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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
October 24, 2018
Sullivan’s Salvos 10/30/18
In this edition:
*Please Volunteer!
*Catch Season is Over!
*Johnson County Roads and Bridges
*Taxes in Johnson County
*Another Johnson County Honor!
*Did You Know?
*Please Volunteer!
This November’s election is the most important statewide election OF MY LIFETIME. We NEED you to vote on or before November 6th!
Early voting continues at the Auditor’s Office. Please take advantage of this opportunity!
And if you want to do more than just vote? That’s great! Contact Conner Dane at (617) 959-1428. He will help you get started volunteering.
*Catch Season is Over!
The World Series is upon us. The weather is getting cold. And frankly, I am spending every spare moment on the November elections. So catch is over for the 2018 season!
It was a great year – I played 16 times, starting in May and ending in October. That includes once with old high school teammates, and once at the Library of Congress! I played in IC, Coralville, Tiffin, and University Heights. I played with 12 men and 4 women. The youngest was 17, the oldest right around 70. I played with people I knew very well (my wife, for example!) and others I did not know well at all. We played when it was 95 and humid, and we played when it was 40 and windy. We talked about everything under the sun. All in all, a great year!
I will put out the call again next spring. I hope you will join me! Catch is good for the soul!
*Johnson County Roads and Bridges
One of the narratives in the current Supervisor race is the idea that we need to “pay more attention to roads and bridges.” Please allow me to address this matter.
Johnson County taxes the absolute highest amount possible for roads and bridges. We could not tax one cent more if we wanted to! State laws require that General Fund dollars may NOT be spent on roads and bridges, and that the Roads Fund dollars may be spent ONLY on roads and bridges.
So the only thing you can do to improve roads and bridges is increase your transfers to Roads. And we are maxed out. So the complaint is simply misinformed.
What’s more, I have served 14 years as a member of the County Board. Johnson County has not closed a SINGLE bridge in the past 14 years. Cedar, Washington, and Iowa Counties have all closed multiple bridges during this time period. Yet somehow Johnson County is seen as anti-farmer? We are the county that is investing in infrastructure!
I have challenged a couple of residents on this before. When I hear “roads are better in X county,” I say, “Let’s go drive some roads in both counties. Together. You choose the roads in Johnson County you want to drive, and I get to choose the roads in the other county. We will compare them.” No one has taken me up on this challenge.
Roads and bridges in Johnson County are certainly not perfect. But they are damn good. I’ll put them up against the roads anywhere else!
*Taxes in Johnson County
Taxes are high in Johnson County. Right? Uh, not so much. People love to hang onto the myth that Johnson County is a high tax county, but that simply is not the case.
According to data from the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC), Johnson County ranks:
*33rdin General Fund tax rate. 32 counties have higher tax rates, 66 have lower.
*49thin Rural Fund tax rate. 48 counties have higher tax rates, 50 have lower.
*35thin Combined tax rate. 34 counties have higher tax rates, 64 have lower.
As you can see, Johnson County does not rank particularly high when it comes to tax rates. We are actually very close to the middle of the pack when compared to the rest of the counties in Iowa.
Next time you hear someone say our county taxes are “highest in the state”, call them on their lie. I hear it a lot, and this misinformation needs to be challenged.
*Another Johnson County Honor!
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors and Finance Department have been awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the County’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) and Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017. The awards are given by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA), a nonprofit professional association that serves more than 19,000 government finance professionals in North America.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Johnson County has been awarded the Certificate of Achievement for the CAFR, and the third consecutive year for the PAFR.
The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting and, according to GFOA, its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. Both reports were reviewed by an impartial panel with experience in governmental accounting and financial reporting.
In order to receive the Award for Outstanding Achievement, the CAFR must meet the high standards of the program, including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate a government unit’s financial story and motivate potential users to read the CAFR. To receive the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting, a government unit must publish a PAFR whose contents conform to program standards of creativity, presentation, understandability and reader appeal.
*DID YOU KNOW? 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.
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
October 18, 2018
Sullivan’s Salvos 10/23/18
In this edition:
*Please Volunteer!
*Thoughts on Kavanaugh Nomination
*Hands Jewelers
*Great Book!
*Domestic Violence Month
*Johnson County Wins Statewide Honor
*Did You Know?
*Please Volunteer!
This November’s election is the most important statewide election OF MY LIFETIME. We NEED you to vote on or before November 6th!
Early voting continues at the Auditor’s Office. Please take advantage of this opportunity!
And if you want to do more than just vote? That’s great! Contact Conner Dane at (617) 959-1428. He will help you get started volunteering.
*Thoughts on Kavanaugh Nomination
The nomination process is over, and Brett Kavanaugh is now a Justice on the US Supreme Court. Like everyone else, I have some thoughts on the process.
This was, in essence, a job interview. But people kept referring to legal tenants. For example, had there been proof “beyond a reasonable doubt?” This was not a legal proceeding. It was a job interview. “Beyond a reasonable doubt” need not be your standard.
If you sincerely believe that the issue was that there was no proof “beyond a reasonable doubt”? OK – I will take you at your word.
Now – don’t be a hypocrite. You cannot only defend the privileged white man who wants to be a Supreme Court Justice. “Beyond a reasonable doubt” is not typically the concern of rich white men. But poor black men deal with it every day.
I challenge you to be just as concerned the next time a black man is being charged with a crime and the evidence is NOT “beyond a reasonable doubt”. Will you stand up and demand justice for that black man? Will Justice Kavanaugh?
*Hands Jewelers
I just need to share a wonderful customer service experience I had with Hands Jewelers in downtown Iowa City.
I bought Melissa a ring there a LONG time ago! I can’t figure out exactly when, but it was something over 15 years ago, and something less than 20. Melissa loves the ring, and wears it all the time.
Anyway, after these many years, the ring cracked. Not knowing what else to do, I took it back to Hands to throw myself at their mercy. After all, I had long since tossed out any receipt that I had.
Guess what? I didn’t need anything! They were SO kind and accommodating! One staff person there even remembered when they had that ring for sale! For just $25, the ring was fixed like new! And it was done in just a couple of days!
The whole thing was just an awesome customer service experience! I rarely buy jewelry, but Hands made it easy and enjoyable!
*Great Book!
Jim Walters recently recommended that I read a book – “Winners Take All” by Anand Giridharadas. It is a fact-filled indictment of the “global elite” and their attempts at fixing their messes through charity.
I often quote St. Augustine – “Charity is no substitute for justice.” This book nails it! From Andrew Carnegie to Bill Clinton and beyond, this book shines important light! I highly recommend it!
*Domestic Violence Month
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and we are blessed to be served by the Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP). DVIP recently gave us several facts worth sharing:
DVIP served 1746 people this past year, 937 of those in Johnson County. 265 of those served were children. 96% of their clients said they felt safer because of DVIP.
To donate, volunteer, or just learn more, please visit www.dvipiowa.org.
*Johnson County Wins Statewide Honor
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors and Grow: Johnson County were awarded the 2018 Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) Excellence in Action Award during ISAC’s annual conference.
Johnson County Historic Poor Farm and Asylum District, listed in the National Register of Historic places since September 2014, is one of the few remaining relatively intact examples of the county farm model established in the 19th century. Grow: Johnson County utilizes 4.5 acres at the Historic Poor Farm to produce a variety of organic fruits and vegetables that are distributed freely to more than a dozen local food assistance organizations. Grow: Johnson County is in the midst of its third growing season and is on track to produce 35,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables this year.
“We are proud that our use of this important public land aligns with its original purpose—to assist our most vulnerable neighbors,” said John Boller, Project Director of Grow: Johnson County.
Grow: Johnson County also works with Johnson County Social Services through the Youth Empowered to Serve Program, which provides meaningful summer work experiences to low-income and at-risk youth. In the summer of 2017, Grow: Johnson County provided three program participants with eight-week apprenticeships at the Historic Poor Farm.
“Grow: Johnson County is a great point of pride for Johnson County,” said Rod Sullivan, Johnson County Board of Supervisors member. “They provide sustainable solutions to hunger-relief issues, and their community involvement and volunteerism is remarkable. We are lucky to have them as a partner at the Historic Poor Farm and in our continued efforts to address hunger in our community.”
The Excellence in Action Award program is a competitive awards program that seeks to recognize innovative county government employees, programs and projects. Nominations were reviewed and rated based on the following seven attributes: creativity, innovation, cost savings, replication, leadership, increased efficiency, cooperation with others and perseverance. More information about the Excellence in Action program can be found at www.iowacounties.org <http://www.iowacounties.org> .
*DID YOU KNOW? Only 114 individuals have served on the US Supreme court. This includes four women (three of whom are currently serving) and three racial minorities (two of whom are currently serving).
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
October 11, 2018
Sullivan’s Salvos 10/16/18
In this edition:
*RIP Bill Rockafellow
*Too Much Democracy? Part One
*Too Much Democracy? Part Two
*Kaufmann Update
*Did You Know?
*RIP Bill Rockafellow
I was saddened to hear about the passing of Bill Rockafellow. Rock was a longtime Sheriff’s Deputy and a mainstay of the Johnson County Ag Association, which is our local Fair Board. He was a really good guy, and he will be missed. RIP, Rock.
*Too Much Democracy? Part One
Let’s put this out on the table right away – the United States of America is not technically a Democracy. We live in a Democratic Republic; you elect people to vote on your behalf.
Ancient Greeks experimented with pure democracy, and understandably found it unworkable. Citizens simply cannot vote on hiring each Sheriff’s Deputy, buying each ream of paper, and approving every road project. It is too much. The Democratic Republic attempts to balance this.
Does it work? No, not very well. But as Winston Churchill once said, “No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."
I am generally a fan of more democracy, not less. I think voting is important, and should be a universal human right. I like the idea of some type of limited referendum, because I believe voters are typically ahead of those that represent them.
On the other hand, many feel that the Brexit vote of June 2016 is a perfect example of “too much democracy.” In this case, a tiny majority of British voters made the monumental decision to leave the European Union (EU). Afterwards, the top Google Search in Great Britain was, “What is the EU?” Almost every economist, military leader, and other expert felt leaving the EU was a terrible idea. This is often held up as an example of “too much democracy.”
So when does the referendum process turn into “too much democracy”? The California Ballot Proposition process is an interesting case study. Voters in CA can vote on almost anything by getting signatures from just 5% of the people who voted in the last Gubernatorial election. Just 8% can force a vote on a Constitutional Amendment!
This has had mixed results. In some cases, CA voters have passed laws that are contradictory. The now-legendary Proposition 13 that capped property taxes was followed by Prop 98, which guarantees school funding. The two conflicting laws literally left some school boards unable to do their jobs.
In addition, the Ballot Proposition is a prime avenue for big money special interests to do an end run around the voters. California is geographically huge, and by far our most populous state. It requires tremendous resources to reach all the voters. Moneyed interests have a huge advantage.
Personally, I like the idea of a more limited form of referendum. Voters really are often far ahead of their elected officials – just look at same sex marriage and legalized pot. The people need some ability to force their will on politicians who refuse to listen.
On the other hand, caveat emptor! I think amending the Constitution should be a high bar. And referenda on taxation simply do not work.
So – give me some limited ways for voters to enact referenda. Do it at the city, county, and state levels. And let’s give the people a little more democracy!
*Too Much Democracy? Part Two
There is another take on the idea of “too much democracy” that deserves some discussion. What is the proper number of political subdivisions?
Back in the mid-90s, a Swisher-area developer kept getting turned down by Johnson County. So he tried to incorporate a new city where he could do what he wanted. The State shot this down, but it does lead to questions – do we have too many political subdivisions? Under what circumstances can you justify a new one?
Internationally, it is not unusual for new countries to be created in the wake of a conflict. We typically accept this as people exercising their right to self-determination.
But there was a recent proposal to split California into three separate states. It was summarily squashed. Why? What is the difference? (Not that I support it; I simply never saw very good arguments from the anti-side.)
On the municipal side, it can really get hairy. Saint Louis County, Missouri is 523 square miles. Johnson County, Iowa is 630 square miles. While Johnson County is home to all or part of 11 municipalities, St. Louis County has 88!
How can you hope to have ANY efficiency at all with 88 municipalities? Each has different rules and regulations; it would be a nightmare! And throughout the country, we see cases of a single uncooperative suburb holding back the progress of whole metro areas. It really is a problem.
Some places have addressed this through a consolidated unified government; examples include San Francisco City/County, California; Miami/Dade County, Florida; Louisville/Jefferson County Kentucky; Nashville/Davidson County, Tennessee; and Indianapolis/Marion County, Indiana. You may recall that Des Moines and Polk County failed twice in attempts at consolidation, in both 1994 and 2004.
Closer to home, I get a lot of questions about University Heights. Some people find it quaint; others see it as ridiculous. While I wouldn’t advocate the creation of another University Heights, I believe any decisions regarding their independence need to be made by the citizens of that city.
Do we need less municipalities? Probably, yes. But this change cannot be forced upon the people – they need to do so thoughtfully and democratically.
*Kaufmann Update
As you may recall, on March 21 I challenged State Representative Bobby Kaufmann to a debate on HF2372. (I texted him the challenge before it appeared in Salvos.)
The bill was later changed, and passed in a different form. But he still supported taking away even more local control. (Not from his Dad, mind you, but from Johnson County.) I still think this is a terrible vote, and an important topic to discuss. I still want the debate.
I have not yet received a response from Representative Kaufmann. I will keep you posted.
Meanwhile, I see that Bobby refuses to debate Jodi Clemens, his opponent in HD73. He even skipped the longstanding forum hosted by the Task Force on Aging. So I guess it is not just me he is afraid of!
Kaufmann is whining about this criticism; he says he had family matters come up. He is begging voters for compassion. Too bad he refuses to show that same compassion for those much more vulnerable than himself.
Shall I say it, or do you want the honors? “Suck it up, Buttercup!”
But let’s talk policy. In a recent Daily Iowan interview, Kaufmann said, “My top priority has always been working across the aisle and being independent-thinking, not just blindly voting with a political party or because a lobbyist says so.”
Really? Then why did you vote to gut collective bargaining, underfund k-12 and the UI, make it harder to vote, make it harder for women to get healthcare, and give huge tax cuts to wealthy corporations? Was that bipartisan? Why were those votes all Republicans for, all Democrats against? Is that the “bipartisanship” you are talking about?
What a load of crap!
*DID YOU KNOW? Iowa has added one new city since 1990 – Maharishi Vedic City in 2001.
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
October 4, 2018
Sullivan’s Salvos 10/9/18
In this edition:
*Congratulations, Stephen!
*Sixteen Candles
*Congratulations Councilor!
*Now the BIG Election!
*Poverty Summit
*Democratic Party Fall BBQ
*Green Room Event
*Did You Know?
*Congratulations, Stephen!
Personally, professionally, politically… Stephen Trefz is truly one of the good guys. Stephen recently retired from Abbe Health after a long career serving those with mental health needs in Johnson County.
I have known Stephen since the 80s when he was a therapist at Mid Eastern Iowa Community Mental Health, an organization he later led. He has always been a force for good in our community, and I wish him all the best in his retirement. Thanks, Stephen, for all your great work!
*Sixteen Candles
A couple of years ago, Film Scene did a rooftop showing of the 1984 comedy “Sixteen Candles”. The movie came out after I was in college, and I never saw it in the theater. But for a whole generation of folks just a bit younger than me, it is an iconic film.
Melissa and I decided to go to the Film Scene event. But we were surprised at the results. We did not find it funny at all. It was racist, sexist, and full of glorified date rape. I felt really guilty, knowing that I had laughed at it in the past. I don’t recall when I first saw the movie; I suppose it was as a rental in the early days of VCRs. I just know that my reaction at the time was not the same as my reaction now.
Where am I going with this? The Kavanaugh hearings, of course. It surprised me, but several pundits were thinking the same things we were. One of the most quoted people in terms of the hearings has been Sixteen Candles star Molly Ringwald.
Regardless of how you feel about the Kavanaugh hearings, we are doing better in terms of women’s rights than we were in the 1980s. Things that were “funny” then are certainly not funny now. But that is small consolation. We have SO far to go!
The Kavanaugh hearings put our misogyny on full display. It was sad, hurtful, embarrassing, and creepy, and I know that we only scratched the surface.
It is not good enough to say, “I suppose you didn’t deserve to be raped.” Not good enough at all! I hope that in another 34 years, people looking back at 2018 feel we have made much greater strides. We have no choice.
*Congratulations Councilor!
Iowa City is now through the painful process of replacing former Councilor Kingsley Botchway, and the newest City Councilor is Bruce Teague.
Iowa City voters turned out at an abysmal 9% clip, giving Teague a 381-vote win over Ann Freerks. That works out to a 54-45 win.
I look forward to working with Bruce in his new role! And thanks, as always, to everyone who threw her/his name into the ring. I appreciate your willingness to serve!
*Now the BIG Election!
Do not allow election fatigue to set in! This November’s election is the most important statewide election OF MY LIFETIME. We NEED you to vote on or before November 6th!
Early voting starts October 8 at the Auditor’s Office. Please take advantage of this opportunity!
And if you want to do more than just vote? That’s great! Contact Conner Dane at (617) 959-1428. He will help you get started volunteering.
*Poverty Summit
Johnson County invites you to participate in a public forum, The State of Poverty in Johnson County. The forum will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, Oct. 12, in the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building.
More than 25,000 of your Johnson County neighbors live in poverty. Another 25,000 are struggling to make ends meet while working. In Johnson County, 31.5 percent of children were eligible for free and reduced school lunch last year. Poverty stretches across all generations and cultures in our community.
The forum will include presentations by state and local experts, including the Child and Family Policy Center, Iowa Policy Project, Iowa Women’s Foundation, and United Way. The event will kick off a series of action planning meetings focused on collaboratively developing strategies to address issues of poverty in our community.
*Democratic Party Fall BBQ
The Johnson County Democratic Party Fall BBQ is Sunday, October 14thfrom 4-7pm at the Johnson County Fairgrounds.
Join the Johnson County Democrats for an afternoon of great conversation, great food catered by our own County Supervisor Kurt Friese, and getting pumped for the Blue Wave in November!
The list of speakers is outstanding, including US Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, US Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, and Washington Governor Jay Inslee. Add in Statewide candidates, and you have a great lineup!
Tickets are $25 per person, $50 per family, and available at the door. (These are suggested donations. No one is ever turned away from Johnson County Democratic Party events for inability to pay.) There will also be a silent auction, so please do bring your checkbook!
This is the JC Dems' biggest fundraiser of the year, a friendly environment for conversation, a good meal, and a great opportunity to hear from leaders in the Democratic Party. We hope we'll see you there!
*Green Room Event
*DID YOU KNOW? From the Iowa Policy Project: We have a state and federal minimum wage of $7.25, but a single mother with two children and health insurance from her employer would still need to make about $25 an hour just to meet basic needs.
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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