SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

March 26, 2024

Sullivan’s Salvos 3/28/24

In this edition:

*Happy Easter!

*Opening Day!

*Prairie Preview

*Pagliai’s Building

*Hills Elementary

*Dems Hall of Fame Event

*Did You Know?

*Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate it! Please take care if you are travelling, and have a safe holiday.

*Opening Day!

March 28 is Opening Day! Even if one is not a baseball fan, there is a wonderful rebirth that happens every year with Opening Day. Like so many things we associate with spring, a new baseball season is a fresh start. Every team is 0-0, with an opportunity to do great things. Once again, there is hope. And we all need that!

I hope your team (however you wish to define it!) has a “dream season” this summer!

*Prairie Preview

Meaningful environmental work is happening in Iowa and we want to share the good news with you! Get ready to learn about the many programs and projects impacting our local outdoors at Prairie Preview.

More than 30 organizations will share ways for nature enthusiasts to get involved from 4:30-7 p.m. Thursday, March 28 at the Iowa City Senior Center. This event is free and open to the public thanks to generous support from the Iowa Living Roadway Trust Fund.

New to Prairie Preview this year is a pawpaw presale! Pawpaws, North America’s largest native fruit, were once common in eastern Iowa. These trees are the host plant for the zebra swallowtail butterfly and contribute to greater biodiversity. Be a part of our effort to help pawpaws, and the zebra swallowtail butterfly that depends on them, make a comeback in eastern Iowa.

Preorder your pawpaw kit and pick it up during Prairie Preview. Kits include 12 seeds, 6 pots and instructions for growing your pawpaws.

*Pagliai’s Building

You may or may not be aware of the current discussions surrounding 302-316 Bloomington Street in Iowa City – otherwise known as the longtime home to Pagliai’s Pizza.

Alarms went off for many Iowa Citians a few months ago when the properties showed up for sale on Zillow, with an asking price of $5 million. The owner indicated that the parcel could be redeveloped.

Many Iowa Citians, myself included, wondered if anything could be done. Luckily, the answer is yes. A group of citizens reached out to the Historic Preservation Commission, and got quick action. The Historic Preservation Commission voted unanimously to recommend this building for landmark status, and the Planning and Zoning Commission followed suit two weeks later. Now it is up to the Iowa City Council. So the time is now to reach out to your Councilors!

Why should these properties be preserved? Here are several reasons:

IMMIGRANT HISTORY

At a time when some are hostile to immigrants, 302 Bloomington represents how immigrants help build this city--it is a symbol to help welcome new generations of immigrants. This is a visible physical representation of the history of immigrants making new lives here while also keeping a connection to their previous homelands and culture. This symbol applies not only to 19th-Century Bohemians but also to immigrants who come to Iowa City today.

LANDMARKS ARE RARE

Iowa City has over 27,500 properties, of which only 67 (0.2% — not even 1%) are Landmarks. They represent not just highly loved properties but properties of great historic importance. They are so rare and outstanding that it is sometimes necessary to apply landmark status to them even if the owner objects.

For example, Tate Arms (914 S. Dubuque St.) was made a Landmark not because of exceptional architecture (it is not a fancy building) but because it is the last African American rooming house standing in Iowa City. It is physical evidence of the strength and determination of African Americans to succeed at a University that allowed them to enroll but did not welcome them in the dormitories.

Without such historic sites, these stories get lost and forgotten. Preserving these landmarks keeps the stories alive to inspire future generations.

THIS IS NOT A LAST-MINUTE EFFORT

This building has long been recognized as a gem. Going as far back as the 1980s the Historic Preservation Commission made at least three attempts to include it in a Northside Historic District or give it historic zoning status, but those failed. Previous City Councils did not have the political will to protect this building before it was on the market. It is now or never. It is up to this City Council to protect this icon in our community.

PROPERTY RIGHTS

Some will say historic landmark designation is not fair to the property owner, but the community built and maintains the roads, provides the infrastructure to dispose of the sewage and storm water, provides police and fire protection, and supports the marketing of the Northside Market Place. Iowa City and its residents have provided the services that have helped make this property a commercial success. The Supreme Court has recognized historic landmark zoning as a legitimate way for the community and the landowner to benefit from individual and collective investment.

In fact, the current zoning, Central Business Service Zone (CB-2), already places many restrictions on this property. Historic Landmark designation actually provides some incentives and allows the City to waive certain zoning requirements and to transfer development potential to other properties.

Historic designation also makes this property eligible for Federal and State Tax Credits that would help make this property more profitable. This would be better than tearing it down, sending valuable materials to the landfill, and ending up with an expensive new structure at the loss of this beautiful building and the history of immigrants that it represents.

Generations of Czech immigrants made lives in and around this building. Generations of college students (and townies) have had a memorable pizza there. We get this ONE CHANCE to preserve it. If you care about preserving this piece of our history, please make your voice heard! Tell the Council to vote YES on Landmark status!

*Hills Elementary

It is heartbreaking to once again see Hills Elementary a victim of ICCSD budget cuts. I certainly hope all the people who want to keep Hills open will look at their State Representative (Heather Hora, a Republican) and State Senator (Dawn Driscoll, a Republican) and hold them accountable.

These are the two people who voted to give unlimited taxpayer money to private schools. These are the two people who forced the ICCSD into difficult budget considerations. These are the two people who refuse to take your calls.

The proposed closing of Hills Elementary is a DIRECT RESULT of the policies of Governor Reynolds and the Republicans in the Iowa Legislature. Do not let them avoid accountability!

*Dems Hall of Fame Event

The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding our Annual Hall of Fame Awards on Saturday, May 11 at 7pm at the Radisson in Coralville. 2024 marks the 14^th consecutive year that the Johnson County Democratic Party has held a separate Hall of Fame event.

Please join us for coffee, desserts, and plenty of old war stories! A cash bar will be available.

The Hall of Fame inductees for 2024 are: Former County Attorney Janet Lyness, former County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek, longtime Solon activist and retired IBEW President Bill Hanes, and the late Kathy Stahmer. We hope you can join us in recognizing this remarkable group!

Tickets are available for a $35 suggested donation. People who cannot afford that amount should still feel welcome. Sponsorships are available at the following levels:
$100            includes two tickets
$250            includes 4 tickets
$500            includes a whole reserved table (8 tickets)

$1000 includes a whole reserved table plus special mention.

*DID YOU KNOW? The Pagliai family immigrated from northern Italy to the US in 1914. Pagliai’s Pizza opened up at 302 E. Bloomington Street in the late 1950s – about 70 years ago.

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

March 20, 2024

Literary Giants will take place Friday, March 22 from 6:30 pm to 8 pm at 860 Quarry Road in Coralville. Ticket sales close March 20; however, we recommend that you reserve your spot early, as ticket availability is limited to allow for plenty of mingling space.

We want all book-loving Shelter House supporters to be able to attend, so tickets for Literary Giants are available on a choose-your-price basis. Ticket prices begin at $15 and scale up to $50. Pay what you can and join us for a wonderful evening in support of Shelter House's life-saving work in our community.

Each year, Shelter House creates a wonderland of adventure, mystery, and curiosity at the annual Book Sale. Tens of thousands of used books are generously donated by members of the community and sold at low prices to support Shelter Houser’s critical work. This is truly a community fundraiser: many community members donate books, volunteer for, and shop at the Book Sale.

Admission is FREE! Consider an Early Entry pass for $10 to have access to the sale 30 minutes before the general admission on Saturday, March 23.

Books, CDs, DVDs, Vinyl Records, and Puzzles can be dropped off at 860 Quarry Rd, Coralville starting February 18th until March 20th.

Donation drop-off will continue every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10am – 2pm, and Sundays from 2pm – 4pm.

*We are unable to accept contributions of magazines, encyclopedias, textbooks, Reader’s Digest, books with no covers or water damage, musty books, cassette or VHS tapes.

For those interested in volunteering: Sign up to volunteer at: bit.ly/booksale2024 or contact volunteer@shelterhouseiowa.org.

This year the VITA Program will offer two options for tax preparation assistance. Taxpayers who earned less than $64,000 in 2023 can have their returns completed and filed by an IRS-certified tax preparer at no cost. Appointments are required and can be made at www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/vita.

Taxpayers also have the option to prepare their returns. Households who earned less than $79,000 in 2023 can file taxes for FREE. Email, fileforfree@johnsoncountyiowa.gov for information on how to access and file your taxes at no cost. For those completing their returns, tax assistance and dedicated computer stations are available from February 10 to April 13, 2024, at the Iowa City Public Library on Mondays from 2 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/vita.

There are lots of things that divide the American people. There is one issue that unites 98% of all Americans, and I wish we would come together over it. That issue is income taxes. 66% of all Americans believe we should raise taxes on the wealthiest 2% of the population.

The top 2% of incomes in America includes everyone earning over $400,000 per year. The bottom half of all incomes in the US hold about 2% of the wealth; the top 2% holds over 33%. Think about this for a moment. We should ALL be united in pushing for the wealthiest 2% to pay more taxes. We could not only have more and better services, but the rest of us could pay so much less in taxes. We could all do better if we just stuck together.

Obviously, the Republican Party has always opposed taxing the rich. They exist to serve the rich. Unfortunately, too many Democrats also protect those in the top 2%. (Nancy Pelosi is one of the most egregious violators.) We should ALL be actively working to see the rich pay more!

“When 1 in 6 Iowa families cannot make a basic-needs budget even with a full-time worker in the home, our state has work to do.”

Common Good Iowa today released the latest edition of The Cost of Living in Iowa, which finds that nearly 18% of Iowa working households do not earn enough to meet household needs. That group includes well over half of working households headed by single parents and one-third of Black and Latino working households.

The report’s findings reflect the degree to which public policy choices over decades have eroded the earning power of workers and funneled financial success to the wealthiest Iowans.

“No single policy solution will turn the ship and make life better for working families, but we must start today,” said Sean Finn, CGI policy analyst and lead author of the report. "We know what it takes to fill the gap between low wages and what it takes to meet basic needs and to boost wages themselves."

CGI Executive Director Anne Discher noted the stark contrast between the needs of working Iowans highlighted in the report’s findings and the focus of the Legislature and Governor Reynolds on cutting taxes for the wealthy.

"While majority lawmakers push proposals that would put tens of thousands a dollars a year in tax cuts in the hands of the wealthiest Iowans, too many working Iowans — who would see little from income-tax cuts — are struggling to get by," she said. “There are so policy solutions for lawmakers to take up. Big tax cuts for the wealthy don't even make the list."

Tara McGovern spoke at a recent meeting of the Board of Supervisors. They addressed me, and said, “You did nothing to help me.”

Let me be clear - I have never used my role as a Supervisor to help ANY criminal defendant. Nor have I ever used my role as a Supervisor to harm any criminal defendant. And that is as it should be! Donald Trump shouldn’t do it at the federal level, and Supervisors should not do it here.

One of the sure “signs of spring” in Iowa is the list of embargoed roads! Winter weather – primarily cycles of freezing and thawing – can do tremendous damage to roads. In order to allow counties to protect the taxpayer investment in these roads, State law allows County Boards of Supervisors to impose weight restrictions.

The chip seal/oil road systems are most susceptible to damage and are most likely to be subjected to embargoes. Although embargoes typically start and end with chip seal roads, we have put embargoes on gravel roads. Even paved roads may be embargoed. Late February through early May is a very common time for the county to post weight restrictions on county roadways. Once posted, the restrictions may be in effect for a period of ninety days. In the past, posted roadways have been limited to any vehicle less than 8 gross tons. Please check the county website for additional information regarding Board approval and weight restrictions for the 2022 embargo season.

The County Engineer may issue a special permit to individuals who demonstrate a need to move market farm produce of the type subject to rapid spoilage or loss of value, or the need to move farm feeds or fuel for home heating purposes. The issuance of a permit may allow certain vehicles exceeding the weight limit to operate on embargoed roadways.

We get asked for exceptions all the time, but please note - permits will not be issued for any other reason - including transporting construction materials or equipment that exceeds the posted weight limit. Operation of over-weight vehicles on restricted roads without a permit will be at the risk of prosecution. Using alternate routes where possible and breaking down loads into smaller units are methods encouraged to minimize damage to these roads.

Permits for qualified participants will be issued at the Johnson County Secondary Road Department at 4810 Melrose Avenue in Iowa City. The following information will be needed to complete the permit: vehicle license plate number(s), driver’s name(s), type of material being transported, and planned route or roads you plan to travel.

Again, for a list of embargoed roads, see the Secondary Roads page on the Johnson County website: https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

I have campaign yard signs. If you want one, just email or call and I’ll get one out to you.

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!

March 13, 2024

I was extremely sad to hear about the recent passing of RJ Moore. RJ served the people of Johnson County as the Assistant Director of our Planning and Zoning Department, now known as Planning, Development, and Sustainability. RJ worked for Johnson County for a long time, and was as responsible as anyone for our movement from “anything goes” zoning to our current “smart” development.

I learned a LOT from RJ Moore. I wanted to learn things as a young Supervisor, and he was willing to teach me. He was smart and passionate, and took every decision very seriously. I really liked and respected him.

RJ also had a pretty amazing life story. He had a difficult childhood (to say the least!) and spent several years in foster care. He enlisted in the US Army immediately following his high school graduation, and ended up in Viet Nam. Once again, the story of his service was unbelievably wild. RJ returned to Iowa with a lot of scars, both physical and emotional. But he vowed to overcome these obstacles, and with the help of his wife Colleen, he graduated from the UI twice, including a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning. RJ also served as one of Johnson County’s Veteran’s Affairs Commissioners.

I have not known many people who had lived through as much as RJ Moore. It made it all the more impressive that he was a smart, kind, decent, fair-minded, and accomplished man. RIP, RJ.

Happy Ramadan to those who celebrate it! Ramadan runs March 10 – April 9 this year. Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam. The fast (sawm) begins at dawn and ends at sunset.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day on March 17! St. Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite days of the year. While not an “official” holiday, this day has long been considered a holiday by my Irish family.

March 17 is a Sunday this year, but we should still be able to celebrate correctly!  Meanwhile, I hope each and every one of you is touched by a little luck o’ the Irish!

*With 23 percent of the population of Celtic ancestry, Massachusetts has a higher proportion of residents of Irish descent than any other state, edging out New Hampshire (20 percent) and Rhode Island (18 percent). The remaining New England states -- Connecticut, Vermont and Maine -- also rank among the top 10 in this category, as do Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Montana.

*New York City has more residents of Irish descent than any city in the world, including Dublin! Boston, however, has the largest percentage of Irish residents of any large American city.

*22 - Gallons of beer consumed per capita by Americans annually. (The equivalent of 176 pints per year.) I used to bring that average way up. Now I bring it way down!

*13 million - In 2017, it was estimated that 13 million pints of Guinness would be consumed worldwide on St. Patrick's Day. And in 2020, it was estimated that in America, overall beer sales would be up 174 percent. In fact, it's the biggest day for bars in the country. And in general, in 2020, it was expected that Americans would spend over $6 billion celebrating the holiday.

*9 - Number of places in the US which share the name of Dublin, Ireland's capital. Dublin, OH was the most populous, at 31,392, followed closely by Dublin, CA at 29,973.

*There are many more Americans of Irish origin than there are Irish in Ireland. (36 million Americans claimed Irish ancestry in 2008; the population of Ireland was 4.4 million at the time.)

*You can't attend a St. Patrick’s Day event without hearing a cry of "Erin go Bragh." What's the phrase mean? It's a corruption of the Irish Éirinn go Brách, which means roughly "Ireland Forever."

March 17 holds a special place in my heart that goes beyond St. Patrick’s Day. That was also the birthday of my late father, Bob Sullivan.

Dad was a proud union man, Hawkeye fan, and Irishman. We were father and son, but also best friends. I can honestly say he was probably the most fun person I have ever known.

Unfortunately, he left this world much too soon, and never got the chance to meet any of his nine grandchildren. I miss him every single day, but especially on St. Paddy’s Day.

So, if you are looking for an extra toast on St. Patrick’s Day, allow me to suggest that you raise a glass to Bob Sullivan.

I was not surprised when Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced she was endorsing Donald Trump. In spite of the nasty things he has said about her, Reynolds quickly got in line.

Reynolds loves to bully trans folks, schools, and poor children. But when faced with a bigger bully, she rolls over like the unprincipled hypocrite she is. It would be shameful, but a person who refuses to take federal money to feed poor children clearly is not capable of shame.

I wrote last week about my frustration at being passed over for the Iowa City Charter Review Commission. This week, I want to focus on the changes I would like to see happen to the Iowa City Charter. Below are the things I feel are most imperative, listed in order of importance:

1. Maintain the referendum process: Iowa City has a limited referendum process. By “limited,” I mean there is an extensive list of things for which no referenda are allowed. This includes anything having to do with taxes, salaries, or anything in any way financial. Obviously, this is extremely limiting. But I find it important that the voters have some say outside of elections. I love that Iowa City has at least some minimal ways in which the public can be heard. I think it is extremely important to maintain this process.

2. District votes for District Councilors: Iowa City has one of the worst and most convoluted systems imaginable in terms of who gets to vote in District Council elections. Under the current system, only District voters vote in a primary; all voters get to vote in the general election. This is extremely confusing, and frankly, unnecessary. District voters should be the only voters in District elections. I know some voters feel they should be able to vote on every seat, but that is why At-Large seats exist. Hell, that is why Districts exist! This change would clean things up and strengthen Districts.

3. Directly elect the Mayor: Even though the Mayor position is not dramatically different from that of the other councilors, it still means something. The public cares who represents them to the outside world, and they want to have a vote in the matter. Because of this, I firmly believe Iowa City should create an At-Large Mayoral seat.

4. More Districts, less At-Large seats: The 2004 and 2014 Charter Commissions spent a lot of time on this topic. There are good arguments for only having Districts – there is a greater chance that individual neighborhood concerns, demographics, etc. get represented. On the other hand, it is entirely possible that the two best people for the job live on the same block. Because of this, IC has always favored a hybrid system.
I agree that a hybrid system is a good solution. But I would lean into Districts just a bit more. In my perfect system, you keep 7 Councilors, with 4 District seats and 3 At-Large seats. One of those At-Large seats is the directly elected Mayor.
This would give more power to Districts, but also keep an At-Large option. And here is the cool part – every voter in IC could still vote for a majority of the Council. They could vote on their own District Councilor, two At-Large seats, and the Mayor. 4 out 7. Yet Districts have a bit more power.

*DID YOU KNOW? Saint Patrick was born Maewyn Succat to a Romanized family in Britain (not Ireland.) He took the name ‘Patricius’ in his writings.

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!

Previous Posts

Archives

SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

March 26, 2024

March 20, 2024

March 13, 2024