may also view the calendar of office hours on the
Johnson County, Free Medical Clinic, and United Way websites. Appointments are
encouraged but not required and those without appointments will be accommodated
on a first come first serve basis.
*Roy Moore
Let’s
be honest. Half of the people in Alabama are willing to forgive pedophilia if
it means they keep a Republican in the US Senate. Iowa’s Republican Senators
and Congressmen have nothing to say on the matter. And that tells you all you
need to know about the state of the GOP today.
*Charity Versus Justice
About 1600 years
ago, Saint Augustine said: “Charity is no substitute for Justice.” Truer words
have never been spoken.
In
the past City Council campaign, I spent a lot of time talking with various
people about the difference between charity and justice. You can donate a bunch
of pies to a nonprofit (charity) or you can help raise the minimum wage
(justice). You can donate money to the Shelter House (charity) or you can
advocate for inclusionary zoning (justice). Charity is GREAT, but it is not
nearly enough. To really fix our problems, we must strive toward justice.
There
are many types of justice. Social, racial, economic, and environmental are just
a few of the types of justice too often denied to our fellow travelers.
Most
people in Johnson County are charitable people. Many give generously of time
and talent. And they should. That is charity, and charity is great. Necessary,
even. Necessary, because we lack true justice.
Again,
“Charity is no substitute for Justice.” No amount of charity can make up for
justice denied. We need a world that strives toward justice of all kinds. We
need governments at all levels that strive toward justice of all kinds. It is
the only answer.
*Define “Progressive”?
In
the recent City Council election, all 5 candidates claimed to be “progressive”.
Unfortunately, the media never asked any of them exactly what that meant.
Trust
me – this issue is not going away. There are clearly different definitions of
“progressive” at play, and this will be an important discussion in the 2018
Democratic Party primaries. So perhaps we should all begin working on some
definitions.
In
my mind, it is easier to talk about certain positions on certain issues as a
way to a definition. What issues define “progressive” for me? Locally, those
issues would definitely include affordable housing funding, affordable housing
policies, minimum wage, TIF, labor union negotiations, police practices,
sustainability, drug reform, and much, much more. Nationally, there are issues
such as peace, health care, mental health, civil rights, LGBTQ issues, income
inequality, fair taxation, reproductive rights, and much, much more; each of
which CAN have important local implications.
Are
my lists better than your lists? Maybe, maybe not. But you have to put your
list forward for us to know. It would certainly be interesting to hear what
candidates feel about this list of issues! If we knew where they stood on even
half, we’d be doing well.
Is
a local candidate progressive? How does she or he feel about the items on my
list? Obviously, you can choose to say each of these items is a litmus test –
agree 100% or you are not progressive. I think that would be a mistake,
frankly. On the other hand, you can say that these issues are just guidelines
that really don’t matter. That would be even worse.
I
don’t want campaign rhetoric; I want results. I want to see progressive votes,
not labels. I’m not going to quit fighting on these issues. We need a truly
progressive government right now. We can get closer to justice on these topics,
and we must. So let’s keep talking about what each of us sees as the
progressive course of action.
*DID YOU KNOW?
25 million Americans who were previously uninsured gained coverage under
the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.
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
November 9, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 11/14/17
In this edition:
*RIP Calder Wills
*Election Results
*County Budget
*Did You Know?
*RIP Calder Wills
A
twelve-year-old young man from Iowa City named Calder Wills just passed away
after a long battle with cancer. To be honest, I never met Calder. I had a
couple of meetings with his mother, Brianna, and while she seemed delightful, I
can’t say I know her well.
But
Calder attended Hoover Elementary, where my kids went for many years. I have
seen how much Calder meant to so many in the tears of my friends and neighbors.
It is pretty remarkable.
It
is easy to see that Calder was special. I simply cannot imagine such a loss. My
thoughts and prayers go out to the Wills and Hoover families.
*Election Results
The
2017 city council elections are in the books, and in some ways, these elections
were monumental. Perhaps that is fitting, as 2017 is the last year where
Council elections are run separately from School Elections.
In
Iowa City, incumbent Kingsley Botchway and newcomer Mazahir Salih handily defeated
“Nighttime Mayor” Angela Winnike for the two At-Large seats, 78-19. Salih
becomes the first Muslim and first black woman to serve on the Iowa City
Council, and I am told she is the first person of Sudanese descent to be
elected in the US! (I can’t figure out how to confirm or deny that!) What an
accomplishment!
In the District B race, student Ryan Hall took on incumbent Susan
Mims, with Mims winning 59-41.
In
Coralville, the lines were drawn between a conservative old guard and more
liberal “newcomers”. Meghann Foster was the candidate both sides agreed upon,
so she cruised to first place. After that, incumbents Tom Gill and Laurie
Goodrich held their seats.
In
North Liberty, incumbents Brian Wayson and Annie Pollock faced off with
challenger Jennifer Goings. Pollock was the top vote-getter, and Goings edged
Wayson for the final seat.
Other
results of note: Lone Tree incumbent Mayor Sandy Flake lost a close one to challenger
Jonathan Green. In the Council race, 5 candidates, including incumbents Kice
Brown and Ken Barton, faced off for 3 seats. Ryan Ronan ran away with the top
spot, followed by newcomer Tyler Baird and Barton.
Tiffin
had three incumbent Councilors challenged by two others, including a former Mayor.
There incumbents Jim Bartels and Al Havens will be joined by newcomer Eric
Schnedler.
True to form, University Heights had 8
candidates (including 3 incumbents) for 5 spots. Herbold, Moore, Quezada, and
Maher carried the day there.
Turnouts
were a mixed bag. As usual, University Heights led the way with 50% turnout.
Oxford was close behind at 44%, and Lone Tree came in at 26. It only got worse
as we get to the bigger cities. Iowa City turnout was 15.5%, Coralville 12.4,
and North Liberty 4.9.
While
there have certainly been years that had worse turnout, I think we need to call
these vote totals what they are – abysmal. Of course, everything changes next
year under the new Iowa Election laws, almost all of which are specifically
designed to limit voting by students, seniors, people with disabilities, and
people of color. So perhaps 15% will look really good in a few years.
It is easy to see why people choose not
to run; why subject oneself to the headaches of governing? While I understand
this thinking, I am certainly glad that not everyone feels this way. Our
government does not function unless people step up to fill these roles. My
sincere thanks to everyone who ran, win or lose.
*County Budget
Johnson County is beginning the budgeting process for Fiscal Year
2019 (FY19), which will begin July 1st of 2018. Here are some
ongoing budget issues, and my take on them:
General Fund versus Rural
Fund: If you pay
property taxes in Johnson County, you pay into the General Fund. All taxpayers
do. If you live in the unincorporated area of the county, you also pay into the
Rural Fund. The Rural Fund covers expenses specific to rural residents – mostly
roads, but also libraries, landfill, and a couple smaller expenses. There are
wide variations between counties as to what should be supported by the rural
fund. Johnson County pays for virtually everything from the General Fund. (The
Rural Fund is only about $6 million of the over $100 million dollar budget.)
Other counties do things differently.
Any single individual can
easily create a budget:
It isn’t that hard to support the programs and services you like, then cut the
ones you don’t. It is much more difficult to do this for 150,000 people.
Similarly, it isn’t that hard to decide how much you think you ought to pay in
taxes, then apply that County wide. It is more difficult when you then
recognize how many valuable services would need to be cut. Creating a budget
that works for 150,000 people is challenging.
Taxes versus services: I had a man complain to me about his
taxes. The next day, his wife complained about the condition of their road.
They simply can’t have it both ways! Yes, this is an anecdote, but it sums up
the fundamental budgetary difficulty- people want to pay less in taxes, but get
more services. It cannot be done.
Mandated versus optional
services: Some
services are required by law. For example, Johnson County is obligated to hold
elections. Other services are optional. On the other hand, Johnson County has
no legal obligation to fund DVIP. I take issue with things being portrayed this
simply. Let’s go back to elections. While elections are mandated, there is no
mandate as to the amount of elections staff, computer equipment, or other
expenses. The law says we must do it, but it does not specify the amount we
must spend. Funding DVIP (while not required) may, in fact, be a very
productive way to work toward Johnson County’s mission.
Conservative budgeting
versus low taxes: It
is important for folks to recognize that the lowest possible tax rate does not
equate to the most conservative budgeting. For example – the most conservative
budgeting includes money for maintenance. You need to spend money on upkeep,
whether roads, buildings, or vehicles – or you’ll spend more in the long run.
And I REFUSE to buy into the idea that taxes are inherently bad! Taxes are the
price of supporting a civilized society.
Want to know a government’s priorities? Look at the budget. With
that said, I encourage citizens to join us at our budget meetings. (The calendar
is on the website.) Meanwhile, what are your priorities? Now is the time to let
us know!
*DID YOU KNOW?
The last student to serve on the Iowa City Council was David Perret, who
won election in ’75 and ’79. Perret, though a full-time UI student, was also a local
who attended high school in Iowa City.
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
November 2, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 11/7/17
In this edition:
*Happy Birthday Rachel!
*Vote!
*AmeriHealth and Medicaid
*The “Socialist”?
*Tax Brackets
*Did You Know?
*Happy Birthday Rachel!
Happy
Birthday to my oldest daughter Rachel, who turns 26 today! I am SO proud of
Rachel! She challenged us a LOT when she was a kid, but she has grown into a
wonderful young woman.
Rachel
is now seeing the other side of the parent-child equation, as she gave birth to
our first grandchild - granddaughter Zuri - back in May. Happy Birthday, Honey!
I love you!
*Vote!
Today
is Election Day! Every city in Johnson County holds elections for City Council.
Please do your civic duty, and get out and vote!
*AmeriHealth and Medicaid
Iowa’s
Medicaid privatization has been an unmitigated disaster, just as we predicted.
Terry Branstad and Kim Reynolds handed our tax dollars to private companies
called Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) at the expense of Iowa’s poorest
residents. Now AmeriHealth, the largest of the three MCOs, recently announced
it is pulling out of Iowa.
I
had hope that the new DHS Director might see the light. Unfortunately, he said
this: “Just
because I have a problem with my iPhone doesn’t mean I got back to my rotary
land-line, you know,” Foxhoven said. “We’re committed to managed care. It’s the
right thing. It’s the right way to both provide good health care services and
keep it sustainable in the long term.”
Sorry,
but that is crap. And he knows it is crap. I had heard that Director Foxhoven
might be a decent fellow. He is not. Nice people do not play with the lives of
Medicaid recipients.
*The “Socialist”?
I
wrote this back in 2010, long before Bernie Sanders was running for President.
I think it still holds up pretty well:
Imagine young local politician, trying to build a grassroots
movement. Here are some of the things he is saying:
While
most politicians resist attacking the rich (because they want to avoid “class
warfare”), this guy rips the rich constantly. He even tells them they are going
to Hell!
While
most politicians run from the term “socialist”, this guy literally advocates
taking from the rich and giving to the poor.
While
elected officials in Iowa City “pile on” the Southeast side, this guy moves
there.
Instead
of voting to restrict panhandling, this guy hangs out with the beggars in the
Ped Mall.
Rather
than supporting the arming of the UI Police, this guy stages a sit-in at Jessup
Hall.
This
guy helps to organize workers into unions, and argues for better wages for
working people.
While
most local politicians ran away from the Land Water Future bond initiative,
this guy spoke out firmly for the environment.
Instead
of throwing tax incentives at businesses, this guy advocates for a huge
increase in human services funding.
This
guy loudly promotes “Obamacare”… though he thinks it does not go nearly far
enough. He prefers free healthcare for all.
Don’t
think for a minute that this guy is a fan of Obama, however. He is extremely
anti-war, and protests the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan every single day.
Could
this guy get elected in Iowa City? Not in a million years! He would be labeled
a Socialist, Communist, and a Liberal. He would be pilloried on the Press
Citizen message boards. They would call his policies “job killing welfare”.
Glen Beck fans would write letters attacking the socialist.
Who is the “candidate” I am describing? Jesus Christ.
Sure,
Jesus was not a politician. That is not the point. The behaviors I mentioned
above come right out of the New Testament; I simply changed the time and
location.
Ironically,
the actions I listed probably wouldn’t even be the topic of conversation.
People would instead be criticizing the length of his hair.
But
what DOES this mean? Most people in Johnson County claim to be Christians. Many
wear it on their sleeves. Is there a log in our collective eye? To use a
popular phrase, “What Would Jesus Do?”
*Tax Brackets
When
Republicans talk about tax “reform”, they almost always mention going to fewer
tax brackets. This is one of the worst ideas out there!
The
standard argument is that fewer tax brackets “simplifies” the system. That is
just not true. Each individual filing taxes pays a single rate. It doesn’t
matter if there are three rates or thirteen – you pay your rate. The number of
brackets has nothing to do with simplicity.
I
can tell you what less brackets would do, however – it would GREATLY enrich
those who are already wealthy! This is because we need more brackets, not less.
Here
is why: the current top tax bracket (39.6%) kicks in when you have an income of
$416,000 and above. I am fine with someone who earns that amount paying that
percentage in taxes. But why do we stop there?
There
should be a higher bracket at $1 million in income. Then it should go up a few
percent for every million earned after that. This would make our tax system
much more fair.
Right
now, there are small business owners, dentists, and attorneys paying the same
percentage in taxes as the wealthiest Americans.
Here
are the facts: in 2015, the 400 wealthiest Americans earned an average of
$265,000,000 each. That is about 640 TIMES the income of someone who just snuck
into the top tax bracket. (And over 3,000 times that of the average family!) Why
should billionaires pay the same income tax rate as dentists?
Unfortunately,
the situation is even worse than this. Because the richest Americans actually
pay a relatively small amount of income tax; instead, they pay taxes on
investments, real estate, dividends, and other things that are taxed at a MUCH
lower rate.
Remember the good old days of 2012, when Presidential candidates
released their tax info? Mitt Romney paid an overall rate of about 13%. Compare
that to the top rate of 39.6%, and you see that it really doesn’t even apply to
the wealthiest Americans.
Billionaires simply do not pay enough in taxes. Neither do big
corporations. Consider:
Some people have difficulty imagining the scale of millions and
billions. One helpful way to grasp the concept is to think in terms of seconds.
A million seconds is 11.5 days. A billion seconds is almost 32 years.
That
is the difference we are talking about here. It is a difference of scale that
is difficult to comprehend. Bottom line? The rich are taxed just fine. We need
to get the SUPER rich to pay their fair share!
*DID YOU KNOW?
The divide is even bigger when we compare WEALTH instead of income. The
400 wealthiest families in America own as much as the 202 MILLION poorest
Americans. That is correct: 400 = 202,000,000.
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.
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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
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