SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

May 27, 2025

Sullivan’s Salvos 5/29/25

In this edition:

*Wise Words!

*Shout Out to Representative Levin!

*Iowa City Budget

*Lyrics to Live By

*Big Beautiful Bill?

*Rededication of the Lorada Cilek Bridge

*Did You Know?

*Wise Words!

We had the thought below in our church bulletin a couple of weeks ago:

“We draw people to Christ not by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it.”

―Madeleine L'Engle

How very true! It is not unlike the old saying, “you attract more flies with honey than with vinegar.” I was just thinking about how many groups of which I am a member, and how all of them could stand to remember this lesson.

My church? You bet! The Democratic Party? People don’t want to join us after being told how stupid they are. Iowa fans? Does it attract future student athletes when they can see how people criticize current student athletes online? Labor movement? Are we doing all we can to bring in younger members?

We do not attract others by telling them how wrong they are. We can and must lead by example. Make it fun. Show you care.

*Shout Out to Representative Levin!

The Democrats who represent Johnson County do an incredible job of getting to various community events. Fundraisers, forums, protests, performances, meetings – you name it, and the odds are good that one or more of our Johnson County Legislators is there. It really is impressive.

But I am reserving a special shout out to State Representative Elinor Levin from Iowa’s House District 89. That woman is everywhere! I see her in places that amaze me! Thank you, Representative Levin, for showing up so frequently. It does not go unnoticed!

*Iowa City Budget

Because of the woeful lack of local media coverage, most people with whom I speak do not realize that the Iowa City Council passed the FY26 budget by a 4-3 vote. Councilors Harmsen, Alter, Moe, and Mayor Teague voted yes, while Councilors Bergus, Weilein, and Salih voted no.

Please pay attention to this vote, and unpack what it means. This will have a dramatic influence on the fall elections and the future direction of our city!

*Lyrics to Live By

Sometimes the real poetry of our day ends up in song lyrics. One of my very favorite lyrics ever comes from one of my favorite songs - “Lucky Ball and Chain” by They Might Be Giants in 1990:

“I could shake my tiny fist
And swear I wasn't wrong.
But what's the sense in arguing
When you're all alone?”

Lyrics to live by!

*Big Beautiful Bill?

Republicans in the House just passed the biggest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich in US history. Every Republican voted yes.

The rich are the only people who benefit. The top 5% get $120 billion in tax cuts. Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP get cut to pay for it, the biggest cuts to those programs in their history. The cuts will affect at least 50 million people. PLUS the bill increases the deficit by $2.3 trillion.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says the bill cuts at least $715 billion in healthcare spending, mostly from Medicaid, and $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, causing more than 2.7 million American households to lose benefits. Because the massive debt increase in the measure triggers a 2010 law requiring offsets, it will cut Medicare, as well, by an estimated $500 billion.

Just to add insult to injury, there is also a piece of the bill that would. restrict the authority of federal courts to hold government officials in contempt. In other words, Trump can do whatever he wants.

I am so distraught. This is the opposite of everything I believe. Frankly, it is in direct opposition to my life’s work. But my work is not done. Get ready. The 2026 elections will be the most important in American history!

*Rededication of the Lorada Cilek Bridge

I am very pleased to announce that on June 6, 2025 – much too late, but better late than never – we are doing a rededication of the Lorada Cilek Bridge just north of Sutliff. The signs are in, and we will unveil them at this time. There will be a small ceremony out at the bridge at 11 am on the 6th, which is open to the public.

Lorada Cilek was the first woman elected to the office of Johnson County Supervisor. She served about ten years on the Board of Supervisors, from the early 70s until the early 80s. She was also part of the first Board that went from 3-5 members. Before being elected, Cilek was the President of the Horace Mann PTA, President of the MECCA Board of Directors, and chaired the County Board of Social Welfare. Her career as a Supervisor was known for her support of programs serving the poor, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. (It does not sound like she would be happy with our national politics today!) Her husband Paul worked in the Iowa City Assessor’s Office, and together they had 8 children.

And interestingly, Lorada Cilek was an important person in my young life!

You see, I grew up near Sutliff. In the 1970s, the state required Johnson County to close the old one lane bridge. There was a great debate over whether to build a new structure. Without a bridge, people in my area would have to drive into Lisbon, over to Mt. Vernon, and down Highway 1 to Solon. It turned a 6-mile drive into an 18-mile drive. This was terrible for area commuters, and would have been tragic for area farmers. It only affected a couple hundred county residents, but it really affected them a lot!

Cilek came to Sutliff and listened, and became the biggest supporter of building a new bridge. (I must admit – as a teenager at the time, I did not pay attention during the meeting. I was outside flirting with girls. But people left the meeting talking positively about Supervisor Cilek!) She convinced two of her peers to go along, and a new bridge passed with a 3-2 vote.

So when the modern concrete structure that now crosses the Cedar River north of the old bridge was completed, the Board of Supervisors decided to name it in her honor: The Lorada Cilek Memorial Bridge. Though the bridge was named, for some reason, no signs were ever erected.

A bit more of the story from my perspective - Mike Cilek was appointed to the Board in mid-June of ’82 following his mother’s death. Mike served until the results of the 1982 election were certified in mid-November. Lorada was replaced by Dick Myers, who served until he left for the Iowa House. Myers was replaced by Joe Bolkcom, who served until he left for the Iowa Senate. Bolkcom was replaced by Carol Thompson, who served one term, then retired. Thompson was replaced by me. So I literally sit in Lorada Cilek’s old seat.

To keep the small world stuff going, Mike Cilek was the Hawkeye quarterback in the late 1960s – and I am a Hawkeye fanatic. Even closer to home, I worked with Mike’s daughter Carrie when I served as the Executive Director of The Arc. Mike also later became my realtor! He and his wife Judy are absolutely wonderful people that I respect deeply.

I am really pleased that we are doing this, and really pleased that the Cilek family gets to enjoy this moment.

*DID YOU KNOW? For sitting US Presidents have been assassinated: Abe Lincoln in 1865; James Garfield in 1881; William McKinley in 1901; and John Kennedy in 1963.

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

May 19, 2025

I am a grandfather again! My daughter Rachel gave birth on Sunday, May 18 to a healthy baby girl named S’nova Sue! Mom, daughter, and big sister Zuri are all doing well!

This caught us a bit by surprise, as the baby was not due until June 1^st. She is a bit on the small side, but doing well. I am also pleased by her middle name – Sue is my mother, and my kids’ only living grandparent.

Monday, May 26 is Memorial Day. I hope you have a wonderful holiday, and I hope you spend at least a part of it remembering those who have died while serving our Country. Happy Memorial Day to all!

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared it should be May 30. It is believed the date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

The first large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The ceremonies centered around the mourning- draped veranda of the Arlington mansion, once the home of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Various Washington officials, including Gen. and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, presided over the ceremonies. After speeches, children from the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphan Home and members of the GAR made their way through the cemetery, strewing flowers on both Union and Confederate graves, reciting prayers and singing hymns.

I really don’t know what to say about this. It is 2025, and this pisses me off: Nine states officially set aside a day to honor those who died fighting for the Confederacy in the Civil War: Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia.

“Hey, y’all! Let’s celebrate traitors who attempted to overthrow the US Government because they wanted to keep black people as property!” Can’t we do better?

“This weekend there are two major anniversaries for the history of civil rights in the United States. Seventy-one years ago, on May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court decided Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. That landmark decision declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.”

“It overturned the Supreme Court’s Plessy v. Ferguson decision handed down 129 years ago. On that day, May 18, 1896, the Supreme Court declared that the Fourteenth Amendment allowed segregation within states so long as accommodations were “equal.”

The annual Solon Firefighter’s breakfast is Sunday, May 25, 2025 at the firehouse, 400 Windflower Lane. They will be serving all-you-can-eat pancakes, eggs, sausage and ham from 6:30 am-12:30 pm. There will also be raffle items and kids activities.

Memorial Day Weekend means graduations. Congratulations to all our graduating seniors! Commencement has already taken place at the UI and Kirkwood, and the local high schools are graduating soon.

I know that Melissa (and others) accuse me of being overly sentimental when it comes to these types of things. That may be true. But graduation really is a milestone. Honestly, Pomp and Circumstance often brings a tear to my eye!

Certainly, what graduates do in the future is much more important than what they have done to date. But the fact is, they have accomplished something important. Let’s reflect upon it, and celebrate it! Congrats again to all the graduates!

There are 9 states with more cows than people: Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming.

Similarly, there are only 9 states that have more chickens than people – Iowa leads that group by far with over 60 million chickens; Ohio is second at about 45 million.

Only two states have more hogs than people – Nebraska has 3.6 million hogs and 2 million people, while Iowa has 27 million hogs and 3 million people.

I recently saw retired UI Professor Chris Jones read from his book, “Swine Republic” at Prairie Lights. It reminded me of something I put in Salvos on 12/21/21. Here is that article. Meanwhile, please buy Jones’ book, available at Ice Cube Press.

It is not a popular position to hold in Iowa, but I think we need to reimagine the way we do agriculture. And there are opportunities to act now that would be to the benefit of us all.

For starters, look at the ongoing droughts in the American west. Why divert millions of gallons of water to agriculture in the west when most of those crops could be grown right here? That would allow westerners to respond to the drought, while we use our great soil to produce more actual food.

According to experts at Iowa State, all of the following vegetables thrive in Iowa and could do so at scale: kale, spinach, Brussel sprouts, Swiss chard, beets, green onions, lettuce, arugula, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, peas, beans, and radishes! We can grow just about everything!

My guess is that farmers in the west would hate the idea of ending production. But how much are we willing to spend to keep them in business? They are being heavily subsidized either way. So why use up all the water? It would be cheaper and better for the planet to pay them NOT to grow anything.

Farmers in the Midwest would hate it, too. Why? 1) People dislike change. 2) Farmers would need some new equipment. 3) Growing the crops would be more labor intensive. 4) It would be viewed as Communist.

But, Midwest farmers may NEED to consider something different soon. Because we are quickly moving to electric vehicles. What does that mean for farmers in the Midwest? Well, 33% of all corn goes toward ethanol. That ethanol will not be needed in electric vehicles. The market for a third of our corn could disappear. Shifting that cropland to food production makes a lot of sense.

Or, farmers can get on the solar train! Consider the following stats from Bill Nussey:

If you compare the energy utility of an acre of solar panels to an acre of corn, the acre of solar wins by a landslide.

Each year, one acre of corn produces 551 gallons of ethanol, which is the equivalent of 386 gallons of gas. Using the average miles per gallon of a US automobile, this equates to 9691 miles driven per acre of corn per year.

In Iowa, an acre of solar panels produces 198,870 kilowatt hours each year. A typical EV drives approximately 3.6 miles per kilowatt hour. So, each year, an acre of solar panels produces enough energy for an EV to drive 710,250 miles. This is over 70 times the distance the same acre producing corn could provide.

Unlike ethanol, an acre of solar can power anything attached to the grid. The same Iowa acre, for instance, could also be used to provide 18 average US homes with electricity for the year.

The financial utility of replacing corn with solar also promises huge gains for farmers. For example, it is not uncommon for a farmer to make two to three times more money per acre leasing to solar rather than planting corn. Solar also guarantees a steady stream of revenue, unlike corn which stands the risk of crop failure and price volatility.

Nussey doesn’t even talk about the environmental benefits of less nitrogen and phosphate in the water supply, and more of our precious soil remaining in place. And the red herrings that are constantly brought up about taking up farmland? What if we simply exchange the amount of land dedicated to ethanol for land dedicated to vegetables and solar? Plus solar panels are easy to remove. What a huge win!

It is well past time that we consider doing some things differently when it comes to agriculture. Let’s get ahead of the curve and put our land to work in a better way!

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!

May 13, 2025

Writing this post makes me very sad. Unfortunately, my union local - American Federation of Teachers Local 716 (AFT 716) is folding.

This deserves a bit of additional context. Nobody is losing a job, or healthcare, or pensions. AFT 716 was a bit of a unicorn in the world of organized labor. We were not a “bargaining unit,” and that is an important distinction. We never sat down with employers to bargain wages or benefits.

So why did AFT 716 exist at all? Back in 1984, the folks at the UI Labor Center felt they needed to belong to a union in order to bolster the organization. They knew even then that they would not be bargaining wages and benefits, so they had to find a union that was comfortable having a local with this arrangement. All of the staff had teaching and/or research backgrounds, and some had experience with AFT on a national level. AFT was a very active, progressive union (it still is) so it seemed like a natural fit.

Over time, AFT 716 added a member here and there, but it remained primarily as a way for staff at the UI Labor Center to be card-carrying union members. Longtime Labor Center Director Roberta Till-Retz served as the President of our local, and saw benefit in bringing in various other friends of labor. We got to know each other in the early ‘90s through mutual friend Gary Sanders, and Roberta was thrilled to learn of my long labor history. She soon signed me up, and I became a member in 1994. (Meaning I just celebrated 30 years of membership.)

AFT 716 had a high profile in some ways. Longtime Iowa AFL-CIO President Mark Smith was an AFT 716 member. Congressman Dave Loebsack was an AFT 716 member. There was definitely a time where we punched above our weight.

I was extremely proud of my AFT 716 membership. For the past 20 years, I have also been one of two AFT 716 delegates to the Iowa City Federation of Labor, the Central Labor Body for Johnson County. I have taken that role very seriously. I rarely missed a meeting in 30 years, and I felt that I did a good job of fighting for the wants and needs of my brothers and sisters in the labor movement.

Unfortunately, AFT 716 just wasn’t viable any longer. There were only around 20 members, and only about 6 of us were still working. Retirees don’t pay much in monthly dues, so the organization just didn’t have a lot of money. In addition, work wasn’t getting done. Our President was a busy labor lawyer. We had no Secretary, and no one was stepping up to fill the role. Our longtime Treasurer wanted to stop (he had more than earned the right!) but again, no one was stepping up. Some in the labor community questioned if we were a “real” local, deserving of votes at labor meetings. After considering all these factors, AFT 716 voted unanimously to disband.

I recognize that this might not mean much to most of you. But it is profound for me. AFT 716 was home to a lot of people I consider mentors. AFT 716 was home to some of my best friends. It feels a bit like the death of a longtime friend.

In addition, I may end up without a union. I am really struggling with that possibility. I am a Sullivan. We hold union cards. That is how things work. I have a couple ideas, but I am resigning myself to the idea that I may not be a union member for the first time in a long time.

So what is next? Communications Workers of America Local 7108 (CWA) has kindly offered to sign up the folks from AFT 716 who wish to join them. Some of my brothers and sisters are going to go that route, and I am really happy for them. I respect CWA, and appreciate the kind offer. But I am just not sure it feels right for me. I have no connection to CWA, and I don’t want to be dead weight. I felt as though my participation was important for both AFT and Iowa City Fed. And maybe the folks at City Fed will continue to value my ongoing participation. I guess we’ll see.

I just mentioned that I am a longtime labor guy. One of the words that the labor movement has used since at least the mid-19^th century is “solidarity.” (It goes back to the origin of trade unions in France.) This word has long been the call of union members – an injury to one is an injury to all.

I came across the following ancient story, and it was so appropriate to the moment that I had to share it:

“A lion used to prowl in a field where four oxen lived. The oxen remained safe, because every time the lion approached, they turned their tales together and warded her off. But soon the oxen began quarreling, and they decided to go to separate corners of the field. The lion proceeded to eat them one by one.”

Labor has always needed a strong commitment of solidarity. Where I would most like to see greater solidarity right now is within the Democratic Party. The Republican Party (otherwise known as Trump) has never been this bad. Ever. Democrats *NEED* to win. And that means a greater focus on solidarity.

There are going to be lots of Democratic primaries in June of ’26 in Johnson County – US Senator, US Representative, State Senate, probably State Representative, 5 County Supervisor races, and probably County Attorney. And Presidential politics will follow soon after.

So by all means, study the candidates, pick a favorite, and support that person. But try to do so in a way that does not tear others down. And once a nominee is selected? Either get on board or get out of the way! 2026 is an existential election!

Like I just noted, 2026 is going to be a busy political year! Here is another race I want to get on your radar: Nate Willems for Attorney General!

Willems, 45, is an attorney from Mount Vernon. He is originally from Anamosa, then attended Georgetown and the UI College of Law. Nate served two terms in the Iowa House from 2008-2012. He is a partner with Rush Nicholson PLC in Cedar Rapids, where he has taken on big businesses who abuse workers, fail to pay workers, ruin the environment, and more. In one high profile case, Willems won $15 million in back wages for 11,000 nurses and other UIHC employees who were not being paid for doing extra work. Nate’s wife Maggie is a teacher and very successful coach at Mount Vernon High School.

I am really excited about this candidacy! I have known Nate a long time, and he is a genuinely good guy. He really cares about people, and always fights for the little guy.

Our current AG has been on the wrong side of everything Iowans care about. While Nate focuses on making the wealthy pay up, she is committed to attacking the LGBTQ+ community. I think Iowans know that Nate will be on their side.

I was going to write about the significance of the last Pope Leo, and what it might mean for the new Pope. But Heather Cox Richardson beat me to it.

“New popes choose a papal name to signify the direction of their papacy, and Prevost has chosen to be known as Pope Leo XIV. This is an important nod to Pope Leo XIII, who led the church from 1878 to 1903 and was the father of modern Catholic social teaching. He called for the church to address social and economic issues, and emphasized the dignity of individuals, the common good, community, and taking care of marginalized individuals.”

“In the midst of the Gilded Age, Leo XIII defended the rights of workers and said that the church had not just the duty to speak about justice and fairness, but also the responsibility to make sure that such equities were accomplished. In his famous 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, translated as “Of New Things,” Leo XIII rejected both socialism and unregulated capitalism, and called for the state to protect the rights of individuals.”

*DID YOU KNOW? There are two main teachers unions in the US. The National Education Association (NEA) has about 3 million members, and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) with about 1.8 million. Iowa is an NEA state.

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!

May 6, 2025

I was sad to hear about the passing of Doug Paul. Doug was the founder of Zaps Learning Corporation and Buckle Down Publishing Company, and his companies played an important part in our local economy for many years.

I liked Doug a lot; I could also see why others found him frustrating! He was an outside-of-the-box thinker, and sometimes drove local governments crazy. Sometimes local governments are crafting policy, then get to a certain point and say, “We can probably stop. No one is going to do this. It doesn’t make economic sense.” Cue Doug Paul! His wind turbine, Harvest Preserve, his Budha statue… all things that local governments did not think anyone would do, primarily because they did not make economic sense. But conventional economic thinking is not what drove Doug. And that was refreshing.

May 10th marks the 8th birthday of Ms. Zuri Foote, our first grandchild! I can honestly say that being a grandfather is the best gig I have ever had! And Zuri makes it easy! She is sweet, kind, fun, and smart!

I found the following stats about grandparents today. I would have to say that I am in the majority in every category:

72% think being a grandparent is the single most important and satisfying thing in their life.

63% say they can do a better job caring for grandchildren than they did with their own kids.

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 11. I know that this is a difficult day for many people, and I want to respect that. Yet I feel the need to talk about some special people in my life.

I want to wish a particularly Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom, Susan Sullivan Smith, and my wife, Melissa Fath. One is a birth mom, one is a foster and adoptive mom – both are amazing people who have touched many lives.

I sometimes wish people could actually see how amazing Melissa is. We’ve had over 50 foster children over the years, and she has never missed a beat. Melissa has done all that parenting, while at the same time doing full time cancer research. She is truly incredible!

Ten years ago at this time, I was afraid I might lose her. Melissa was fighting cancer, and we did not know exactly what to expect. Thank God things went well, and this incredible Mom is still with us today!

I hope all the moms out there have a wonderful day! You deserve it! Thanks for all you do!

The annual NAMI Walk is Saturday in Iowa City. I am proud of the fact that I have attended all but two of the NAMI Walks. (Two of the 4 years my daughter ran at the Drake Relays the two events conflicted.) The NAMI Walk is an opportunity to really demonstrate community support for people with mental illnesses and those who love them. I hope you will join me on Saturday, May 10 at Terry Trueblood!

The Hills Fire Department is holding its annual fundraising breakfast Sunday, May 11 at the Hills Community Center. These are all important fundraising events. But this one has cinnamon rolls! Please support them if you can.

The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding our Annual Hall of Fame Awards on Saturday, May 10 at 7pm at the Radisson in Coralville. 2025 marks the 15^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 2025 are: Roger Mills, Peter Hansen, Paul Deaton, and Bill Gerhard. We hope you can join us in recognizing this remarkable group!

Tickets are available for a $50 suggested donation. People who cannot afford that amount should still feel welcome. Sponsorships are available.

May marks National Foster Care and Adoption Month. As many of you know, Melissa and I have 3 adopted adult children, and served as foster parents for another 50 + children. We surrendered our license a few years ago after 20+ years.

Unfortunately, the need did not go away. In fact, it may be greater than ever. Even if you do not feel you can serve as a foster parent, help us to recruit others. We need families!

You can learn more by visiting Four Oaks Family Connections at: https://iowafosterandadoption.org.

Residents in Johnson County, including the unincorporated area and smaller towns, can reduce home energy use, increase indoor comfort and save money on energy bills by scheduling a no-cost home energy audit with Green Iowa AmeriCorps. The program is open to those who own houses or apartments, and renters can participate by getting permission from their landlord.

The audit assesses how much energy a home uses and identifies steps to improve energy efficiency. There is no fee for the service, and the audit team can work around residents’ schedules for the home visit.

The audit provides a roadmap for realizing the three C’s of weatherization: comfort (indoor air), cost reduction and conservation of energy. The audit blower door test, which measures air infiltration, may not be feasible to do in apartments; however, the audit is useful to identify areas where air may be leaking in or out of the home.

This offering is thanks to a partnership between the City of Iowa City, its Green Iowa AmeriCorps Team and Johnson County

The Board of Supervisors recently passed a proclamation in support of progressive taxation. It read as follows:

Whereas, wealth inequality is one of the primary problems facing the U.S. and the world today; and

Whereas, in 2022, 735 billionaires (about the population of Shueyville) collectively possessed more wealth than the bottom half of U.S. households - accounting for 180 million people; and

Whereas, under other types of taxation, the poor pay a much higher percentage of their income in taxes than do the rich; and

Whereas, progressive taxation improves spending power for the vast majority of the people, and therefore, the overall economy; and

Whereas, progressive taxation is more stable, and encourages economic mobility; and

Whereas, taxation funds public sector universal benefits such as schools, fire, and parks; and

Whereas, civilization makes wealth possible, so greater benefit from that civilization equals greater duty to that civilization.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that we, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, do hereby proclaim our Support for Progressive Taxation

in Johnson County and call upon Federal, State, and Local governments to prioritize the use of progressive systems of taxation whenever possible, and to work to expand the options for progressive taxation available to governments at all levels.

We had four locals share their thoughts – Peter Fisher, Mike Owen, Peter Hansen, and Gary Sanders. Fisher offered some basic numbers. Owen noted that Republicans are trying to pass a Constitutional Amendment to make raising the income tax virtually impossible! Hansen noted that he and his wife both have pensions, both have Social Security, and despite earning a combined $100,000, pay no income tax! Sanders noted the strong opposition that existed to both the New Deal and Great Society programs that greatly improved the US. Some other things I would note:

Billionaires have amassed these billions while benefitting from our airwaves, air traffic control, internet, roads, bridges, NASA, public schools, universities, banking system, and stock market; all protected by the legal system, police, fire, and national defense.

Here are just a few examples of things we could do with a more progressive system of taxation:

· $280 billion would pay for childcare for every child aged 0-4 in the US. Musk alone could pay for this and have $70 billion left.

· $120 billion would cover the annual cost of SNAP (food stamps) in the US. Musk alone could pay for that program for 3 years and still have a couple billion left.

· $67 billion would cover the annual cost of low-income housing vouchers in the US. Musk alone could pay for this for 4 years and still have $70 billion left.

Meanwhile, think how much our taxes could go down! Because as it stands, *we* pay for these programs. We simply must stop the march of the oligarchy!

*DID YOU KNOW? More phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year.

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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