SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

January 25, 2026

Sullivan’s Salvos 1/29/26

In this edition:

*Black History Month

*Groundhog Day

*ICE Funding

*ICE at Home

*Hold Enablers Accountable!

*Free Tax Help!

*Gary Smith

*Did You Know?

*Black History Month

February is Black History Month. I often wish that there was no need for a Black History Month – instead, black history would be a robust part of the history that is already taught in our schools.

The fact is, we all need a reminder of the amazing history of African Americans. I am planning on doing some reading on Little Rock Central and Brown versus the Board of Education. I may try to sneak in a visit to my daughter in Memphis. What will you be doing?

*Groundhog Day

Happy Groundhog Day! Hey, we need to celebrate anything we can, right? By the way – the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day” really is a classic, isn’t it? OK. Enough small talk. I wish you six less weeks of winter!

*ICE Funding

The whole system of immigration enforcement is *so* broken – I really believe it all needs to go. We need to simply end ICE – it is too broken to fix.

There is some talk of closing down the federal government once the debt ceiling deadline hits. The idea is refusing to fund ICE until operational changes can be made. The problem with this approach, as I understand it, is the President can just keep funding ICE through other sources.

I do not know what the answer is here; I truly don’t. But I do not know how anyone could possibly vote to fund this agency at this time.

*ICE at Home

I heard a poignant story on the radio recently. The commentators were quoting Fraz Kafka’s diary from 1914. In it, he wrote:

“Germany invaded Russia today. Going swimming this afternoon.”

So perfectly, simply put. Even 112 years ago, Kafka noted that wars are remote events for many of us. If you live in the Twin Cities right now, you are being terrorized. But if you live in Monticello, Iowa, life is pretty much going on as usual. Heck, you could go swimming!

Yes, Iowa City had a high-profile ICE raid that impacted many lives here in Johnson County. But it is still safe to say that many of us have been largely unscathed by the terror. This can lead to a strange take on the world. It reminds me of white privilege; when white people are not subjected to racism, they sometimes fail to recognize it. Similarly, when the terror is not omnipresent, we can forget it is happening to others.

There is another side of the coin, too. We are all familiar with the Dr. King quote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Great quote. On the mark. So what do we do in this situation?

I know people who have gone to Minnesota to join the protests. Frankly, I find that foolish. These folks (all white, btw) think there is something heroic in going there. But they have not been invited, and they have no plan. I think they run the risk of putting more black and brown people in danger.

Similarly, I know people who want to start bigger and more violent protests locally. OK – why? How will that help any immigrant? How do your actions make life better for the people you claim to want to help? Does breaking the window of a downtown business achieve anything? More importantly, do these actions make life worse for the people you claim to want to help? This needs to be considered.

I have heard people say our (School Board/City Council/Board of Supervisors) needs to do something. Trust me, I get it. I am as frustrated as everyone else. But what would you have us do that would make things better and not worse? I really do want to know.

Similarly, one of my friends who headed to Minnesota says, “The rest of you do not care enough.” My daughter cares. She literally gets physically ill when things like this happen. But what is she supposed to do? She has a job she cannot leave. She has an 8-year-old and an infant. She has no car, and not much money. So because she is not in Minnesota, she does not care? That is bullshit. And it is targeting an ally.

Times are tough, folks. Our fellow Americans are under siege. We need to help. We need to oppose this regime. But we also need to be smart and strategic. We must not take actions that harm the people we want to help.

*Hold Enablers Accountable!

I want to make a point. Many of you already know this. Some of us need a reminder.

Virtually every bad thing Donald Trump does could be stopped by the House and/or Senate. Everything!

ICE raids. War crimes. Capturing Maduro. Tariffs. The dismantling of Federal agencies. Federal firings. Greenland. The Epstein files. Tax cuts for the rich, service cuts for the rest of us. The list goes on, and on, and on.

Marianette Miller Meeks could vote to stop all of this. She has not. She wants to represent us in Congress once again. I say NO! Ashley Hinson could vote to stop all of this. She has not. She wants to represent us in the US Senate. I say NO!

They could stop him. They will not. So we need to elect people who will! It is up to us!

*Free Tax Help!

Tax season just got easier for qualifying households in Johnson County. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program provides free tax preparation services for low- to moderate-income residents, thanks to trained volunteers from the Johnson County Social Services Department. These services will be available Jan. 31, 2026, through April 8, 2026.

The VITA program offers two convenient options for tax preparation assistance. Taxpayers with an income of $69,000 or less in 2025 can have their returns completed and filed by an IRS-certified tax preparer at no cost. Appointments are required. Additionally, taxpayers with an adjusted gross income under $89,000 in 2025 can access free software to prepare and file their taxes on their own. Support is available from trained volunteers. For more information on these services, visit www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/vita.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimates that 20% of American workers do not claim the refundable tax credits for which they are eligible, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). EITC is a special benefit for working people with an annual household income of less than $69,000. Workers who qualify for the EITC and file a federal tax return may be eligible for a portion or all the federal income tax taken out of their pay during the year. They may also receive additional cash back from the IRS. Even workers whose earnings were too small to owe income tax may be eligible for the EITC.

IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers help ensure that eligible taxpayers claim the EITC and any other qualifying tax credits, maximizing potential refunds.

Electronic filing is provided so that taxpayers can receive their tax refunds quickly. Taxpayers using VITA volunteers, or the free file software, to help file taxes are not charged for tax preparation or for receiving their refunds.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/vita. Translation services can be made in advance by calling Johnson County Social Services at 319-356-6090.

VITA is a partnership among Johnson County Social Services, the Iowa City Public Library, and the Iowa Center for Economic Success and sponsorship from GreenState Credit Union.

*Gary Smith

As you know, I am running for reelection, even though I was just elected a year ago. But this election will be different for me, and I need to explain why.

I have had the immense good fortune of having my friend Gary Smith serve as my campaign Treasurer from day one. In case you are not aware, serving as the Treasurer for a campaign can be a lot of work. You have to track every expenditure and every bit of income, paper and electronic, down to the literal penny. Mistakes can be met with fines, and if egregious enough, prison time! So it is serious business! It requires a person with a great eye for detail and patience with bureaucracy. That description fits Gary to a “T”!

Gary and I go back to somewhere in the early 1990s, when I met Gary, his wife Sarah Swisher, and their children, Sally and Riley. Gary, Sarah, Sally, and I worked on many, many campaigns together, and Riley became friends with my children.

We fought some good fights. We helped elect 3 Democratic Presidents (maybe even 4?). We helped elect Senator Harkin 4 times. We helped elect the first Democratic Governor in 24 years, then helped elect his replacement. We helped elect a Democratic majority in the Iowa House and Senate. We helped elect lots of progressive local candidates. We passed a huge school bond that built Tate High, Northwest Junior High, and Van Allen Elementary. And, we helped win the election that brought SEIU 199 and bargaining rights to nurses and other staff at the UI. It has been a great run!

Besides the politics, Gary has been such a good friend. He is smart, funny, and reliable. I really enjoy him!

I have such tremendous appreciation for all Gary has done for me over the past 21+ years - and frankly, way before that. He has been a great Treasurer and an even better friend. Thanks, Gary!

*DID YOU KNOW? Groundhog Day falls on the 2^nd of February for a reason. It’s what’s known as a “cross-quarter” day, meaning it falls at the midpoint between one season and another. In the case of February 2^nd, it’s the cross-quarter day that falls between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, making it the ideal time to consider whether or not spring will arrive early.

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

January 18, 2026

I was sad to see the passing of Faith Wilmot, formerly of Solon. Faith and I spent a lot of time working together on Democratic politics during the 1990s, and she was a wonderful human being and friend.

From her obit: Faith’s commitment to community building was evidenced in her political work with the democrats serving in various campaign and central committee roles. She worked with Iowa City area Christian, Jewish, and Muslim religious leaders, law enforcement, and with staff from crisis intervention agencies to establish Hate Acts Rapid Response Team (HART) in the early 2000s. Faith served on the Board of Directors for the Quad Cities Women’s Center and on the National Association of Women’s Centers.

I spent a lot of time talking to Faith about being an adoptive parent before and after Faith and her spouse Monique adopted their daughter Miracle. It was fun to see the joy Faith felt. I know that joy never left her. RIP, Faith.

I was sad to hear of the passing of Bernie Cremers of Iowa City. The Cremers lived about a block from my family for 24 years or so, and I got to know Bernie fairly well. It was easy to do – he was an incredibly smart, engaging, friendly fellow.

Bernie owned Towncrest Pharmacy for many years, and it is easy to see why he succeeded. His friendliness was contagious, and he seemed to know everyone. A good man, gone too soon. RIP.

I do not even know what to say about this one. The Rev. Mark Wilson Martin, St. Andrew's senior pastor from 1987 to 2008 and pastor emeritus since 2018, died Jan. 12, 2026.

Mark was our pastor for ten years, but he was so much more than that. He was a friend, a confidant, and an inspiration.

I will admit, I was a little dubious about returning to church. I was a Catholic who decided in the late 80s I just couldn’t deal with Catholic Church teachings anymore. So I left the church.

Melissa actually left the Catholic Church at the same time, for the same reasons, although we had not yet met at that time. But she really wanted the kids to grow up in a church. I did not feel as strongly, and thought this might be something that forced me into cognitive dissonance for an hour each Sunday.

Then- as if by fate – Melissa and I each had a coworker suggest that we try St. Andrew. (It was Kip Murphy for her, and Lora Morgan Dunham for me.) We thought that was a good sign, so we showed up one Sunday. And honestly, Mark had me from “hello”!

I have been in several different worship services. I have attended hundreds of trainings, workshops, and the like. Mark Martin is – bar none – the best speaker I have ever heard. Week in and week out, he made me laugh, cry, and most importantly, he made me think.

We became friends; Mark was interested in the intersection of religion and politics, and so was I. We got lunch periodically, and I was always inspired by him. Every time. He absolutely helped me to be a better person.

Mark was not doing well the past few years. I hope his pain is gone. I love you, Mark, and I will miss you. Thank you for everything. RIP.

The North Liberty Community Pantry is holding the 17th annual Stone Soup Supper, a warm community meal for every neighbor.

The event is January 26, 2026 | 5-6:30 p.m. | Hy-Vee Center at Centennial Park in North Liberty.

Join us for a warm community meal. Enjoy delicious soups from local North Liberty restaurants and hear a special presentation by our Executive Director, Ryan Bobst.

Want to pay it forward and cover the costs for a neighbor to attend? Choose the Pay It Forward ticket(s)! We can't wait to see you there!

The Sullivan for Supervisor team is once again raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County by Bowling For Kids’ Sake. It is our 22nd consecutive year of doing so!

BBBS is REALLY important! Statistics show that having a trusted adult mentor makes an unbelievable difference in the life of a child. Kids with BBBS matches do better academically, are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, and are less likely to be involved in the criminal justice system. This simple idea WORKS.

I often see people noting things like the US House only worked 87 days in 2025. (That statistic is true!) People are extremely frustrated with Congress, and rightfully so.

But the response people often have is cutting Congressional pay. And while I certainly share the anger, cutting Congressional pay is actually the exact opposite of what we need to do. We actually need to pay them more!

Here are the facts: Members of Congress earn $174,000 per year. Yes, that is a lot of money. But after taxes, the Member takes home about $10,000 per month. Yes, still a lot of money.

Now consider: they need to maintain two residences! Imagine a mortgage of $2000 per month here in Iowa, plus another $5000 per month in additional expenses. Rent on a 2-bedroom apartment in DC is about $4000 per month. Figure another $1000 or so in expenses – the Member of Congress is spending $1000 more per month than they earn!

In addition, while a Member of Congress can have travel to and from their District paid for, travel is not free for a spouse or other family members. Hard as it might be to believe, a person of average means may not be able to afford to serve in Congress!

We need to raise Congressional pay to make the option of serving in Congress available to average folks. We are already governed almost exclusively by millionaires. If we do not raise Congressional pay, it will get worse!

Do we need to hold Congress accountable? You are damn right we do! We need to stop *all* their investing. We need to get the money out of campaigns. We need to expect much, much more.

By the way, this is an even bigger deal at the Iowa Statehouse. Members of the Iowa House and Iowa Senate only earn $25,000 annually (plus a per diem if outside of Polk County). Granted, they are part time, and only in Des Moines for 4-5 months.

But the same problems exist. Most folks are not earning their regular salary during those 4-5 months. So they get $5000 per month to cover expenses. But if they are paying what our imaginary member of Congress is paying - $2000 per month mortgage, plus another $5000 per month in additional expenses – they are going broke serving in the Iowa Legislature.

Because of this, you get an overabundance of wealthy business owners serving in Iowa. Who else can afford to do it?

There is some real irony here, as Republican Bobby Kaufmann is the person making the case at the Statehouse. But he is right on this one. Yes, it is easy to note that he votes for the millionaires at every opportunity. So what does it matter if a millionaire Republican or a non-millionaire Republican serves? You get the same result.

I’d rather see Bobby advocate for increasing the minimum wage. We did that here in 2015, then he helped *undo* it. So yeah, this is strange bedfellows. But the fact is, we *do* need to pay Legislators more.

The 11th annual Johnson County Food Policy Council public forum is rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at Dream City, 611 Southgate Ave, Iowa City. The forum will be from 9 to 11:30 a.m., with doors opening to the public at 8:30 a.m.

This year’s forum, “Our Food, Our Future: Community Voices on the Food System,” will spotlight the experiences and ideas of residents who shape Johnson County’s food landscape. The forum will open with reflections from local nonprofits working on the frontlines of food access, farm viability, and community well-being. The panel will discuss how recent shifts in the food system are affecting neighbors, businesses, and organizations across Johnson County.

Following the panel, the forum will move into interactive breakout discussions to identify emerging community needs and opportunities for collaboration. Forum participants will help shape the next Food Policy Council Strategic Plan by weighing in on where the community should focus its efforts in the coming years. The goal of the forum is to inform and refine a Strategic Plan that reflects current community needs, priorities, and assets.

The Johnson County Food Policy Council was created in 2012 by the Board of Supervisors to guide on food and agriculture issues. The council is charged with providing annual recommendations on how to improve our local food system, holding public forums to obtain feedback on food system issues and to educate County residents on the value of supporting a strong community-based food system.

*DID YOU KNOW? The world’s oldest known land animal (a tortoise named Jonathon) turned 193 on December 4! (Source: Sierra Magazine.)

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!

January 11, 2026

It has come to this: an evil man has been elected President (a second time!) and created his own secret police, who operate extrajudicially, killing whomever they wish. The President and Vic President claim it is all “fake news”, and Republicans in Congress cower in the corners.

It fills us with anger, sadness, fear, and more. Please take care of yourself and those close to you. And let this serve as a reminder that we can start the process of fixing our country with elections this year!

In the past week, I have had several family members endure struggles. Additionally, two good friends have been diagnosed with cancer. A good friend’s mother went into hospice. A good friend’s young daughter was in a horrific car wreck. So much sadness in the world.

No matter what happens in politics, the world keeps spinning. It is tough out there! Please take care of yourselves!

Monday, January 19 marks the federal holiday celebrating the birthday of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior. I am so pleased that our country has chosen to honor this great man, and I hope you enjoy the holiday in his name. As usual, the Board of Supervisors will do a proclamation in his honor.

We would like to think America has come a long way since the 60s. After the 2016 and 2024 elections, I’m not certain I feel that way any longer. Race was a HUGE issue in the 2016 election, and the team the racists supported won. In 2024 and since, overt racists have felt emboldened to do and say almost anything.

Look at America today. Black Lives Matter was a response to the epidemic of black men being killed by police. The US Supreme Court killed much of the Voting Rights Act, and they are likely to kill Affirmative Action. Black women die in childbirth at ridiculous rates. Black men are more likely to go to prison than college. The list goes on and on. Our society still has a deep racial divide.

We also need to recognize that King was a radical. America grudgingly accepted racial reforms because they were less dangerous to the status quo than the other issues King championed – namely economic justice. King took seriously the Biblical teachings that the love of money is a sin, and that rich men will not be welcomed into Heaven. (King was a Democratic Socialist!) He proposed seismic changes to the political and social structures that exist in America. In addition, King was adamantly anti-war. He was NOT beloved by all in his day; he was jailed 29 times! To the status quo, he was the most dangerous man in the world.

Take some time this week to read some of the great books that are out there on Dr. King. More importantly, take some time to read the things he wrote himself. A couple of years ago I read the biography of MLK by Jonathon Eig entitled King: A Life. I highly recommend it!

And if you are so inclined, there are several worthwhile local celebrations. The University of Iowa and the City of Iowa City both have a list of events. Iowa City will host a community Day of Service with volunteer opportunities, food, and activities at Mercer Park Aquatic Center. The U of I will likely hold its Celebration of Human Rights Week events, so check the University's MLK page for the full schedule.

I cannot let MLK Day pass without looking at our situation locally. It should come as no surprise that the local African American community is not monolithic. There are many different backgrounds, personalities, religions, opinions, and more. Meanwhile, I have heard from a number of local African American leaders who are quite unhappy with the current situation.

We have SO much work to do. We cannot forget that. But we also need to take the time to celebrate our successes. Happy MLK Day!

At a recent meeting, Supervisor Fixmer Oraiz brought up the idea of closing Johnson County between Christmas and New Year’s Day. I happen to believe this is a very bad idea.

First, it is important to note that Johnson County never “closes.” Our emergency services departments operate 24/7/365. 911 dispatchers, Sheriff’s Deputies, Ambulance staff, Medical Examiner’s staff, and Emergency Management are all 24/7/365. The jail and GuideLink are both 24/7/365. This encompasses a lot of our employees. In addition:

*I know that our General Services folks are very concerned about how long it is taking to get an appointment. They will not want to further burden our neediest residents by closing even more days.

*I am certain the Treasurer will say the same thing – the end of every month is very busy in that office, but this time of year is particularly busy. It is the end of the month, end of the Second Quarter, and end of the calendar year.

*There will still be domestic violence, rapes, and other crimes occurring during this time period. So the County Attorney’s Office will need to be open.

*Finance is working hard on budget preparations during this time; I doubt they want to completely close and delay all that work.

*SEATS riders still have medical appointments to attend and groceries to buy. I doubt SEATS will want to leave all those needy people stranded for 5 days.

*Because you have all these Offices and Departments that are going to want to be open, you probably have to have the internal-serving Departments at work as well. So that means Facilities, Information Technology, and Human Resources all need to work.

So, basically, damn near everyone is going to keep their offices open anyhow. So who would we be doing this for? Supervisors, who really don’t come in to work unless they want to? Clearly there was not much discussion of this idea with the people who run our operations.

There is also a pretty big financial impact to this. There are going to be 4 or 5 days that the county would be “closed” each year, depending upon the calendar. Since over half the workforce is going to be working anyhow, they are not going to just sit back and watch as their colleagues get 5 more days of vacation. They will demand 5 more days of vacation, and rightfully so.

By my very rough calculations, 5 extra vacation days for every employee in Johnson County will cost about $900,000. Add in overtime, and you are at well over $1 million annually. So we would add that expense in a year where we only have $1 million in new revenues? It makes no sense at all. Most employees would much rather have a cost of living raise rather than 5 more days off. Under this scenario, we could not do both.

Plus, most employees do not even use the leave they currently have. 5 additional days would be a huge expense with almost zero benefit to show for it.

I simply feel this is a very bad suggestion that was clearly not well thought out. A quick, 5-minute conversation with 3-4 veteran Department Heads or Elected Officials would have made it clear that this was a bad idea. But because of the time, place, and manner in which it was presented, everyone is scrambling.

It bugs me that our hardworking Elected Officials and Department Heads even need to take the time to respond to this proposal. They deserve better. Taxpayers deserve better! Any time spent on this is money out of their pockets!

The Board is going to discuss this proposal at some point. As you can see, I will be adamantly opposed.

As many of you know, for the last 4 years I have lived in an old (1904) home at 514 North Linn Street. Our house is a part of the Northside Neighborhood Historical District, meaning there are a lot of cool old homes in the area.

As it turns out, I did not realize until recently that I was living next door to the home of one of Iowa City’s most prominent residents – Moses Bloom.

Bloom was born in France in 1832, and came to Cincinnati in 1849. Bloom came to Iowa City in 1857, where he opened a clothing store that he ran for the next 27 years.

Bloom was elected to the City Council in 1860, and served on President Lincoln’s Inaugural Ball Committee. Bloom was elected Mayor of Iowa City in 1874 and reelected in 1879. This made him the first Jewish Mayor of a moderate-sized city in the whole US. Bloom was elected to the Iowa House, and to the Iowa Senate in 1885. Bloom was famous for his support of the University of Iowa, and finally secured ongoing state funding for its operation.

Bloom bought a lot at 522 North Linn Street (across the alley north from my house) in 1891, but barely lived in the house before his death in 1893. Despite raising funds and securing land for a local Jewish cemetery, Bloom was buried back in Cincinnati. (A street is named for him out in the Peninsula Neighborhood.)

Meanwhile, the house is still there, and is absolutely gorgeous! It is now broken up into a few apartments, and owned by the Egenbergers. I do not really know them, but they seem like very nice people who work had at maintaining the property.

So, I’m going to take a bit more time and learn about the person who would have been my neighbor 133 years ago. He sounds like a great man!

*DID YOU KNOW? The only Americans to have their birthdays observed as a National Holiday are George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, MLK, and Cesar Chavez.

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!

January 4, 2026

I had the incredible honor on December 30 of attending the adoption ceremony of Legend and Kayden Teague. What a glorious day!

As many of you know, Melissa and I adopted our children. And even though it was a long time ago, seeing the Teague family brought all those emotions rushing back.

So a huge thanks to Legend, Kayden, and Daddies Colton and Bruce for allowing me to be a part of their special day! I am so happy for you all! You are awesome and amazing!

You may recall that the Board of Supervisors had a somewhat heated discussion back in June of ’25 over the number of Juvenile Detention beds for which we would contract. Our Juvenile Court Officer, Juvenile Attorney, and Social Services Director all urged the Board to up our contract with Linn County from 3 beds to 4. Supervisor Green Douglass and I voted that way, but the Board voted 3-2 to keep the contract at 3 beds.

One thing to know about Juvenile Detention – counties are legally obligated to pay, regardless of where a child ends up. We cannot vote to have less kids go to detention. If they go, we pay. We cannot control who goes or when.

What we *can* control is WHERE they go. As I noted during our discussions, Linn County Detention is by far the finest program in the state. Obviously, we would rather that kids not end up in detention, but if they must go, we’d prefer to have them in Linn County. Not only is it better service, but because it is nearby, family members, attorneys, and Juvenile Court Officers have easy access.

So, how have things gone since July 1? I ran the numbers between July 1 and December 26, so not quite half the year, but extremely close. During that 178-day window, Johnson County juveniles spent 1153 nights in detention. That amounts to an average of 7.34 beds per day. There was a total of zero days where there were less than 3 youth in detention.

Luckily, many of those days have been spent in Linn County. But far from all. So we continue to spend money to send our kids to worse services, farther from home. This was always a bad idea, and the numbers are backing it up.

I will continue to push for an increase in our contract with Linn County for the upcoming fiscal year.

The General Election of 2022 saw two new State Representatives elected in Iowa City. Adam Zabner and Elinor Levin were both very young, and neither had held an elected office before. Concerns would have been justified.

Fast forward three years, and I am happy to report that Representatives Zabner and Levin are not only up to the task – they are excelling! Both are smart, curious, good listeners, and very hard working. Both have done everything one could hope for in a State Rep, and more.

There are small differences between their approaches, too. Representative Levin shows up at absolutely everything! If 4-5 people are meeting on a topic, she is there. I have long said that “Half the battle in politics is just showing up.” Elinor’s capacity for simply showing up is truly remarkable.

Zabner also shows up at many things, but is a bit more likely to go knock doors in Carroll, or Fort Dodge, or Burlington, or wherever Democrats are needed. He is also quickly becoming well-versed in the ways of the House, and already knows what levers to pull and when.

I will admit, early in the calendar in 2022, I was optimistic, but skeptical. I decided that both of these young candidates were going to have to prove themselves to me. So I am here to tell you today that they have both done that and so much more! I am really glad that Iowa City is represented by these two wonderful Representatives, and I hope they both stick with it a long, long time! Thank you Elinor and thank you Adam for providing us with truly outstanding representation! Please keep up the great work!

There are so many things so deeply wrong with the Trump Administration, one might believe it is difficult to describe something as “worst.” In fact, I believe there is a “worst” in the Trump Administration that has affected literally everything else. In my opinion, the worst thing to happen during the Trump Administration has been the abdication of duty by the Justice Department.

If Attorney General Pam Bondi had taken her oath of office seriously, the US could be a very different place right now. In the recent past, the DOJ would never have allowed all the financial entanglements of Trump and his cabinet. The “gifted” Qatari jet. Tom Homan and a bag of cash. Kash Patel and Kristi Noem’s profligate spending of public money on personal things. Jared Kushner’s many dealings. All of it is illegal.

She has allowed the DOJ to be co-opted for political prosecutions of Trump’s enemies. She allowed Trump to extort money from businesses in the US and abroad, and allowed him to meddle in business mergers. All of it is illegal.

She has allowed the Administration to ignore court orders on immigration, the Epstein files, and more. Will she explain why Ghirline Maxwell has a cushy federal prison cell? No. Bondi has replaced attorneys who refuse to take illegal actions. All of it is illegal.

Bondi has pressured lower levels of government and private companies to back off DEI commitments. She has allowed illegal union busting. She has overseen the pardoning of all kinds of criminals, including those who killed police officers on January 6, 2021. She has enabled a system of buying pardons from the President. All of it is illegal.

We knew this was coming. Bondi dropped all Florida charges against Trump several years ago after he endorsed her reelection. He knew what he was buying.

We have different branches of government for a reason. It serves as a system of checks and balances. While the DOJ is under the Executive Branch, it, too, has long maintained an independence that served to protect the American people. No more.

There is much evil in the Trump Administration. They are the worst, most criminal Administration in American history. And the person who sold out the American people to the greatest extent ever is Attorney General Pam Bondi.

There is typically some disagreement on the Board when it comes time to vote for our own salaries. Of all the Board members, I have been the most adamant that Supervisor salaries should grow slowly, if at all.

Let’s face it – Supervisor is a job that allows an individual a great deal of freedom. Supervisors come and go as they please. There is very little accountability. Most people would jump at that type of freedom – especially when it comes with $90,000 annually, IPERS, and good health insurance!

I have long been frustrated that there is so little accountability for Supervisors. No one really knows what we are doing, when, where, or why. Other than about 8-10 hours per week, a Supervisor can do whatever they see fit. I wish things were different. But that is the way things work.

Because of the lack of accountability and excellent compensation, I have always argued that Supervisor pay should increase slowly, if at all. And I am typically outvoted. So I must admit, I was a bit surprised by a recent discussion.

We had invited our two representatives to the Compensation Board to a work session. Chairperson Green asked the Board how we felt about raises for the upcoming year.

I spoke first. I noted that I expected a very difficult budget year. I said I did not expect the county to be able to give our employees the type of raises they had received the past few years. Given that, I suggested that the Board of Supervisors lead by example, and take no raise in the upcoming fiscal year.

There was no discussion. But one by one, all of my colleagues agreed. Board members will get no raise next fiscal year. I was very pleased by this outcome.

It is going to be a very tough year for local governments, folks. We know that already. The only question is *how* tough. I still think Supervisors need greater accountability, but I am glad we are going into budget discussions with at least a bit of moral high ground.

*DID YOU KNOW? What was the last county to relocate its courthouse from one city to another? The surprising answer - Linn. The Linn County seat was Marion from 1839 until 1919. However, the bond issue for the present Linn County Courthouse was not approved until 1923, and the county's records remained in Marion until completion of the courthouse in 1925. Source - Leroy G. Pratt, The Counties and Courthouses of Iowa (1977).

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

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