SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

November 30, 2022

Sullivan’s Salvos 12/6/22

In this edition:

*Buy Local!

*Thank You Pat Heiden!

*Thank You Janet Lyness!

*Thank You Tom Kriz!

*New Blood!

*Did You Know?

*Buy Local!

The holiday shopping season is upon us, and before you spend too much money, I’d like to exhort you to buy locally. It will be better for you, better for those for whom you are buying, and better for our community.

I have a long history with “Buy Local” policies. I helped get the County policy in place shortly after I was elected, and I helped convince the Chamber of Commerce to adopt their policy shortly thereafter. Both have been pretty successful.

Think about it – would you rather line the pockets of Jeff Bezos, or your neighbor? It is an easy decision. Personally, I have never purchased anything from Amazon. And other than needing to buy diapers for my granddaughter when out of state, I haven’t spent money at a Wal-Mart since 1985. I haven’t missed out. You will not miss out. This can be done!

Again, buying local is better for all of us. So please – buy local this holiday season!

*Thank You Pat Heiden!

Supervisor Pat Heiden is retiring after serving one term on the Board. I really didn’t know Pat until her unsuccessful run for Supervisor in 2016. Pat ran again – successfully this time – in 2018, and I have really enjoyed serving with her.

Pat has a great temperament for being an elected official. Far too many elected officials take every disagreement personally. Others make disagreements personal when they need not be. Not Pat. Pat is always professional, calm, and cool. Her public statements are almost always positive; if she has something negative to say, the person who needs to hear it will hear it privately. Pat always errs on the side of more public discussion, not less. This sounds like pretty common-sense stuff, but it is actually quite rare.

I have really grown to like and admire Pat. I now consider her a good friend. I will miss her both personally and professionally.

Thank you for your service, Pat! Congratulations on your retirement!

*Thank you Janet Lyness!

County Attorney Janet Lyness is retiring after serving for 30 years in the County Attorney’s Office, including the last 16 years as County Attorney. I got to know Janet when I started at Johnson County in January 2005. I have really enjoyed serving with her.

County Attorney is a hard job. I would argue that it is the single most important job in County government. Especially in our current world of Monday morning quarterbacks. You see, most of the things that get resolved by the County Attorney’s Office are negotiated. It is very easy to be on the outside and say, “I can’t believe they let that guy off with manslaughter!” It is very easy to be on the outside and say, “I can’t believe they settled with that disgruntled former employee!” It is very easy to be on the outside and say, “I can’t believe they settled with the company that did that!”

It is REALLY easy to be on the outside, puff out your chest, be a big tough guy, and say, “I would never let any of those things happen!” Because in reality, you would be a fool, and you would not serve the public well. You would also lose a lot, and cost the county untold millions.

What’s more, the County Attorney’s Office does not get to explain most settlements. So they rarely get to defend their actions. They just have to take the slings and arrows – usually fired from people who have zero idea what they are talking about.

We have been very lucky to have Janet Lyness as our County Attorney. Janet is unbelievably kind, caring, and thoughtful. She really cares about victims and their families. On the other hand, she also knows that more punishment for offenders is usually not the answer. We have been fortunate to have a County Attorney who cares so deeply.

Janet has led the way in many important areas, from jail diversion, to drug court, to mental health court, to marijuana diversion, to creating GuideLink, to working with victims of domestic violence, to helping people get their driver’s licenses reinstated, to investigating racial disparities in the system… Janet has made Johnson County a better, safer, more just, more decent place to live.

I will miss serving with Janet. She’s a really good human being, but also very fun and funny. I am glad she is going to have the opportunity to relax. I hope we will stay in touch.

Thank you for your service, Janet! Congratulations on your retirement!

*Thank You Tom Kriz!

County Treasurer Tom Kriz is retiring after serving for 24 years. I got to know Tom when he first ran for office in ’98, as I was the Chair of the Johnson County Democratic Party at the time. Little known fact - Tom won the 1998 Treasurer primary election by just 28 votes! And to prove how well he does the job, no one has ever challenged him since!

I have tremendous respect for Tom Kriz. For starters, I don’t know if I have ever met a harder worker. Tom is always the first to arrive and last to leave. It is not unusual to see him at work on a weekend. He routinely outworks people a third of his age.

In addition, Tom is honest, fair, and consistent. County government is decentralized by design. Things go much more smoothly when the various officeholders have a relationship built on trust and respect. Tom definitely sets that tone.

There are certainly times where I think, “I wish Kriz would change the way he does that.” I am sure there are times that he feels the same way about me. But Tom is a very wise man. I know I would be a fool not to seek his advice and counsel. So whenever we are faced with a unique issue, I advocate for having Tom at the table. Some examples include securing the land for the HHS and Ambulance/Medical Examiner buildings, parking policies, and emergency closure policies, just to name a few. We always get a better product when Tom is involved.

County residents know how well-run the Treasurer’s Office is. Waits are much shorter than those in comparable counties, and the customer service is outstanding. It is not unusual to see Tom or one of his staff members out in the parking lot with a pair of pliers, taking off a plate for a customer.

Another thing county residents may not realize is how wonderfully Tom has managed their money! Several years ago I worked with Tom and others to create a series of financial reserve policies. Tom ran them by the ratings agencies (Moody’s, Standard and Poor, and Fitch) to get their thumbs up, so we have a very solid set of policies. Johnson County has an AA+ bond rating, just below the best-possible AAA status. Ratings agencies have told us that the only reason we do not have AAA status is that Coralville still has some work to do.

In addition, Tom came up with a brilliant move about 16 years ago. Tax Increment Financing (TIF) was absolutely ravaging the County budget, costing us millions every year. Tom realized that properties in TIF Districts were required to pay for debt. So Johnson County began borrowing large amounts of money for very short periods. We borrowed for insurance, vehicles, and all sorts of things for which we really didn’t need to borrow. Then we would pay the loan back almost immediately. Though there were some small interest costs to this scheme, it spread the taxes over hundreds of millions of dollars more valuation. That process saves every residential taxpayer in Johnson County almost $100 annually on property taxes.

He has been an innovator, but Tom is also old school. Work hard, be honest, and treat people right. It is a formula that still works!

I am going to miss having Tom’s steady presence in the building. My big regret is that I never got Tom to tell more stories about his football and baseball exploits. Tom was quite an athlete at University High School in Iowa City, was a member of the Hawkeye football team, and even played some minor league baseball! But Tom is very modest; he is probably bothered that I said this much!

Thank you for your service, Tom! You are a good man! Congratulations on your retirement!

*New Blood!

Beginning in January, V Fixmer Oraiz will be taking Pat Heiden’s seat on the Board. Rachel Zimmerman Smith will be replacing Janet Lyness as the County Attorney. Scott Finlayson will be replacing Tom Kriz as the County Treasurer.

Johnson County? You did well! I am very confident that these three people will do a great job of leading Johnson County into the future!

*DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County has only had three Treasurers in 58 years: Don Krall from ’65 until ’84, Cletus Redlinger from ’84 until ’98, and Tom Kriz from ’98 until present.

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

www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

"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 rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

---Rod

November 23, 2022

Johnson County labor folks and Democrats lost a great one last week with the passing of Maureen Donnelly of Iowa City. Maureen spent much of her time volunteering for the causes she cared about. And those causes generally included anything that benefitted folks who lack power. A true fighter for justice, gone too soon. RIP, Maureen.

I am not a fan of city councils appointing new members when a councilor steps down. I favor elections in almost all cases. Especially in the metropolitan parts of Johnson County, where elections are taken very seriously. That is why I have been disappointed by recent decisions by the Coralville and Iowa City Councils to choose appointments over elections.

I know the big argument is cost. But democracy costs money! Trust me, we can all find $50,000 in any local government budget that we think is wasteful. Why is everyone suddenly a budget hawk when elections are concerned?

One concern that was mentioned was that turnout would be low. And it is true, Mayor Bruce Teague was elected in a special election that only saw 9% turnout. But he got 2200+ votes. The next councilor in Iowa City only needs to get 4. That’s 4 votes, not 4%. Four people get to decide.

Contrary to what some have stated, I think appointments drastically limit the number of people who might become a councilor. Realistically, is the Council going to appoint someone poor? It’s never happened. Someone young? It’s never happened.

Karen Kubby would never have been appointed. Ross Wilburn would never have been appointed. Heck, I doubt ANY of the current IC Councilors would have been appointed!

Who will get appointed? Well-connected people, known to all or most of the council. Probably someone who serves on a board or commission. Just look at our own history!

When Coralville held a special election, they got a young female Vietnamese immigrant who works at a food pantry. When Coralville appointed, they chose an old white male banker. (At the expense of a local union leader, no less!) So don’t try to sell me on the idea that appointments will bring diversity. They almost certainly will not.

Diverse ideas follow from this. The young immigrant woman (Hai Huynh) voted to help a bunch of minorities and minority owned businesses who were being displaced. The appointee did not. New ideas at work.

Look at Iowa City’s history. Mayor Bruce was elected just 5 years ago in a low turnout special election. And I’d like to remind everyone – an appointment process would not have awarded Bruce Teague that seat. The Council would have appointed their longtime P&Z member. And while she might have done a wonderful job, there would have been no Mayor Bruce to lead us through the summer of George Floyd/Black Lives Matter protests.

I am not suggesting appointments are always wrong. In some cases, there are only a couple of months left in a term; I get that. But the Coralville appointment was for multiple years, and Iowa City for a year. That is too long for someone who is unelected to serve. And the record on appointments is not good.

Substituting the judgement of elected officials for that of the voters is a bad idea, and it should be avoided. I hope someone gets a petition going to force an election. I will support them in the effort.

This ran in Salvos way back in 2011. I edited out a part that wasn’t relevant any longer, but the rest of the piece stands the test of time.

I get a couple E-mails every week that refer to “you Supervisors” and then take us to task for doing (or not doing) something.

I find these E-mails extremely frustrating, because they only serve to demonstrate that the public does not see the huge differences of opinion that exist on the Board.

I blame much of this on the media. First, we are not covered much. Secondly, we are rarely ever asked about the differences of opinion that are clear to anyone watching a meeting. The public deserves to know what debates are taking place in their name, and exactly what their elected representatives think.

Elected bodies are made up of individuals. Yes, you get lots of unanimous votes to approve the agenda or send a letter thanking a volunteer. Those votes are perfunctory.

As my friend and former Iowa City Councilor Larry Baker once said, “95% of all votes could be cast by a trained monkey. You elect people for the 5% that really matter.” Amen. Larry nailed it.

So, dear citizens – pay attention. You will not get any help from the media – you are going to need to dig. But meetings are all online. I urge you to tune in. Find out what individual elected officials really feel, and ask why they voted the way they did.

You will find that Boards and Councils are made up of individuals – VERY different individuals!

Johnson County is beginning the budgeting process for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), which will begin July 1^st of 2023. 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.

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 160,000 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 160,000 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. For example, Johnson County has no legal obligation to fund DVIP. This is a very real phenomenon, and Board Members need to be aware of it. On the other hand, 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 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 evil! 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? Beginning in January, the tenure of Johnson County Supervisors will be 0, 1, 4, 6, and 18 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 rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

November 16, 2022

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!

I had a couple of Salvos readers ask me, “What happened?” regarding Tuesday’s red wave through Iowa. One was talking about just Tuesday; one was talking about the past 50 years.

While I am flattered that they care what I think, it is probably worth noting that I am no expert. But I have some explanations that I find persuasive. So let’s start there.

First, a little history is important. Iowa is a state that has typically been led by Republicans. There were only two windows EVER – one in the 60s and one from ’06-’10 – where Iowa Democrats held a trifecta of the House, Senate, and Governor. Democrats typically did not run things, but made up a large enough minority that the GOP needed them to govern. So compromises were struck.

More importantly, the Republicans of my youth were a VERY different party. For one, they supported education almost as much as the Democrats; in individual cases, even more. Most Iowa Republicans would have been considered moderates; some, notably longtime Governor Bob Ray, would be viewed as a liberal today. Newt Gingerich had not come along yet with the idea of “zero sum game” politics. Negotiations were the order of the day, and that is what you got.

Honestly, it is pretty hard to argue the results. Iowa was #1 in education. The economy was strong. Iowa’s “live and let live” approach put us decades, sometimes centuries, ahead of other states on civil rights matters. The budget was in good shape. You could do a lot worse. But the Iowa Republican Party has changed dramatically, and with it, our state.

Now let’s move to the work of Iowa State Economist Dave Swenson. I love his work! It doesn’t always tell me what I want to hear, but it is always enlightening. A few years ago Swenson began talking about “micropolitan” areas of Iowa. These are those cities in the 20,000-30,000 population range that do not serve as suburbs to larger cities. They are typically home to a hospital, community college, and serve as a regional employment center. Iowa has several of these places – Fort Dodge, Mason City, Ottumwa, Clinton, Burlington, Muscatine, Ft. Madison/Keokuk, Marshalltown, Newton, and maybe 1-2 more. (The definition doesn’t fit perfectly everywhere.)

If you look at those cities in the 1960s, each was home to a thriving manufacturing base. And most of those manufacturing jobs were union jobs. People in these micropolitan cities (and the smaller cities near them) lived the classic American Dream.

When things were going well, voters in these areas supported Democrats. Democrats supported the unions, and made sure the schools were good. Thousands of Iowa moms and dads watched proudly as their sons and daughters got diplomas from ISU, UNI, and Iowa. All was well.

What happened? Manufacturers had trouble competing with Germany and Japan. Manufacturers like Maytag that once cared deeply about these communities decided to instead put shareholder profits first. Good union jobs were lost. Then the farm crisis hit. Manufacturers like Deere made deep cuts. Unions were broken at meatpacking plants. Locally owned banks disappeared. Then NAFTA put the final nail in the coffin. Jobs that used to be in micropolitan Iowa were now in Mexico and China.

Communities did the best they could. Many made huge efforts at job creation. Unfortunately, they were often trading a $20/hour union manufacturing job for a $9/hour telemarketing gig. Bottom line? Large numbers of unemployed and underemployed people were stuck. Poverty increased, and with it, crime and drug abuse. Many of the college educated folks moved away. Properties and public spaces were less well-maintained. Property values dropped, and with them, funding for schools and roads. The community becomes a less desirable place to live, and even more people move away. It is a downward spiral.

Those that are left are now poorer and less educated. They feel as though they got screwed. Because they did. So, they go to the ballot box looking for someone to blame. In this case, Dems took the hit. Did they deserve all the blame? Definitely not. Not even the majority of the blame. But they were gutless while corporations ran roughshod over our state. Losing big was the result.

If I had to blame one person? I’d blame Bill Clinton. But it isn’t that easy. The problems began in the late 70s. Then Iowa faced amazing struggles in the 80s, before Clinton was even on the national scene. It wasn’t one thing or one person that got us here, and it will not be one person or one thing that fixes everything.

Don’t tell that to the GOP, though. They are great at casting blame. Whose fault is this? Gays, trans folks, people of color, immigrants, non-Christians, women getting abortions, welfare moms, teacher’s unions, etc. There is ample anger out there, and instead of focusing that anger on Chuck Grassley (who has overseen this shit show) they focus their anger on vulnerable minorities. It is evil, but effective.

The two Obama elections gave us a momentary reprieve from this slide. Why? An incredible candidate with a message of hope following a lackluster and corrupt Bush II administration. But then the House and Senate (including Grassley) decided to sabotage Obama at the expense of the American people. Obama could not deliver as much as people needed, let alone hoped for. This led to even greater anger.

Let’s stop talking politics and look at demographics. Look at the populations of these micropolitan areas since 1960. Most have lost people. If they have not lost population, it is only because of immigration, which many old timers resent. Talk to someone who has moved to the fast-growing cities or suburbs in Iowa. Everyone who lives in Tiffin is originally from Sigourney, or Mount Pleasant, or Oelwein, or Montezuma. You get the idea. Iowa is not growing as a state; people are simply moving from certain parts of Iowa to other parts where greater opportunities exist.

Iowa’s micropolitan areas used to reliably vote 60% Democrat. They now vote 60% Republican. Do the math: 30,000 voters in these counties. 18,000 used to vote Democratic. Now 18,000 vote Republican. That is a 12,000 vote swing each place. Multiply that by the 10 micropolitan areas. That is a vote swing of 120,000 statewide. This is where 120,000 voters switched from Democrats to Republicans. That is the ballgame, folks! Grassley won by 150,000 votes. I just found you 120,000 of them!

It is not just the micropolitan areas, either. Counties like Dubuque, Scott, and Woodbury are not as Democratic as they used to be, either. It is pretty much the same formula, just in a more populous place.

Obviously, this did not change overnight. And it will not change back overnight. Structurally, every day we spend in this deep red status makes it harder to crawl back out of the hole we have dug.

But we will get there. Someday. Democrats just have to keep fighting for the people in this story. Do what is right. That is always the answer. Sooner or later, things will turn. I just hope we learn some lessons along the way.

*DID YOU KNOW? The annual tradition (which I detest) of a “Presidential Pardon" for a turkey began under President Reagan.

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 rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

November 10, 2022

The 2022 Election is mostly in the books. I spent dozens of hours knocking on doors; while I certainly didn’t get all the outcomes I had hoped for, it feels good knowing I gave it my best effort.

Turnout in Johnson County was just under 64,000, which amounts to just over 70%. This is pretty good by traditional measures, but obviously, you’d like to be over 90%. We’ll keep working on it.

US Senate: Incumbent Republican Chuck Grassley defeated Mike Franken by a 56-44 margin.

Overall, the Senate was split 50-50 going into the election. Right now, we are waiting on Nevada, Arizona, and a run-off in Georgia to decide the final outcome. Democrats will need to win 2/3 to stay in control.

US House: In Iowa’s First District, Incumbent Republican Marianette Miller Meeks defeated Christina Bohannan 53-47.

In Iowa’s Second District, Incumbent Republican Ashley Hinson defeated Liz Mathis 54-46.

In Iowa’s Third District, Incumbent Democrat Cindy Axne looks as though she is going to lose by under 1% to challenger Zach Nunn. There are still ballots being counted here.

Overall, the US House was split 220 Dems, 212 Republicans, and 3 vacancies going into the election. Right now, it looks as though the GOP will take control, but only by a couple of votes! Stay tuned!

Governor: Incumbent Republican Kim Reynolds defeated Deirdre DeJear 58-40. In what might be considered surprises, longtime Attorney General Tom Miller (D) lost to Brenna Bird, and longtime State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald (D) lost to Roby Smith, both by 51-49 margins. Paul Pate and Mike Naig won reelection, while State Auditor Rob Sand is hanging by a thread, with a 3,200 vote margin.

Iowa Senate: Locally, Democrat Janice Weiner won comfortably, 82-18. Incumbent Democrat Kevin Kinney lost 54-46.

Overall, Republicans held a 32-18 majority going into the election. It looks like that is going to be 34-16 going forward.

Iowa House: Locally, Democrats Adam Zabner and Elinor Levin were elected to represent Iowa City, while Incumbent Democrats Amy Nielsen and Dave Jacoby won seats in North Liberty and Coralville, respectively.

Overall, Republicans held a 60-40 majority going into the election. That may have increased to 63-37.

Constitutional Amendment: Iowans voted on an Amendment to the Constitution that would make it almost impossible to pass any laws regulating guns. Unfortunately, that passed 65-35.

As you can see, Iowa was a Red Wave; the rest of the US, not so much. It will be more and more difficult for Johnson County moving forward in this environment. We are going to need to find ways to reach out directly to the Federal government for help.

Locally, the Supervisor Race was the high-profile race. Democrats Jon Green and V Fixmer–Oraiz handily defeated Republicans Phil Hemingway and Jamie Bradshaw. A particular congratulations to V, who becomes the first Trans person elected in Johnson County!

Scott Finlayson will become our new Treasurer in January, while Rachel Zimmermann Smith becomes our new County Attorney. Kim Painter was elected to another term as Recorder. I am really looking forward to working with all these fine folks!

Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks to everyone who threw their hat into the ring. We have a lot of work ahead!

Ever heard of someone who won an election yet ran a lousy campaign? Me, either! Since we are deep into the political season, I want to share one of my political pet peeves:

I get really tired of all the Monday morning quarterbacking. If the candidate wins, they “ran a great campaign”. If they lose, the campaign was “terrible”.

Sports analogies get overused in politics, but I think it is apt to use one here. Picture the game of golf. Sometimes you play very poorly, and can get beat by anyone. Sometimes you play poorly and your opponent plays even worse – then you win. Conversely, sometimes you play well and win. It is also possible to play your best and still get beat.

This also happens in politics, though it is rarely acknowledged. Yes, sometimes the loser ran a poor campaign. But just as frequently, they ran a good campaign and still got beat. It happens.

The “experts” who are commenting on these campaigns – their punditry is usually just hot air.

Yes, there are campaigns that are well run, and there are some that aren’t. But I rarely hear anything other than fawning over winners and piling on losers. That is not analysis!

You know how this phrase got started…. It is easy to sit in judgment after the fact, and complain about what a quarterback (or coach) SHOULD have done. I am sometimes guilty of this; we all are.

But I see a difference between a loyal fan questioning her team and a person who did nothing to support the cause. I may question something the Hawkeyes do, but my love of the Hawkeyes runs deep. I support them emotionally, financially, etc. In my mind, I have paid my dues, and therefore earned the right to comment.

The elections are over, and now it is time for the Monday Morning Quarterbacks of the political world to rear their ugly heads. Like the football variety, they seem to know what should have happened after the fact.

Both Republicans and Democrats have plenty of these folks. They can tell you exactly what Grassley or Franken SHOULD have done.

So, my question to the MMQs: Did you make any calls? Did you knock any doors? Did you contribute any money? Did you write any letters? Did you pay your dues in any way?

The people who suffer most from the slings and arrows are the local political parties themselves. Apart from several temporary college-aged staff people, local political parties are made up of local people. They are volunteers. And yes, often they do not operate as well as they could. But you know what? Half the battle is showing up! Don’t like how your local party operates? Join it, and try to make some changes.

There is an old saying: “If you don’t vote, don’t complain”. But in reality, that saying is not the law. As Americans, we are free to say just about anything we want. So get ready to listen to a whole bunch of people who should be quarterbacks and Senators.

It has become very popular amongst Democrats to push for Election Day as a National Holiday. I think this is a mistake in priorities.

Election Day is a holiday in many countries. What do people do on said holiday? They travel, of course. Who travels? The only people who can – people with money.

So Election Day in these countries becomes a huge day for eating out, buying gas, going to movies, shopping, etc. What is required to have bustling restaurants, gas stations, malls, and theaters? Staff. Low wage, low benefit staff. Who now are under even greater pressure to work that day.

We might actually get LOWER turnout if Election Day was a holiday! The people who would benefit already have enough agency to go vote when it suits them. They don’t NEED a holiday to vote. The people who need time to vote need more days of early voting, more convenient satellite locations, and evening voting hours. That is what we should be prioritizing!

Please don’t fall for the “Election Day as a Holiday” trap! That is not the cure for what ails us!

Another election is over, and once again the Iowa City Eastside Democrats put on a virtuoso performance! Their work is truly unparalleled.

A huge thanks to Sharon, Tara, Gail, Becky, Jodi, Sue, Patti, Linda, and others for your amazing work!

*DID YOU KNOW? Dating back to 1862, the incumbent President’s party has lost seats in the US House in all but 3 elections.

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 rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

November 2, 2022

Election Day is upon us! Vote, and make certain everyone you know votes! There is a lot at stake here!

If you have a ballot, do NOT mail it in! Please take it to the Auditor’s Office unless it is actually Election Day. Then take it to your polling place! But you must have it with you! If you have other voting questions, call the Auditor’s Office at 319-354-6004.

I will admit; I am scared. I have never been more worried for my Country. All I can do is try my damndest to get as many people as possible to get out and vote!

Happy Birthday to my oldest daughter Rachel, who turns 31 on the 6th! I love you, Ray!

I hope you are preparing yourself and everyone you know for Election Week. That’s right; the notion of Election Day does not serve us well.

First, the counting process takes time. We may not get even our very first counts until hours after polls close. But that isn’t all. There will be ballots that are still trickling in, having been postmarked in time.

We already know how this is going to go. Millions of mailed ballots in Pennsylvania will be coming in Election Day and a few days after. They cannot even open them until 9pm our time. It is highly unlikely we will know the outcome in PA on Tuesday night.

We also know that precisely because of this, Trump and others will go on TV Tuesday night and call the PA election fraudulent. They will lawyer up and sue. We already know it. Just don’t let it weaken your resolve.

If the election night margin is large enough, it may not matter. But if a race is close, we need to demand that election officials take the time to count all legal votes. Don’t allow the process to be driven by the media. Have patience, and request the same from everyone you know. This is Election Week, not Election Night!

Happy Veterans Day on November 11. Thanks to all the men and women who have served our country. I appreciate your service, and wish you peace.

Veterans For Peace Chapter #161 is sponsoring an Armistice Day Observance to be held on Friday, November 11^th location TBD. The event begins at 10:45 AM. Bells will be rung at 11:00 AM, as they rang around the world at the end of WWI in 1918 and on each November 11^th for decades thereafter. Armistice Day is a day to promote PEACE and to remember the victims of war, both veterans and civilians.

The event will feature Veterans For Peace from throughout the state of Iowa. The event is free, and the public is welcome.

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 served 20 years as foster parents, fostering just over 50 kids.

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.

I have written here before that I LOVE local economist Peter Fisher. Well, at his retirement party, he dropped this incredible statistic about our recent bout of inflation:

We have inflation – we all agree with that. So basic goods and services cost us all a bit more. But where does the money go? We are paying more – where does the money ACTUALLY go?

In this case, 8% went for higher wages for frontline workers. That is good. 28% went toward the mess that is our supply chain. Unfortunate, but understandable. 53% - 53%! – went to higher corporate profits.

So, don’t buy the Fox News bullshit on this. Over half the inflation we see today is corporate profiteering. It is wrong. It is no different than when you have a flood or a tornado and retailers double the price of a generator. It is WRONG! It should be illegal, just as the generator scenario is illegal in many places.

So our 8% inflation could and should be 4%. Corporations simply needed to take 3% gains rather than 53% gains. If you want to blame someone for inflation, don’t blame Biden. Blame corporations!

Johnson County is accepting applications for one or more contractors to administer and implement housing rehabilitation and emergency home repair services. The County may award up to $600,000 in funding, over a 42-month timeframe. Eligible applicants include non-profit charitable organizations and governmental entities that provide services to Johnson County residents.

The funding will assist low-income homeowners with making essential home repairs, particularly for those residents who are most vulnerable, such as older adults, individuals with disabilities, and households with young children. The program will also provide repairs and home modifications that assist older adults and disabled residents to age in place. The home repairs provided through the program will improve living conditions and positively impact the health and safety of residents while preserving valuable affordable housing stock in Johnson County.

Johnson County will award up to $300,000 for the initial 18-month contract period of Jan. 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024. Funding renewals for Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026 are contingent upon successful completion of scope of services, contract performance and compliance with contract terms and conditions.

Applications are due by noon on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. For more information, contact Lynette Jacoby, Social Services Director, at ljacoby@johnsoncountyiowa.gov or 319-356-6090.

*DID YOU KNOW? Republican candidates for President have won the popular vote just once in the past 28 years. Despite this, Republicans have held the Presidency for 12 of those years.
The one year they did win the popular vote (2004) was contentious. Officially, George W. Bush defeated John Kerry by 1% nationally. The winner was not determined until the next day, when Kerry decided not to dispute Bush's claim of a win in Ohio.

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 rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

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