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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
July 25, 2019
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/30/19
In this edition:
*Happy Anniversary Melissa!
*Warren for President!
*Don’t Tell Me “We Can’t”!
*Pet Peeve: Parking!
*Minimum Wage “Intent”
*Did You Know?
*Happy Anniversary Melissa!
August 1stis our anniversary. It goes without saying, but I am a very, very lucky man! Happy Anniversary, Honey! I love you!
*Warren for President!
As I hope you know, I have endorsed Elizabeth Warren for President. I feel very strongly that she is what this country needs right now. No one is more courageous. No one is smarter. No one works harder. That is a great combo!
I would love to take some time to tell you why I support Senator Warren, and to answer any questions you might have. Just reply to this message and we will chat!
*Don’t Tell Me “We Can’t”!
Nothing makes me angrier than a politician on the campaign trail telling Americans “We can’t” do a given thing. Maybe it is difficult. Maybe it is unlikely. But DO NOT tell me we can’t!
Do we need to win the Presidency, House, and Senate? Tell me that. Do we need some fresh faces on the Supreme Court? Tell me that. Will it be expensive? Tell me that. Should we focus elsewhere? Tell me that. But DO NOT tell me we can’t!
Remember “Si Si Puede!”? Yes We Can! Politicians – your job is to inspire us. If you cannot do that, step aside, and let someone else lead!
*Pet Peeve: Parking!
I know it shows my age, but I can’t help it. I am going to go all Andy Rooney on you here for a moment. I have a real pet peeve with people who fail to park within the lines.
Some of these cases are blatant. Others may just be someone who was in a hurry. But in many places in Johnson County, parking is at a premium. Taking two or more spots can really inconvenience a wide group of people. I know it is really difficult for us if we have our granddaughter or my mother with us. It also inconveniences people with disabilities.
So please – be thoughtful when you are parking. Get into the middle of the stall. In the lot, in the ramp – wherever. Other people are counting on you doing this right!
*Minimum Wage “Intent”
(This first ran in Salvos in August of 2016, but seems necessary again today.)
I have heard MANY people make the claim, “The minimum wage was never intended to be a living wage.” That is a bold claim… it implies that you know what the architects of the program thought.
There is really only one way to fact check that claim, and that is to go to the Father of the minimum wage: Franklin Delano Roosevelt. We should find out what FDR intended!
Teresa Tritch did exactly that for the New York Times. Here is her blog post:
In the more than 75 years since Congress first enacted a federal minimum wage — at 25 cents an hour — lawmakers have increased it nine times, reaching the current level of $7.25 an hour in 2009. And with every increase the same objections have been raised.
Today, instead of dismantling these arguments on my own I decided to get a little help from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who had to fight Republicans, conservative Democrats, the Supreme Court and corporate leaders to pass the initial minimum wage in 1938.
*Objection: Raising the minimum wage will hurt business and reduce employment.
“No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country.” (1933, Statement on National Industrial Recovery Act)
*Objection: $10.10 an hour is too much, maybe $9.
“By living wages, I mean more than a bare subsistence level — I mean the wages of a decent living.” (1933, Statement on National Industrial Recovery Act)
*Objection: Once you add in public assistance and tax credits, $9 an hour is plenty, and business could survive that.
“Do not let any calamity-howling executive with an income of $1,000 a day, who has been turning his employees over to the Government relief rolls in order to preserve his company’s undistributed reserves, tell you – using his stockholders’ money to pay the postage for his personal opinions — tell you that a wage of $11.00 a week is going to have a disastrous effect on all American industry.” (1938, Fireside Chat, the night before signing the Fair Labor Standards Act that instituted the federal minimum wage)
*Objection: The minimum wage is a government mandate that interferes with the free market.
“All but the hopelessly reactionary will agree that to conserve our primary resources of man power, government must have some control over maximum hours, minimum wages, the evil of child labor and the exploitation of unorganized labor.” (1937, Message to Congress upon introduction of the Fair Labor Standards Act)
It took five years from F.D.R.’s first inauguration in 1933 to enact the federal minimum wage. The period encompassed “Black Monday” on May 27, 1935, when the Supreme Court invalidated the new labor standards in the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933, and “White Monday” on March 29, 1937, when the Court reversed course by upholding the minimum wage in Washington state, setting the stage for passage of a federal version.
Today, with census data showing that one third of Americans are either in or near poverty, the arguments in favor of an adequate minimum wage are still compelling. The difference is that the minimum wage has gone from being a bold advance in labor law to a basic tool for broader prosperity, albeit one that Congress has failed to deploy fully. That is a shame. What F.D.R. said in 1938 about establishing a minimum wage is also true about raising it: “Without question it starts us toward a better standard of living and increases purchasing power to buy the products of farm and factory.”
So next time someone claims, “The minimum wage was never intended to be a living wage,” refer him to FDR! Nice work, Teresa Tritch!
*DID YOU KNOW? Read the objections to every increase in the minimum wage over the 80 years of its’ existence. They are the same arguments you hear today. The predictions of disaster did not come true in the 30s, 50s, 70s, 90s, and they will not come true in the 2020s.
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
July 18, 2019
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/23/19
In this edition:
*Salvos is Back!
*Beware the Heat!
*Foxhoven and Tupac
*Remember – It Is Child Abuse!
*RIP John Paul Stevens
*380 Express
*ADA Celebration
*Did You Know?
*Salvos is Back!
Welcome back, faithful readers! I am back in Iowa after a brief trip to a conference. I hope you are ready to get back into the swing!
*Beware the Heat!
It is going to be dangerously hot the next few days! Please drink more water than you think you should, and be extra careful!
*Foxhoven and Tupac
People across the US are laughing over the fact that the 66 year old white Director of the Department of Human Services loved Tupac, and that Iowa’s Governor has no idea who Tupac was.
This may all be funny in a vacuum. But in reality, Reynolds and Foxhoven orchestrated an attack on the poorest, sickest Iowans. They took services from these folks (several of them died as a result) in order to give handouts to big healthcare corporations. I don’t give a damn what music either one of them likes. And forgive me if I am not in the mood to laugh about these people.
Here is what I wrote just a month ago when Foxhoven left office:
Jerry Foxhoven, Director of the Iowa Department of Human Services, was asked to resign on June 17. No reasons were given.
I have had some longtime Polk County residents tell me to temper my criticism of Foxhoven. They say he has a “good heart”. I disagree. No one with a “good heart” runs DHS for Kim Reynolds – knowing full well that they are being asked to hurt our most vulnerable citizens. He does NOT have a “good heart”. Period.
Before you shed any tears for Foxhoven, know that he was the ONLY department head in State Government that did not request an increase in funding for his department. He told Kim Reynolds that he had enough resources. This is just additional evidence that there is no “good heart” there.
Foxhoven is gone. Good riddance. You lay down with dogs, you get fleas. I will pray for his soul.
*Remember – It Is Child Abuse!
I know I may be getting repetitive, but we should all still be outraged! The US Government is committing child abuse on a massive scale on our southern border! Have you called your member of Congress yet?
The vast majority of child development experts agree – even a brief separation from parents can lead to lifelong psychological consequences. Our government is doing much worse than that, and they are doing so in our name! Hell yes we should be outraged!
*RIP John Paul Stevens
Though most people have no idea who he is, former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is one of the most significant political figures of the past 50 years.
Throughout his career, he tended to reign in governmental power while expanding individual rights. We need more like him. RIP, Justice Stevens.
*380 Express
I sit on the Board of the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG). I mentioned ECICOG in Salvos a couple of weeks ago, but I recognize that it probably deserves another explanation.
The East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) is an intergovernmental council established in 1973. Governed by a board of directors comprised of elected officials and private citizens, ECICOG was created to promote regional cooperation and to provide professional planning services to local governments in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Tama, and Washington Counties (all services are not offered in all counties). A portion of the operations are supported by a per capita assessment paid by these counties.
One recent undertaking of ECICOG is the 380 Express. This is regular, fixed route bus service between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. Stops include the Ground Transportation Center in downtown CR; Kirkwood; the Coralville Intermodal facility at the Iowa River Landing; University Hospitals; and Iowa City’s Court Street Transportation Center.
A one-way ride costs $3.50. Children under 6 are free, and Seniors (60+) and people with disabilities ride for $1.75. Ten-punch passes sell for $32.50, and a monthly unlimited pass is available for $125. All tickets can be purchased online.
The busses are full of amenities: All coaches in the 380 Express service are equipped with free WIFI, 110V power outlets and USB ports, restroom, and reclining seats with 3-point seat belts. There is also a wheelchair lift with two wheelchair securement areas on each coach.
380 Express provided about 4,000 rides per month in the first 8 months of its’ existence. 74% of the rides originated in Cedar Rapids and ended in Iowa City. 66% of the riders were travelling for work and 12% for education. Interestingly, 67% of the riders have been female.
I have not yet ridden the 380 Express, but I plan on doing so sometime soon. I hope you will do it, too. More importantly, spread the word! This is an important step in the fight against climate change!
*ADA Celebration
The 2019 Johnson County Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Celebration is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 27th from 10am-noon in the Ped Mall in downtown Iowa City. The rain location will be held at MERGE (136 S Dubuque St. in Iowa City). This year marks the 29th Anniversary of the signing of the ADA!
*DID YOU KNOW? The Department of Human Services (DHS) -- which has a $6.5 billion annual budget and a workforce of about 4,600 -- annually serves more than one million Iowans, many of the state's most vulnerable children, elderly and disabled. DHS administers services that include food assistance, Medicaid, child welfare, mental health and disability services.
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
July 3, 2019
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/9/19
In this edition:
*No Salvos Next Week!
*County Attorney’s Office Moves
*County Fair
*Story County Politics
*Community ID Update
*Did You Know?
*No Salvos Next Week!
No Salvos next week, as I will be at a conference. I will report back on what I learn!
Expect your next edition of Salvos (dated 7-23-19) somewhere around July 18.
*County Attorney’s Office Moves
For the first time in 118 years, the Johnson County Attorney’s Office is in a new building. Starting Friday, July 5, the County Attorney’s Office is located on the 4thfloor of the MidWest One Building, 500 South Clinton Street in Iowa City. The new location is kitty corner from the Courthouse; I am told the new offices are just 750 steps from the old ones.
These new offices are a long time coming. Courthouse space has been inadequate for at least two decades. The County Attorney’s Office had several people sharing small offices; places where you had to go through one office to reach another; boxes of records blocking doors; and several ADA violations. More importantly, confidentiality was very difficult to achieve. There were no good places to do depositions, or for attorneys to even confer with their clients.
Most importantly, the Courts had nowhere to put additional judges. Johnson County has long been entitled to additional judges, but we have not had anywhere to put them. This has led to court cases in Johnson County taking far too long. Civil cases are routinely bounced so that criminal cases can take precedence; this can cause civil matters to take literally years to resolve. Justice delayed is justice denied, and Johnson County has not been meeting minimal expectations in this arena.
Of course, our hands have been tied. As you may recall, new Court facilities were a part of two previous failed Jail bond issues; a bond issue for the Courthouse alone failed after that. These votes definitely complicated the options the Board had moving forward.
But now we have a solution – though temporary. Our lease is for seven years, with 3 separate 3 year extensions available. Once the County Attorney’s Office is completely moved, we will begin creating additional courtroom space.
Congratulations to the Johnson County Attorney’s Office! You deserve this space! More importantly, congratulations to the people of Johnson County, who deserve timely justice!
*County Fair
The Johnson County Fair runs Sunday, July 21 through Wednesday, July 24. Yes, that is correct – for the second straight year, the Fair begins on a Sunday. I hope you get an opportunity to check it out!
I love the way the Johnson County Ag Association manages the County Fair. I am particularly fond of the fact that there is never an entry fee, and parking is free. In many counties, you would pay $15 to park and $10/head admission, if not more. That is $55 minimum for a family of four before you have even done anything!
Yes, it is typically hot out there. But that is why they sell ice cream! So, please stop out and enjoy the Fair. You’ll be glad you did!
*Story County Politics
When I first started as a County Supervisor, I found two people I could learn from in Story County Supervisors Jane Haliburton and Wayne Clinton. Jane was (is) an absolute force! Picture Elizabeth Warren as a County Supervisor! Wayne was (is) a smooth talker and beloved former Ames High teacher and coach, who won a Boy’s State Basketball Championship with a player nicknamed “The Mayor”. As much as we like to joke about the rivalry, there are several similarities between Story and Johnson Counties, and both Jane and Wayne were kind enough to advise me early in my career.
Haliburton and Clinton are both Democrats. I later served on a couple of committees with Story County Supervisor Rick Sanders, a Republican. Despite the difference in parties, I was always pretty impressed with Mr. Sanders. He is a nice guy who really looks out for all the people of Story County. Supervisor Sanders did good Legislative work, especially in the area of mental health. Rick debated a run against Steve King; I wish he had done so!
Now Rick has taken a job at ISU, and is stepping down from the Story County Board. The person appointed to take his place is State Representative Lisa Heddens.
Interestingly, I am also connected to Representative Heddens. Lisa was a young mom learning the ropes when I was with The Arc. We spoke often, and learned a lot together. She got very involved in the Central Iowa disability community, and earned the respect of everyone she met. Lisa’s outstanding advocacy led her directly to the job of State Representative.
Now that she is Supervisor Heddens, Story County becomes the first county in Iowa to have an all-female Board of Supervisors. In January, Johnson County became the first county to have 4 female Supervisors. (Story has a 3-person Board; Johnson’s Board is 5.)
Now the voters of Story County need to replace Lisa Heddens. The nominee to fill her seat is former Iowa City Mayor Ross Wilburn, who moved to Ames a few years ago. I am amazed at how connected I feel to Story County politics!
*Community ID Update
In recognition of the four-year anniversary of Johnson County’s Community ID program, the county will host a celebration event from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 9, at the Johnson County Administration Building. Brief remarks from Johnson County officials will begin around 4:30 p.m. The event will feature music by the Old Capitol String Band and light refreshments will be served. The anniversary event is free and open to the public.
The Johnson County Community ID is a local government-issued photo identification available to residents of Johnson County. Johnson County established the Community ID to ensure all members of the community are welcomed and able to fully participate in the economic and social life of the county. Since the program began on July 17, 2015, more than 1,500 IDs have been issued to residents.
Johnson County residents can apply for or renew Community IDs Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Johnson County Auditor’s Office, first floor of the Johnson County Administration Building. The fee is $4 for a child ID and $8 for an adult ID. Applicants must bring proof of residency and proof of identity in its original form. Application forms and a comprehensive list of accepted documentation are available at www.johnson- county.com/communityid. Community IDs for children are valid for two years. Community IDs for adults are valid for four years, so any IDs that were issued to adults on the launch day will expire this July 17.
Johnson County Community ID can be used at participating establishments to open a bank account; confirm identity when using credit cards; interact with schools, city and county agencies and law enforcement officials; and enjoy discounts offered by participating community businesses, institutions and partners.
*DID YOU KNOW? The County Seat of Story County is NOT Ames (population 69,000), but Nevada, population 7,000. Story County sits at a population of about 98,000 overall, 7thlargest in Iowa.
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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