SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

March 16, 2018

Sullivan’s Salvos 3/20/18

In this edition:

*Polk County Sales Tax Vote

*Support for Conservation

*Voter Threats

*Did You Know?

*Polk County Sales Tax Vote

Polk County voters recently rejected a one-cent local option sales tax (LOST) by the narrowest of margins – less than 1%. That leaves Polk and Johnson as the only two counties in Iowa without the LOST.

In almost every Polk County jurisdiction, the tax would have gone 50% toward infrastructure and 50% to property tax relief. And there is the rub.

I have always opposed sales taxes based upon the fact that they are the most regressive of taxes. This means that the poor pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes than do the wealthy. Again, 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.

The argument in Polk County was that infrastructure repairs are “progressive”. That argument falls apart when the plan redirects 50% to property tax relief. If infrastructure in Polk County is really as bad as they say, spend all the money there. "Property tax relief" is simply code for giving more for those who already have more.

Additionally, the argument was, “Pass the sales tax, or we will need to raise property taxes." Why not just raise property taxes? Polk County allowed business threats to scare local governments into punishing those with less.

I listened to the arguments in Polk County, and it basically came down to this:

Pro: We desperately need the revenue! Once we get it, we will do progressive things!
Con: You can do progressive things right now. Just raise property taxes.
Pro: We desperately need the revenue!
Con: Aren't property taxes a source of revenue?
Probably: We desperately need the revenue!
Con: Oh, for Christ's sake! Rich people oppose this, don't they?
Pro: We desperately need the revenue!
Con: OK, I'll look myself. Yes, 99% of the wealthy people in Polk County want the associated property tax cuts.
Pro: We desperately need the revenue!

Polk County jurisdictions have the ability to fix their infrastructure problems right now. They just need to have the courage to raise property taxes.

*Support for Conservation

Unfortunately, the Johnson County Conservation Board and staff have come under fire recently. I think it is all crap. I read the following statement in support of Conservation on the evening of our budget vote.

I have heard several people talk about the "intent" of the Johnson County Conservation Bond. I happen to know a thing or two about the intent - because it was my idea.

Harry Graves and I sat at the Hamburg Inn in January of 2006, where I showed him my plan to go to a vote of the people in 2008 for $10 million for Conservation. (That $10 million ended up being $20 million.)

Harry and I found a couple jurisdictions in the country where something similar had occurred. Those places put us in touch with the Trust For Public Land, which really helped us to understand both the possibilities and the limitations of what I was suggesting.

Together, we came up with a budget and a plan. We came up with ballot language. We enlisted interest groups. We also recruited citizen volunteers to work on the campaign - two of whom went on to become County Supervisors.

Even in the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression, the Conservation Bond passed, with just over 60% in what was then the highest turnout election in Johnson County history.

Ten years later, the Conservation Bond has given us the Clear Creek Trail, Ciha Fen, Pechman Creek Delta, improvements at Kent Park and Sutliff, and a huge addition to the Cedar River Crossings. Many more great projects lie ahead.

I am really proud of the work Johnson County Conservation has done during my 13+ years as a member of the Board of Supervisors. I stand by the Conservation Board and Staff, and I trust the Conservation Board and staff. As far as I am concerned, they have lived up to the "intent" of the Bond and then some.

*Voter Threats

The Board just approved the County Budget for FY19. Unfortunately, the budget passed with a handful of citizens writing emails to Board Members saying things like, “If you vote for this, I will never vote for you again!”

I understand that much of this is hyperbole. I also understand that people say things in the heat of the moment, then walk it back later. In other cases, the letter writer means it 100%. That is fine; they have the right to vote however they see fit. It is interesting, though, the issues over which people decide to draw a line in the sand.

Here is the thing: you cannot serve effectively in elected office and be motivated by these threats. You would be terrible at your job. I know – I have seen elected officials who try to make everyone happy. They were horrible at the job. Elected officials have to be willing to do what they believe is right. Elected officials have to be willing to lose their jobs to do the right thing.

I try to live by the idea that I am going to do what I believe is right, repercussions be damned. Some of the critics are people I do not respect anyway. But others are old friends. I have had old friends say they will never vote for me again. I would be lying if I said that doesn’t sting. It does hurt. We are all human. But I cannot allow those threats to force me into doing the wrong thing.

I looked back at some old campaign materials the other day. I am REALLY proud of my service to Johnson County! We have done some REALLY good things in my 13+ years here. I cannot help but think - have I really earned ZERO trust over these 13+ years? Apparently so.

OK, enough of my whining. There are people out there who are really struggling. There are people with nowhere to live and nothing to eat. There are people who are sick. There are people who are alone. I hope our budget does some things to make life better for those folks. Meanwhile, I am very lucky, and will be win or lose.

*DID YOU KNOW? According to Pew Research, 71% of voters trust local governments. That is steadily down from 81% in 1999, but higher than any mark achieved in the 1970s.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-

www.johnson-county.com.

"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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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

March 16, 2018

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