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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
August 27, 2024
Sullivan’s Salvos 8/29/24 In this edition: *Congratulations Julie Persons! *Labor Day *Great Labor Quote! *Labor in the Family *Labor Day Picnic *Labor Info *Did You Know? *Congratulations Julie Persons! The Democratic Party Nominee for Auditor is Julie Persons. Julie won a four-way race at the recent Democratic Convention, and will now appear on the fall ballot. The vote totals for those of you keeping score at home: Julie Persons 60 Alex Stanton 26 Shannon Patrick 21 Newman Abuisa 4 Not voting 2 Julie Persons is a longtime TransAmerica employee, the Mayor of Swisher, and the Johnson County Democratic Party Publicity Chair. She was named Volunteer of the Year for 2023 by the JC Dems, and she recently earned the endorsement of the Iowa City Federation of Labor. Though I have only known Julie a few years, I really like her, and I’m excited to help her succeed as your Auditor! Thanks to everyone who threw their hat into the ring. I always admire those who are willing to step up. I hope all 4 candidates will pull together and help elect Democrats this fall! *Labor Day Happy Labor Day Monday, September 2! I love Labor Day. Every Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day we set aside time to recall the folks whose service has given us our freedom. I have long felt we need to treat Labor Day in a similar fashion. Please take a moment this Labor Day to remember the people who fought (and often died) to give us child labor laws, 40-hour weeks, weekends, overtime, vacations, the minimum wage, sick leave, parental leave, OSHA, employment nondiscrimination, pensions, Social Security, health insurance, and so much more. Do not be fooled! Benevolent corporations did not GIVE these benefits to workers! They were earned by workers who sacrificed! It is a shame that so many average Janes and Joes have chosen to support our corporate masters versus supporting those whose efforts really benefit the masses. Trust me – the average person has nothing to fear from unions. We all benefit when folks have safe and healthy workplaces. We all benefit when workers get adequate rest. We all benefit when workers receive good training. We all benefit when folks earn a living wage and have health insurance. Unions help improve the quality of life for all of us. I feel as though I have accomplished some good labor-related things as a member of the Board of Supervisors. In response to the gutting of Prop 20, I led the charge to extend our collective bargaining agreements through June of 2021. Johnson County was the first county, city, or school district in Iowa to do so. We built our projects using Project Labor Agreements until the GOP prevented us from doing so. I have maintained very good relationships with our six (now 5) bargaining units, three (now two) PPME and three AFSCME. Finally, I have treated County employees with the respect they deserve. I am proud to be a member of Local 716 of the American Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the Iowa City Federation of Labor, and a Delegate to the Iowa City Federation of Labor. Happy Labor Day! *Great Labor Quote! The singer/songwriter Steve Earle said it best: “If you have a boss, you need a union!” Amen, brother! *Labor in the Family I spoke to my nephew Levi recently, who is a recent college grad. He just started a job, and told me that he joined AFSCME the very first day he could. That makes him the 4th generation of Sullivan in Cedar Rapids to carry a union card! His Great Grandparents died long before he was born. His Grandpa died a few years before he was born. But they would be so damn proud! I am proud, too! Solidarity, nephew! *Labor Day Picnic The Iowa City Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, is holding our annual Labor Day Picnic from noon-4pm on Monday, September 2 at Lower City Park in Iowa City. All friends of Labor are welcome. Please bring a dish to share. *Labor Info From the Economic Policy Institute, Report By Heidi Scheirholz, Margaret Poydock, Celine McNicholas, Lynne Rhinehart, and Daniel Perez, August 25, 2020. Who are today’s union workers? While historically union members had been predominately white men, today’s union workers are a diverse group. More than one in nine workers (16.4 million) are covered by a union contract (Shierholz 2020). Almost two-thirds (65.2%) of workers covered by a union contract are women and/or people of color. Almost half (46.2%) are women. More than a third (36.1%) are Black, Hispanic, Asian American/Pacific Islander, or other people of color. Black workers are the major racial/ethnic group most likely to be represented by unions: 13.5% of Black workers are covered by a contract, compared with 12.2% of white workers, 10.2% of Hispanic workers, and 10.5% of AAPI workers. More than half (54.7%) of workers covered by a union contract have an associate degree or more education. More than two out of five (43.1%) have a bachelor’s degree or more education. Union workers hail from a variety of sectors, but the biggest numbers are found in the public sector (7.9 million) and in private-sector industries like education and health services (2.1 million), manufacturing (1.4 million), transportation and utilities (1.2 million), construction (1.1 million), and wholesale and retail trade (917,000). Since industries vary in size, industries with the highest numbers of union workers aren’t always the industries with the highest union coverage rate. The highest shares of workers covered by a union contract (the “union coverage rate”) are public-sector workers (37.8%) and private-sector workers in the transportation and utilities (19.4%), construction (14.1%), information (10.4%), manufacturing (9.8%), and educational and health services (9.4%) industries. Unions raise wages for both union and nonunion workers! On average, a worker covered by a union contract earns 11.2% more in wages than a peer with similar education, occupation, and experience in a nonunionized workplace in the same industry; this wage advantage is known as the “union wage premium.” And unions don’t just help union workers—they help all of us. When union density is high, nonunion workers benefit, because unions effectively set broader standards—including higher wages, as noted by Rosenfeld, Denice, and Laird (2016)—that nonunion employers must meet in order to attract and retain the workers they need (and to avoid facing a union organizing drive themselves). The combination of the direct effect of unions on union members and this “spillover” effect to nonunion workers means unions are crucial in raising wages for working people and reducing income inequality. Research shows that deunionization accounts for a sizable share of the growth in inequality between typical (median) workers and workers at the high end of the wage distribution in recent decades—on the order of 13–20% for women and 33–37% for men. Unions help raise wages for women and lessen racial wage gaps. Unions help raise women’s pay. Hourly wages for women represented by a union are 5.8% higher on average than for nonunionized women with comparable characteristics. Rigorous research shows that unions reduce gender wage gaps within given employers: For example, Biasi and Sarsons (2020) show that the expiration of teacher collective bargaining agreements led to a gender gap in wages between male and female teachers with similar credentials. Unions also help close wage gaps for Black and Hispanic workers. Since collective bargaining lifts wages of Black and Hispanic workers closer to those of their white counterparts, Black and Hispanic workers get a larger boost from unionization. White workers represented by union are paid “just” 8.7% more than their nonunionized peers who are white, but Black workers represented by union are paid 13.7% more than their nonunionized peers who are Black, and Hispanic workers represented by unions are paid 20.1% more than their nonunionized peers who are Hispanic. Unions provide workers with better benefits, including paid leave and health care. Union workers are more likely to be covered by employer-provided health insurance. More than nine in 10 workers covered by a union contract (94%) have access to employer-sponsored health benefits, compared with just 68% of nonunion workers. Further, union employers contribute more to their employee’s health care benefits. Union employers pay 86% of workers’ health care premiums while nonunion employers pay 79% of their workers’ health care premiums (BLS-EB 2019a). Union workers also have greater access to paid sick days. Nine in 10 workers covered by a union contract (91%) have access to paid sick days, compared with 73% of nonunion workers. Almost all union workers in state and local government (97%) have paid sick days, compared with 86% of their nonunion peers. In the private sector, 86% of union workers have paid sick days compared with 72% of their nonunion peers (BLS-EB 2019b). *DID YOU KNOW? In the wake of the massive unrest from the Haymarket Square Incident and other labor protests, Congress passed an act making Labor Day a legal holiday. On June 28, 1894, President Cleveland signed it into law. 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
August 20, 2024
Sullivan’s Salvos 8/22/24 In this edition: *RIP Alejandro Rojas *Starting the School Year *Zuri Starts Second Grade! *Lone Tree Fall Festival *Latino Fest *Democratic Party Candidates and Democratic Party Resumes *Did You Know? *RIP Alejandro Rojas I am sad to report on the passing of Alejandro Rojas. Some of you may recall Alejandro as a reporter the last couple of years with the Gazette; before that, he spent a couple years covering County Government for the Daily Iowan. I really liked and respected Alejandro. He was very pleasant and courteous, but also a bit annoying. That is why he had the makings of a really good reporter! He asked the same question 2-3 different ways, challenging me to be consistent in my answers. We played catch once, a story that he wrote up for the DI, and I wrote up for Facebook. I am so very sorry to hear this. Payers to Alejandro’s family and friends. *Starting the School Year I know January 1 is the official New Year, but in Iowa City, the New Year always feels like mid-August. Having lived here 40 years, my circadian rhythms are set to a new academic year being the real new year. Whether you live life by the semester or not, I hope you have a great academic year! *Zuri Starts Second Grade! My granddaughter Zuri starts Second Grade at Horace Mann this year, and our whole household is excited! I love the improvements that were made at Mann! It is interesting; I was on the Facilities Master Plan (FMP) Committee that decided what the ICCSD would ask voters to approve in the huge 2017 bond issue. (I served on the bond campaign as well.) Mitch Gross (then a West High teacher, now the West High Principal) and I led the charge to ensure that as few schools as possible got closed, and that every school got improvements. The consultants would have closed Mann, Lincoln, Longfellow, Hills, and Coralville Central. We argued to not only keep those schools, but to invest heavily in them. Thankfully, our side won the day! It is a bit ironic, because I never imagined that 7 years later, my granddaughter would be attending one of the schools we saved! But I am really glad she is! Good luck, Zuri! Go get ‘em! *Lone Tree Fall Festival The Lone Tree Fall Festival is August 23 & 24 in Lone Tree. This event is a great opportunity to share some good times with the fine folks of Johnson County’s “panhandle”! *Latino Fest Join us on August 24 from noon to 10 pm at the Ped Mall for Latino Fest Iowa City, a vibrant celebration of Latinx culture! Since 2012, this family-friendly festival has showcased the rich traditions of the Latinx community. Festival Highlights: Kids' games, entertainment, arts and crafts, Latinx food, and dance classes. Also local vendors and cultural performances. Come celebrate with us and experience the richness of Latinx culture! Date: August 24, Noon to Midnight on the Ped Mall in Iowa City. *Democratic Party Candidates and Democratic Party Resumes I’ve had some recent conversations with folks about the Johnson County Democratic Party. Some feel the JC Dems are too “clubby.” Obviously, the JC Dems want to be a big tent, and do a lot of work towards that end. But perception can mean more than reality sometimes. Is there a right or wrong opinion here? One of the things I like about the JC Dems is that the only requirement for participation is to just show up. There aren’t many other groups that open. Ironically, some folks feel even this bar is too high. “Why do I have to show up? What about people with kids, or who don’t drive, or don’t have a computer, or (fill in the blank)?” Frankly, I think that is just sour grapes. Over my 35+ years of involvement, I have seen lots of single parents with kids do things. My late friend Lori Bears never drove, never had a cell phone, and never had a computer, yet she was a valuable member of the JC Dems – a very deserving member of the Hall of Fame. I can think of several other people in similar situations. Everyone can contribute in some way. Sure, there are people who have differing levels of involvement. And that is fine. But if you want to be a Democratic candidate for office – and have that “D” behind your name – I feel you should pay some dues. What does “paying dues” mean? It can mean a lot of things. Go to meetings. Knock on doors. Make phone calls. Attend forums. Write letters to the editor. Write postcards. Donate money. Serve on a committee. Feed volunteers. March in parades. Help set up or clean up after events. Work a table. There are twelve ideas right there, and that is barely scratching the surface. I think people who want to appear on a ballot with that “D” behind their name ought to do at least some of these things. That goes for incumbents, too! In my book, you don’t get a pass just because you got elected once, or twice, or more. Winning elections takes work. Elected officials should lead by example. They should be among the hardest workers. It is true that we have always had candidates with varying amounts of party experience. Some candidates literally grew up within the party, doing all the abovementioned tasks as children. Others converted from another party as adults. Still others have taken different paths. You don’t have to have a specific background. What you have to do is commit to do the work. The JC Dems have also always represented a continuum of opinions. There are lots of people over the years who lean a bit more Socialist, or DSA, or Green, or some other party, but vote primarily for Dems. These folks have always been welcome. (Perhaps this does not need saying, but “welcome” does not mean the same thing as, “You will get your way.”) From the time I started in politics here (35+ years ago) until just a decade ago, we had a very different problem: people who were definitely *NOT* Democrats would simply register as Democrats, then run under the Democratic party banner. But these folks were not actually Democrats, and did not govern as Democrats. That was a very serious problem for our local politics. There are very few ways for voters to assess candidates for school board or city council. Especially with the tiny amount of media coverage available. The best shorthand for busy voters is, “What political party are they?” It tells a voter quite a bit. So even in nonpartisan races, party ID mattered a lot. I think it still does. And frankly, because of our dearth of local media, it probably means a lot more now than it did 20 years ago. I have heard the argument, “One can push the values of the Democratic Party without directly working for the party.” I agree wholeheartedly with this. You can be a volunteer and donor at Free Lunch, Table to Table, and your place of worship. And all those things look good on a candidate’s resume. I know I look for such things! And I celebrate everyone who does this type of work. But none of it replaces volunteering for Dems. Not if you want that “D” behind your name. There are three types of activists out there – those who work inside the party, those who agitate from outside, and those who try to do some of both. If you are just an “outside the party” advocate? You can’t really expect to be embraced as a candidate later. Especially if in your wake there are a bunch of records of you trashing the party. Hey – sometimes the party makes really bad decisions! Sometimes it deserves criticism. But you cannot pretend you own only the good decisions, and not own the bad ones, too. Here is an example: I was born and raised Catholic. By the early 80s, I could not reconcile the decisions the Catholic Church was making with my own values. I had two choices – stay, and try to fix it from within, or leave, and advocate for the issues I cared about in a different space. I chose to leave. And that is fine. But I don’t get to go back now, call myself a Catholic, and demand that they do certain things. I gave that up. I chose the “outside” role. I now have to accept those consequences. Same applies to someone who decides to agitate from “outside” the Democratic Party. Come back, and you will be welcomed with open arms. But don’t expect to immediately get nominated for office! I think everyone should understand and acknowledge the fact that you are *NOT* getting elected in Johnson County unless you are a Democrat. Failing to acknowledge this is lying to yourself and others. You think you got elected because of your sparkling personality? You didn’t. You think you got elected because of your great ideas? You didn’t. You think you got elected because of your hard work? You didn’t. Like it or not, you got elected because you are a Democrat. This applies to me, too. It applies to all of us. And it has for decades. And let me be clear, that is not a terrible thing. I’m proud to be a member of the JC Dems. Don’t like something the Dems are doing? Fix it from within, fix it from outside, or try to balance both. That is up to you. But anybody out there who is thinking they’d like to run for office some day? My advice is do some volunteering for the JC Dems. The right to carry the torch should be earned. *DID YOU KNOW? Republicans have only won four Johnson County Courthouse elections (Supervisor, Sheriff, County Attorney, Treasurer, Auditor, Recorder) since 1958. 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
August 13, 2024
Sullivan’s Salvos 8/15/24 In this edition: *Happy Birthday Melissa! *Happy Birthday BJ! *Union Tradition Lives On! *Skip the Bottled Water *Soil Health Program *Refugees of a Different Kind *Did You Know? *Happy Birthday Melissa! My wonderful wife Melissa Fath celebrates her birthday on August 17th. I have got to tell you – Melissa Fath is AMAZING! Her ability to balance cancer research with her roles as a wife, mother, and community member – I have no words to do it justice! I guess I’ll just stick to: Happy Birthday, Honey! I love you! *Happy Birthday BJ! My son Octavious (BJ) turns 28 on August 22. He has already had several adventures, and there are no doubt more to come. BJ lives in Florida where he is pursuing his dreams. BJ is funny compassionate, kind, and all around wonderful! I am very proud of him! Happy Birthday, BJ! I love you! *Union Tradition Lives On! I spoke to my nephew Levi the other day, who is a recent college grad. He just started a job, and told me that he joined AFSCME the very first day he could. That makes him the 4th generation of Sullivans in Cedar Rapids to carry a union card! His Great Grandparents died long before he was born. His Grandpa died a few years before he was born. But they would be so damn proud! I am proud, too! Solidarity, nephew! *Skip the Bottled Water This appeared in Salvos a few months ago, but it bears repeating: It takes 47 million barrels of oil to produce the 4 billion pounds of plastic water bottles used each year. 47 million barrels of oil is enough to fuel 1 million cars for a year. (Source: Physicians for Social Responsibility.) It is easy to default to bottled water. I am sometimes guilty of it, too. But please try to avoid wasting all that plastic. (And water!) We all need to do our part. *Soil Health Program Homeowners in unincorporated Johnson County and its smaller communities who would like to have greener and healthier lawns without the use of chemicals, can apply to have 50% of the costs for soil quality restoration reimbursed (up to $2,000) through the Johnson County Soil Health Program. Homeowners who wish to participate must be pre-approved by the program coordinators and use a contractor from a pre-approved list. The program’s goal is to restore soil quality on new or existing lawns. The restoration process involves deep-tine aeration, which removes small plugs of earth from the lawn to reduce soil compaction and applying clean compost to add organic matter to the soil. Good quality soil absorbs more water and provides the nutrients that a lawn needs to be healthy. The result is a reduced need for watering, fertilizers, and pesticides, with less runoff and fewer pollutants going into local streams. Interested homeowners can learn more and apply for the program by visiting johnsoncountyiowa.gov/soil-quality-restoration. Approval for program participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. An informational video also is available at https://tinyurl.com/SHPjc. For more information, contact Kasey Hutchinson, environmental regulations coordinator, or Becky Soglin, sustainability coordinator, in the Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability Department at soilhealthprogram@johnsoncountyiowa.gov or 319-356-6083. *Refugees of a Different Kind It was Thursday, August 1st. The doorbell rang just after 7 am. I was still getting dressed when Melissa said, “There is a young person on our porch who needs to go to Guide Link. I told them you would drive them. Meanwhile, I am charging their cell.” What? Who? Do I know them? WTF is going on? (Melissa does this type of thing to me a lot.) I finished dressing and went outside. A tiny person, probably 5’2” and 110 pounds, was standing there with a large backpack. They were wearing a baseball cap and had a scruffy beard, and gave me a big smile. “I’m Adam,” (not their real name) they said. I introduced myself, and said, “So I hear you want a ride to Guide Link?” “Yes,” said Adam. “I heard they can help me.” I told Adam to jump in, and we began driving. I said, “I have to ask – why ring our doorbell?” Adam quickly replied that they had noticed the Iowa City Pride sign in our yard, and figured we would be kind. You see, Adam was trans. Adam began sharing their life story. Born and raised in a tiny town outside of Davenport, they were homeschooled K-12. As they began to figure out who they were, their parents punished them for it. After completing high school, Adam tried to be themself. Their parents threw them out of the house. They have spent the last year just ambling across Iowa. They stayed with some people in Davenport, but began getting into drugs. They found a place to sober up in DeWitt, but could only stay a couple weeks. Then there was a big move out to Sioux City, where they spent some time feeling totally unsafe. Des Moines did not work out. They went home for just a couple of days, but their parents were upset about the drug use. “Let me guess,” I interjected. They thought if you just sobered up you would no longer be trans?” “Exactly!” hollered Adam. They laughed, and said, “I’m sorry – I’m just not used to someone understanding my situation.” After the failed return home, they headed to a sober living space in Muscatine. “It was cool;’ said Adam. “They really believed in harm reduction. They were very well-intentioned. But no one was getting better, because everyone in the place was still using.” Finally, someone there suggested Guide Link in Iowa City. So Adam found a ride to town. Unfortunately, that led right into a bender. Adam’s story finished just as we pulled up to Guide Link. I gave them my cell number, and asked if they wanted me to come in. Adam said no, so I wished them well and drove to work. A few hours later my phone rang. It was Adam. Though the folks at Guide Link were very kind, they could not really help them. You see, Adam really didn’t have any mental health issues, and they were totally sober when they arrived. Basically, what Adam needed was a place to live, and maybe a support group. So Guide Link referred Adam to Shelter House. Adam said the folks at Shelter House were also very kind, but they were completely full. They took Adam’s number, and said they would be in touch if something opened up. Adam was now homeless in Iowa City. Honestly, I have mixed emotions about what happened next. Melissa and I already had a young adult staying at our house for a few weeks, waiting on her new lease to start. Our house already felt crowded. I was secretly hoping Adam would not ask to stay with us. They did not ask. Then I felt even worse! I told Adam to call if they needed something, and we hung up. When people think about refugees in Johnson County, they typically think of people from Afghanistan, Sudan, or some other foreign country. But we have additional types of refugees. The Iowa GOP has created a state where we have LGBTQ+ refugees. And just like our refugees from other countries, these refugees have nowhere to live. It is tragic. I sincerely hope we can do something to help house Adam and others who find themselves in similar situations. And just like refugees from other countries, I hope we can work upstream to end the injustices that make them feel they need to leave their homes. We must do better. *DID YOU KNOW? The first white settler in Johnson County was a man named Phillip Clark, who arrived in 1836. Clark made his home near Morfordsville, which was near the Iowa River in Pleasant Valley Township east of Hills. Morfordsville ceased to exist in the 1890s. 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
August 6, 2024
Sullivan’s Salvos 8/8/24 In this edition: *Bohannan for Congress! *Tim Walz for Vice President! *Jail Needs Update *Did You Know? *Bohannan for Congress! Please allow me to make a case for Christina Bohannan for Congress! If you are giving money ANYWHERE, Bohannan should be at the top of your list! If you are volunteering ANYWHERE, Bohannan should be at the top of your list! I feel this race is being overlooked by some of the people of Johnson County, and that would be a HUGE mistake! The following ran in Salvos two years ago. It still stands. I just wanted to take a moment to share my admiration for 1st District Congressional Candidate Christina Bohannan. When I met Christina, it was immediately evident that she was friendly, warm, and unbelievably intelligent. Those qualities alone can serve a person quite well in elective office. But Christina has gone on to impress me in many additional ways. Christina is an incredibly hard worker. She doggedly researches topics, she talks to everyone who might be affected, and she is willing to work across the aisle. I am aware of one situation where Republicans in the House were ready to ram home legislation, and Democrats felt helpless. But Christina intervened, and almost singlehandedly made the bill less bad. I am really impressed by her work in the Iowa Legislature! Christina puts that same hard work into constituent services. I know many people who have been pleased by her follow through. Unfortunately, many of us do not expect a lot from our elected officials. Christina has proven otherwise. If she says she is going to do something, it gets done, it gets done quickly, and it gets done well. Finally, and I cannot emphasize this enough – Christina really cares. She truly wants to improve the lives of Iowans. She did not have it easy growing up. Christina lived in a trailer, and her dad worked construction until emphysema (and a lack of good health insurance) made work impossible. Christina has never forgotten these roots. All of her votes have those who are less powerful in mind. I am going to be enthusiastically campaigning for Christina Bohannan this election season. I am proud to knock doors on her behalf! I hope you will join me! *Tim Walz for Vice President! I have to say, I am really excited about the choice of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as the Democratic Party nominee for Vice President! You’ve probably seen the laundry list of Walz’ accomplishments as Governor. The list is impressive! And you have probably seen his plainspoken explanations as to why Democrats are the best choice. Those are great, too! But there is another story about Tim Walz that needs to be told. It literally brought me to tears. Walz was a high school teacher and football coach. In 1999, he led his Mankato high school to their first ever State Championship. You know what the first thing he did when the team returned to Mankato? He announced that the high school was starting a gay-straight alliance, and that he would be the faculty sponsor. This is a good man, folks. Go Harris/Walz! *Jail Needs Update The current jail was built in 1981 to house 46 residents, which was inadequate from the start. It also was not built with sufficient footings to expand vertically. The surrounding land is a high priority for the UI, so it is not available. Double bunking allowed the jail to house 92 inmates, but it does so neither adequately nor comfortably. This move also cost the jail all available space for treatment, exercise, small groups, visitations, worship, and the like. It is also not built to house women or nonbinary prisoners. For the last few years, the Sheriff considers the jail full at about 65 prisoners. The average daily population in FY 2024 was a little over 80. That means on an average day, 15 inmates get shipped to other counties. That led to $331,000 in expenses in FY 2024. Other counties charge between $55 and $80 per day to house each prisoner. We are currently using jails in Linn and Henry County; both charge a bit over $60/day per inmate. Add in transportation costs, and it runs almost $100/day to house an inmate out of county. It costs considerably less to house inmates in our own jail. Problems exist with the current arrangements. First, transporting prisoners is a logistical nightmare. They need to appear in court frequently, and also have a right to visitors, which is hard if they are not here. That is another problem – some of the nearby jails are filling up. That means we are forced to transport many prisoners farther away - to Lee County, for example. That adds a great deal to the cost. Secondly, there is not adequate room for exercise, study, religious services, or classes. These are all part of a humane and rehabilitative system for housing inmates. Thirdly, the current jail is also less than ideal for the deputies that work there; they are more at risk than we would like. Finally, the existing jail is literally falling apart. We run the risk that we will simply have to close it for reasons of structural safety. One of the clear messages from the failed 2000 referendum was that the public expected alternatives to incarceration. This is an area where Sheriff Pulkrabek and his staff excelled, and Sheriff Kunkel has followed suit. Most of the alternatives that could be used are already in place. The public has gotten what they asked for, and the results have been very positive. There are still a few more measures that can be taken, and I expect the County will institute those soon. Most additional alternatives would rest solely with the judiciary. While positive, the results have not alleviated the overcrowding to the extent we had hoped. Alternatives eliminate an average of several inmates per day, but when the average daily population is still fifteen+ more people than the jail will hold, that is not a big enough impact to change the big picture. The biggest obstacle to more alternatives is, ironically, a lack of space. The selection of a site will influence the operational costs; a building that is 1-2 stories with good lines of sight will cost less to staff. While no decisions have been made, it seems prudent to review several sites for the cost of land acquisition, land development, and operations. I view the jail situation as being similar to private home ownership. If the cost of renting exceeds the cost of a mortgage, you probably ought to consider buying. Johnson County is certainly paying more to house prisoners elsewhere than it might cost to build and operate a new facility. The key will be not just the cost of erecting a new building, but the costs of operating said building. As you can see, there are many variables to be considered. There are also plenty of people with plenty of opinions on this. Obviously, attorneys and law enforcement officers care what happens. So do social justice advocates. We are often reminded that the US leads the world in the percentage of people incarcerated, and that Iowa is among the very worst when it comes to disproportionate minority confinement. We need to do our part locally to ensure that only those people who are a threat to others are incarcerated. We have not only a financial obligation, but more importantly, a moral obligation to limit unnecessary jail stays. Some would have you believe that jail overcrowding is the biggest crisis facing Johnson County. Others would have you believe that things are just fine. In my opinion, neither of those opinions is correct. The bottom line is, most residents use neither the jail nor the courthouse. For most residents of Johnson County, the jail and courthouse are simply expenses. So any proposal to address the overcrowding at either or both buildings will have to focus on the costs. I think the public will be willing to build a facility if it saves money in the long run; I am not sure they will spend the money if it will cost more. You can find much more info on the jail at: https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/sheriff/jail-stats. I need to do much more to engage the public on this complex topic. So what do you think? I would like to know! *DID YOU KNOW? In 2020, Johnson County’s Congressional District (then the 2nd; now the first) was only decided by 6 votes! That was the closest Congressional race in the US! 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
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