SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

March 29, 2026

Sullivan’s Salvos 4/2/26

In this edition:

*Passover

*Happy Easter!

*RIP Dean Oakes

*Community ID

*Johnson County Minimum Wage

*Did You Know?

*Passover

A Kosher and happy Passover to all my Jewish friends. I am still brushing up on my Hebrew calendar; please know that I wish you all the best!

*Happy Easter!

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

*RIP Dean Oakes

Johnson County area realtor/developer and Dean Oakes died recently. My family attends church with Dean and his wife Evelyn. They are very generous in donating to many church-related causes and concerns. That is somewhat at odds with the Dean Oakes I knew, first as a local activist and later as a County Supervisor. Over the years, Dean had developed a reputation as an almost cartoonish bad guy.

*If there was a creek on a piece of land, Dean would alter it.

*200-year-old grove of trees? Cut them down.

*You can have a driveway in area A which will not impact your neighbors, or you can go to area B, causing four neighbors to sue. Give me Area B.

*Can Mom just stay on the family farm through the holidays? No, she is out November 15.

In the eyes of many people, Dean personified every bad connotation of a “developer.” But he also made us better. Dean tended to do things just because he could. (Really, I think he did not like being told what he could not do.) So Johnson County had to develop very thorough policies that achieved the results we wanted. We definitely developed some excellent policies, always thinking, “How would Dean Oakes get around this?” We owe him for that!

It is interesting, because the primary focus of county government in Johnson County between 1988 and 2018 was land use. There were Land Use Plans adopted in ’88 and ’98, and Comprehensive Plans adopted in ’08 and ’18, and these were the single biggest focus of the public and the Supervisors during that era. Because literally hundreds of people put in literally hundreds of hours over literally decades, we are in a pretty good place now when it comes to planning and zoning.

But that can change quickly. I am actually very concerned by the fact that our current Board does not understand the important lessons learned from this period. And now Dean Oakes is no longer around to push us.

We also should not ignore Dean’s generosity in other areas. He almost single-handedly started the Antique Car Museum at the Iowa River Landing, run in conjunction with the Johnson County Historical Society. Dean was also a renowned numismatist, awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Professional Numismatists Guild in 2025 and admitted to the Society of Paper Money Collectors Hall of Fame in 2021.

RIP, Dean. You were one of a kind!

*Community ID

There has been so much happening that I have not had an opportunity to say a proper goodbye to Johnson County’s Community ID. As you may have heard, the Republicans in the Iowa Legislature passed a law prohibiting any type of locally issued identification card. It just so happens that the only locally issued ID card in the state is issued by Johnson County.

So, true to form, the Republicans in the Iowa Legislature have taken away yet another measure of local control. So I decided to look back at some previous editions of Salvos to see what I had written at the time. The following (in italics) is from April 14, 2015.

Johnson County is preparing to roll out a Community ID program. I am excited about this, and I have been working on it for about a year. I want to take a little time to explain why I believe this is a good thing for our community.

First, a bit of history – the impetus for this came from the Center for Worker Justice (CWJ), a remarkable local organization dedicated to securing fair treatment for immigrant workers.

Like every other organization that has ever existed in Johnson County, the CWJ thought they should start with Iowa City and Coralville. Soon they realized that working with Johnson County might be a better avenue for getting this done.

A committee was formed, consisting of CWJ members, local labor leaders, and four Johnson County officials: Recorder Kim Painter, Auditor Travis Weipert, County Attorney Janet Lyness, and myself. These folks have moved the process forward to where we are today.

We also have an ace in the hole when it comes to going through this process. UI Law Professor Stella Burch Elias specializes in Immigration Law. More importantly, she was centrally involved in the successful effort to create a Community ID in New Haven, Connecticut. Having her involved ensures that Johnson County follows applicable federal laws, and prevents us from reinventing the wheel.

The ID itself will be a laminated card with a holographic image applied, the same size as a driver’s license. The cost to get an ID will be $5 or $10.

Because there are already 700 people who have signed forms requesting IDs, we will need to determine a process for getting the first wave their IDs. This will likely be a weekend effort, utilize existing County staff. After the initial group of 700, we expect the ongoing numbers to be more like 5-10 IDs per month. Given that, we expect people to simply be able to call the Board of Supervisors Office to schedule an appointment to get their IDs. We may work with local libraries to arrange some weekend hours.

Why do we need a Community ID? I have a very personal story. After years of doing nothing, a few years ago, the Board of Supervisors finally began taking action against the criminals that own Regency Mobile Home Park. State law severely limits the ability of the Board to intervene, but there were dozens of credible reports of fraud coming from Regency.

Johnson County detectives swooped in, gathered all the info they could, and began following up on leads. Then they ran into a stone wall. Most of the people they needed to speak with refused to talk to them. These folks saw law enforcement coming, and they went the other way – even when they were innocent victims!

I spoke at length with the lead detective on the case, and he said that this avoidance of law enforcement was common. When I asked why, he said it all came back to a lack of ID.

This illustrates the number one reason for instituting a Community ID – public safety. We need victims and witnesses to come forward in order to solve crimes and see to it that justice is served. The Community ID will help with this.

There are many additional benefits: immigrants can open bank accounts and cash checks; cardholders can access municipal services such as the library, rec centers, etc.; it can serve as a second ID for employment purposes; it can serve as an ID for local schools; the list goes on and on.

The Community ID will be available to anyone who can provide the proper documentation. The bar will not be as high as an Iowa Driver ID, but there will be protections to ensure that the person is who they claim to be.

Johnson County is home to thousands of immigrants. China, India, Korea, Mexico, Sudan, Senegal, Honduras… the people of Johnson County are increasingly diverse. We need to do a better job welcoming these folks to our community. They are our future!

Again, that piece ran in Salvos on April 14, 2015. RIP Community ID!

*Johnson County Minimum Wage

Speaking of areas in which the Legislature has taken away local control… raising the minimum wage is one of my proudest moments as a County Supervisor. And it continues to have impact. We still “raise the wage” even though it is no longer enforceable. See the press release below.

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors voted to increase the County’s recommended minimum wage to $13.37 per hour, effective July 1, 2026. The Board of Supervisors used Consumer Price Index data to set the increase, which is based on inflation.

Though the wage increase is symbolic in nature and unenforceable under State law, the Board of Supervisors has voted to increase the minimum wage in Johnson County since 2015.

The State of Iowa’s minimum wage was increased to $7.25 per hour in 2008, ahead of the Federal increase to $7.25 in 2009, but has remained at $7.25 and is not indexed for inflation.

On Sept. 10, 2015, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance (09-10-15-01) establishing a Johnson County minimum wage.

On March 30, 2017, Governor Terry Branstad signed legislation eliminating the ability of jurisdictions within the State of Iowa to set a minimum wage above the State minimum wage. Johnson County had a higher minimum wage than the State for 17 months, including three months when it was $10.10 per hour.

More information on the minimum wage ordinance is available at www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/wage.

*DID YOU KNOW? Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) established the first federal minimum wage via the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to boost purchasing power, end "starvation wages," and force companies to pay a decent living wage. He viewed a minimum floor for wages, along with maximum hours and child labor bans, as essential to economic recovery and worker protection. The 1938 Act set a minimum wage of 25 cents per hour, raising it to 40 cents by 1945.

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

www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.

If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

March 22, 2026

We lost a giant of local politics with the recent passing of Dick Myers of Coralville. Myers was Mayor of Coralville, a member of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, and spent 10 years in the Iowa Legislature, including several years as House Democratic Leader.

Despite all these political accomplishments, Myers is better known locally for all his colorful and meaningful exploits. Dick was a recovering alcoholic, and this was just after the time of Iowa Governor and Senator Harold Hughes, who famously made his alcoholism a part of his campaign. Myers acted similarly – he was not embarrassed; he just wanted to use his experiences to help others. So Dick was a cofounder of the Mid East Council on Chemical Abuse, or MECCA. MECCA was created in the early ‘70s, changed its name to Prelude in the early 2000s, and about 7 years ago merged with Community and Family Resources (CFR). CFR remains the primary substance abuse treatment partner of Johnson County. Over the years, MECCA/Prelude/CFR has helped improve the lives of thousands of Johnson County residents.

Myers was also well-known as the owner of Hawkeye Truck Stop, an I-80 institution located in what is now called Iowa River Landing. Hawkeye Truck Stop did it all – they fixed semis, sold gas, sold car and truck accessories, and operated a 24-hour diner. That diner was a legendary place (I loved the chili!) where all sorts of late-night activities took place. People still talk about some of the waitresses there, who could simultaneously juggle over the road truckers, studying college students, after-bar drunks, and much more.

After selling the Hawkeye Truck Stop, Dick followed another passion, opening Hawkeye Harley Davidson. People remember Dick leading off every Coralville 4^th of July Parade on his Harley, wearing a white suit and red, white and blue tie.

There are just so many Myers stories – from Jimmy Carter sleeping on his couch, to pushing past Barack Obama’s security, to writing huge checks to bail out a local Democratic Party that did not always balance the books as well as it should have.

Personally, I will always remember his kindness. First, to me personally… when I became the Chair of the Johnson County Democratic Party in the late ‘90s, Dick pulled me aside after a League of Women Voters Legislative Forum. In his own gruff way, he handed me a small piece of paper with a phone number on it and said, “I have your back. If anybody gives you trouble, you call me.”

In terms of kindness to others, Dick once told me a story of he and J. Patrick White driving over to an isolated part of Coralville then known as Goat Hollow. As I recall, Dick said that the homes there were not on city water or sewer, and had no city trash pick-up. The roads were dirt. The poverty there ran very deep. They drove in silence for a while, and Pat said, “Dick, this is unacceptable.” Myers agreed, and set about improving this area of Coralville. In many cases, Dick hired people from Goat Hollow to work at the Truck Stop, establishing decades-long bonds with some families.

It gets overused when discussing political figures, but Dick Myers was a great man. RIP.

March 26 is Opening Day! Even if one is not a baseball fan, there is a wonderful rebirth that happens every year with Opening Day. Like so many things we associate with spring, a new baseball season is a fresh start. Every team is 0-0, with an opportunity to do great things. Once again, there is hope. And we all need that!

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

The annual Shelter House Book Sale is Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29 at 860 Quarry Road in Coralville. The sale is open both days from 10:30-4.

This is an important annual fundraiser for Shelter House, and I hope you will stop out and buy some books for a great cause!

Join us for a brilliant evening at the Iowa City Public Library as we celebrate and support our Library!

“Bright Future: Celebrating the Iowa City Public Library” is a special after-hours fundraising party dedicated to fostering appreciation and growth of our beloved library.

Guests will begin the evening immersed in the Library itself, as the doors open for an unforgettable night. With food and drink stations throughout the space, pop-up performances, live music, readings, and more, guests will explore the Library as they’ve never seen it before—celebrating and supporting this incredible community resource. Together, we’re building a Bright Future for our Library!

Online auction will be online 2 weeks in advance of the event until April 11, 2026 at 9:00pm. See an example of last year’s auction here: bit.ly/BrightFutureAuction

There is a rally to note Trans Day of Visibility on Tuesday, March 31 from 4:00 - 7:00 PM at College Green Park. There will be music, speakers, and other activities. This is a great opportunity to show your support!

(I wrote the following in the spring of 2017, after the Iowa Legislature took away the minimum wage increase (which I got passed) that we had instituted two years earlier. I noted that recently the GOP is leaning on the same tired argument to take away our Human Rights Ordinance (which I got passed) and our Community ID (which I got passed). Although this was written nine years ago, it still applies today.)

I cannot even begin to describe how tired I am of hearing the GOP describe the current minimum wage situation as a “patchwork.” As a matter of fact, next time I hear it, I’ll likely vomit, so give me a wide berth.

A bit of background: When Johnson County passed a higher minimum wage in 2015, a few of our cities voted for lower wages for their workers. This was completely legal. So it is true – there are cities in Johnson County with differing wages, creating what the GOP wails about as a “patchwork.”

You know what else is a “patchwork”? Property taxes, sales taxes, property insurance, workers comp insurance, liability insurance, health insurance, disability insurance, rent, electric, gas, water, sewer, cable, garbage, recycling, parking, computers, office supplies, consulting, and pretty much every other expense a business can have! They are ALL “patchwork”! Costs are NEVER the same from location to location! The “patchwork" argument is nothing but a red herring!

All of these businesses are used to paying differing amounts for all these items, and wages, too. After all, the minimum wage is different in several of our neighboring states. Businesses that cross state lines do this every day. Again, the “patchwork” argument is nothing but a red herring!

We are going to fight another day on this issue – mark my words. Prepare to shoot down the predictable and untrue argument that a “patchwork” of wages is too hard for businesses.

The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding our Annual Hall of Fame Awards on Saturday, May 16 at 7pm at the Holiday Inn in Coralville. 2026 marks the 16^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 2026 are: Terry and Laurie Dahms, Linda Yanney, Joan and Tom Cook, and Mike Owen. We hope you can join us in recognizing this remarkable group!

Tickets are available for a $35 suggested donation. People who cannot afford that amount should still feel welcome. Sponsorships are available.

*DID YOU KNOW? In 1910 President Taft began the tradition of “throwing out the first pitch.” He did so at Opening Day for the Washington Senators.

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

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.

If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

March 15, 2026

Susan is retiring from Johnson County Public Health – and just in time for St. Patrick’s Day! Congratulations, Susan, and thank you for your great work!

Johnson County is in the process of developing a new strategic plan. If you would like to weigh in, please visit:

On Wednesday the 11^th the Board heard from representatives of Clear Creek Amana Schools who were requesting a contract with Johnson County that would have put a School Resource Officer (SRO) on the High School and Junior High campus in Tiffin. The officer would be a full-fledged Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputy.

We had a similar discussion with the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) eight or nine years ago. I recalled that Johnson County Social Services Director Lynette Jacoby had provided us with a great deal of data at that time, so I asked her to resend it in preparation for the meeting.

We do not take a formal vote until Thursday the 19^th, so I cannot be certain how my colleagues will vote. But I am going to be a “no.” I spoke at some length about my own experiences as a parent and foster parent.

If you are interested in seeing the video, you can view it here: https://johnson-county.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=3595

It is a long discussion – a bit over an hour – but it is the first item on the agenda.

I said exactly this last week, but it bears repeating: President Trump has started a war with Iran. This is illegal, unjustifiable, dangerous, and stupid.

Only Congress can declare war. But Trump did it anyway. His lap dogs like Ashley Hinson and Marianette Miller Meeks will be just fine with it, too.

We just did what Putin does. What Hitler did. What evil dictators do. We attacked another sovereign nation unprovoked. Trump just committed a war crime in our names.

Iran posed no particular threat to the US. But they do now. Prepare for another couple decades of motivated young terrorists.

Obama had reached a nuclear agreement with Iran. Trump railed against it, although it was working. He ended the agreement. With no agreement, Iran began increasing their nuclear capabilities. So Trump bombs them. He broke things, then broke them again trying to fix it.

I cannot WAIT until November when we can vote out awful Trump rubber stamps like Ashley Hinson and Marianette Miller Meeks.

By now you have probably all heard about the budget problems that have occurred in the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD). These problems are serious, and the Board faces some real challenges now in determining what steps to take next.

I do not pretend to have any extra or special knowledge of the situation. But I do have a request of you all. Show a bit of grace.

I get it – you may be furious. And perhaps you have a right to be. But will displays of anger – even righteous anger – help our kids right now? I urge everyone to learn everything they can about the situation, and once you have the correct info, to exercise your right (I would say duty) to hold the ICCSD accountable. But please try to do so in a productive manner. Our kids deserve that.

The City and County Conference Boards met recently to discuss the performances and budgets of the Iowa City and Johnson County Assessors.

Assessors are the folks who determine the value of all our taxable real estate. Every county has an Assessor; so do several of the larger cities. In some areas, notably Des Moines/Polk County and Waterloo/Black Hawk County, the City Assessor’s Office has been absorbed by the County Assessor’s Office. All told, there are about 110 Assessor’s Offices in Iowa.

The Iowa City Assessor handles all the property inside Iowa City proper; the Johnson County Assessor does everything else. The IC Assessor is responsible for almost $10 billion in appraised value; the JC Assessor is responsible for about $13.5 billion. Both serve about 80,000 residents.

Houses, businesses, farms and the like all go up and down in value. Because Johnson County has historically been viewed as a very good place to live, property values here have gone up steadily. In addition, new construction is always being added to the rolls. Iowa City has seen quite a bit of growth three directions. And the growth in Tiffin, Solon, and North Liberty goes without saying!

Property tax-levying governmental units (county, cities, schools) are represented on the Conference Boards. So the IC Assessor’s Office is overseen by Johnson County, Iowa City, and the ICCSD. The JC Assessor’s Office is overseen by Johnson County, ten cities (all but IC) each represented by their Mayor, and ten school districts (including the ICCSD) each represented by a school board member. Not every city or school district is represented at every meeting, but there are always enough representatives to have a quorum.

These Conference Boards review the performance of the Assessor for that jurisdiction, and set the budgets for the upcoming year. You have a very tiny line on your tax bill labelled “Assessor.” That is how the expenses for these offices are funded.

Now for some very good news: Assessors are measured for accuracy and ranked every year. The IC Assessor’s Office ranked #2 in the state out of about 110 offices. The JC Assessor’s Office ranked #3. That is correct – Iowa City was number two, and Johnson County was number three! In all my years as a Supervisor, neither Iowa City nor Johnson County has finished lower than 4th.

In addition to being highly ranked as a simple matter of pride, we should be extremely pleased by these results. This means that property taxpayers are likely paying their fair share. You are not likely paying too much, nor are you paying too little, relative to all property taxpayers. That is a very good thing.

I know, I know. You all think your assessed value is too high. There is an easy way to check this. Would you sell your property today at assessed value? Most folks I know would not; they think it is worth more. There is your answer. If you DO think it is too high, assessed values are easy to appeal. Just call the appropriate Assessor’s Office.

We are being well-served by our Assessors. Congratulations to Iowa City Assessor Brad Comer, Johnson County Assessor Tom Van Buer, and all their employees on these tremendous accomplishments!

We are finishing the FY27 budget, and I thought it made for a good time to revisit the subject of property taxes.

1. Value of the property: The Assessor for your jurisdiction determines how much a given property is worth. The property then receives an assessed value.

2. Classification of the property: A given property is classified into one of several categories. With a few minor exceptions, taxable properties are classified as either Agricultural, Residential, Commercial, or Industrial.

3. Levy rates: Each taxing jurisdiction has a levy rate for Ag, Residential, Commercial, and Industrial. The rate for each jurisdiction is applied.

4. Credits/rollbacks, etc.: There are occasional credits and rollbacks that artificially adjust the taxes due on certain taxable properties.

So, you take the value of the property, apply any rollbacks or credits, and multiply times the total levy rate for that class of property for each jurisdiction. You now have your total amount of property taxes due.

The taxing bodies do not have as much control over property taxes as you might think. Assessors value and classify the property. The state determines credits and rollbacks. All the taxing bodies control are the levy rates.

The levy rate in Johnson County has dropped 9 of the past 10 years. That is primarily because property values continue to rise.

I am proud of what I bring to the Board of Supervisors. But do not take my word for it – see for yourself! Every Board meeting is available online at: https://johnson-county.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=1

For starters, check out the last part of the February 4^th budget meeting. The meeting is about 80 minutes long, but you need only watch from 1:10-1:20. In that window, I bring up several key budget discussion points that were not going to be discussed otherwise. In subsequent meetings, these points have had huge impacts in terms of how we plan our budget.

This is one reason I believe I deserve your support. If I am not a part of these discussions, this stuff does not happen.

*DID YOU KNOW? The US has not officially declared war on another nation since WWII. During that time, 150,000 US service members have lost their lives.

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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