Sullivan's Salvos

1-31-12

2012-01-28T11:00:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 1/31/12

In this edition:

*Sullivan for Supervisor Fundraiser
*”Parental Responsibility” Ordinances
*Sand Road and Other Chip Seals
*Did You Know?

*Sullivan for Supervisor Fundraiser
Reminder - I am holding a fundraiser for my reelection campaign on Wednesday, February 1 from 5-7:30 PM at the Mill in downtown Iowa City. No need to RSVP – just show up!

*”Parental Responsibility” Ordinances
I have heard that some in Iowa City are calling for a so-called “parental responsibility” ordinance. The idea here is that if a minor child is charged with a crime, parent(s) may also be charged.

I think people who support this ought to volunteer to be foster parents. Until they are willing to step up and take that on, they should shut their mouths.

Passage of this type of ordinance would kill foster care. Why would anyone risk prosecution to care for someone else’s child?

I have had more than my share of experience with troubled youth. This is not as simple as ordinance supporters make it sound. Sure, most parents can keep a rambunctious 6 year old in his room. (And 99.99% DO.) But what is that same parent to do when that child grows to be a 16 year old, 200-pound young man?

I have personally seen dozens of situations where the parent would give almost anything to have the assistance of the police. They want their child to do the right thing; they cannot do much with an out-of-control teen.

We are severely lacking in services for troubled teens. Parents have almost no support. 25 years ago, the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) funded services for families in this situation. Not any more. In many cases, the only way a parent can get any help for a child is to hope she gets arrested!

In addition, there are already laws in place to punish teens that commit crimes. Why do we need “extra” punishments? Crime isn’t even up in Johnson County; it is down significantly!

Another factor is mental illness. The onset of most types of mental illness tends to take place during the mid-late teens. These children have done nothing wrong. They are ILL. Their parents face a LIFELONG, daunting challenge to provide for, support, and advocate for their kids. Meanwhile, some smug SOB thinks that parent, who has experienced suffering they will never know, should get a fine. Makes me so angry I could scream!

Finally, there are significant civil liberties concerns in play. How can you charge someone with a crime who has done nothing wrong? The ACLU is fighting these ordinances across the country, and having great success. I hope they continue to do so!

Supporters of this type of ordinance have lived in a bubble, and they are lucky that they have been so blessed! A more appropriate response would be a call for more and better services for families in need. Meanwhile, supporters of punishing parents should heed the old adage: there but for the Grace of God go I.

*Sand Road and Other Chip Seals
The Board was recently asked to consider lowering the speed limits on 170th Street (near Lake MacBride) and Sand Road south of 520th. After doing speed studies, the data called for 170th to be lowered to 45mph, and called for Sand Road to stay at 55.

Instead, the Board voted to keep 170th at 55 mph while lowering Sand Road to 45 mph. Why? Well, paraphrasing one Board member – if he knows you and you ask him directly, he’ll vote for whatever you want. But if he hasn’t spoken to you, you’re out of luck.

I voted to use science as the guide, and keep the Sand Road speed limit at 55. I lost on a 4-1 vote. The idea that Supervisors “just know” when a speed limit should be lowered is silly. The current state of affairs is that speed limits will get dropped when people fill the room. That is not how we are supposed to govern.

I wrote the following piece a couple of months ago, but it bears repeating today.

The Board recently heard from a group of residents who live along Sand Road south of 520th, where the road becomes chip seal. The residents are concerned about excessive speeds, coupled with farm and bicycle traffic. The road has seen a big increase in traffic – up to 1600 vehicles per day (vpd). The residents feel this section of roadway has become dangerous.

The residents out there want something done. There are really only 3 options, none of which are perfect solutions:

1. “Improve” the road
2. Paint stripes on the road
3. Reduce the speed limit

“Improving” the road means buying right of way (so taking front yards), cutting down trees, and paving a wide swath. It is expensive, and while it makes driving fast safer, it does nothing to address the farm/bike traffic.

Painting a chip seal road is a waste of money, period. It costs about $5,000 per mile to paint, and it would need to be done every single year. With over 100 miles of chip seal road in Johnson County, we simply cannot afford it.

Reducing the speed limit is the cheapest and easiest option, but poses problems of its own. The average speed on the road is currently greater than 55. Is it wise to artificially lower the speed limit? And what are the implications for the Sheriff’s Office where enforcement is concerned?

The bigger question is: why address Sand Road, and why now? Personally, I think we need to take a holistic look at ALL our chip seal roads. There are over 100 miles of chip seal road in Johnson County. We should begin to address this starting with the highest vpd and moving on through to the lowest.

The fact of the matter is, we have several chip seal roads with more curves, more hills, more trees, higher traffic counts, more bikes, and more residents. In my mind, these roads deserve our consideration before Sand Road.

Do not get me wrong: I sympathize with the folks on Sand Road, and I trust that everything they report is true. But the people who live on Sandy Beach Road (the highest vpd of any chip seal in Johnson County) have not been in the room to advocate for their road. What about their needs?

Since starting as a Supervisor in January of 2005, I have tried to make as many data-driven decisions as possible. Historically, too many decisions get made based upon who you know. I prefer quantifying those things that can be quantified, and putting that information to use.

Unfortunately, the Board of Supervisors is very susceptible to the desires of a room full of voters. It is an election year for four of the five Supervisors, and it is likely that any candidate would prefer 40 happy constituents to 40 that are angry. So my guess is that the Board will vote to give these residents the lower speed limit they desire without tackling the tougher topic.

Personally, I will only vote for a comprehensive approach to our chip seal roads. That may leave me on the angry side of those 40 voters, but I feel it is the only fair way to proceed.

The issues of speeding, tough terrain, and noncompatible uses are problems countywide. The Board should address the issue countywide rather than simply greasing the squeaky wheel.

*DID YOU KNOW? Only 11% of Americans moved last year, the lowest percentage since 1948. (Source: Governing Magazine.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

1-24-12

2012-01-20T19:49:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 1/24/12

In this edition:

*Sullivan for Supervisor Fundraiser
*Traffic Cameras
*Government Does It Better!
*Did You Know?

*Sullivan for Supervisor Fundraiser
I am holding a fundraiser for my reelection campaign on Wednesday, February 1 from 5-7:30 PM at the Mill in downtown Iowa City.

Please stop by and grab something to eat and drink, and talk a little local politics. I’d love to see you there!

*Traffic Cameras
I recently asked my fellow Board members if there was any interest in a discussion of traffic cameras. There was none.

This is unfortunate on a couple of levels: first, just about anything deserves at least a short public discussion, particularly when one Board member requests it. Secondly, I think this should be discussed because traffic cameras used correctly are proving to be a great tool for public safety.

Let me be clear; I am referring to speed cameras. There are also red light cameras, and while very similar, the justifications are somewhat different. For the purposes of this discussion, I am referring to speed cameras.

It actually pisses me off when I hear some elected officials say that this raises civil liberties concerns for them. There are about three elected officials in Johnson County who are legit when they say this. The rest are full of it.

I would love to see elected officials who REALLY cared about civil liberties. If more really cared about civil liberties, there would be many more tough votes taken. REALLY care about civil liberties? Take a look at our disproportionate minority contact numbers. They are abysmal. But the “civil liberties” champions who criticize cameras won’t touch a REAL civil liberties issue with a ten-foot pole.

Opposition to cameras is mainly pandering. The public gets upset about them, so the politicians automatically cave. But that we actually had a roster full of elected officials who cared about civil liberties!

I am literally a card-carrying member of the ACLU. I fully understand the civil liberties concerns to which cameras give rise. And I think there are some precautions that can be taken to protect our privacy. I will get to those later. First, here is why we need traffic cameras:

1. Cameras reduce speed-related accidents. This has been statistically proven. A federal study found a small but measurable reduction in injuries nationwide in accidents in areas monitored by cameras. Local studies nationwide show largely similar data. Crashes on 380 in CR are down 76%! Fatal crashes on 380 are down 80%!

(There is some data that shows a slight increase in rear end collisions at red light cameras –though the same studies demonstrate a reduction in more serious “t-bone” collisions at the same intersections. But that is for our cities to figure out. I am not talking about cameras at intersections – I’m talking speed cameras.)

2. Cameras raise revenues. I hear opponents say, “this isn’t about safety – it is about money.” First, safety statistics prove that statement untrue. But just for kicks, let’s pretend it is true. The cameras are only to raise money. Why is that bad thing? Money raised from cameras is money that property tax payers do not need to pay. I would suggest using any revenues 50% for additional patrol deputies, 50% for offsetting the use of property taxes in public safety.

Is there a need? Have you driven I-380 between Iowa City and CR? I have a bit of a lead foot; I’ll set my cruise at 75 in the 70mph zone. Cars pass me as though I were standing still. In a single commute you will witness a half dozen risky behaviors.

3. The only people who pay are people whose vehicles broke the law. No one is forced to pay these fines. Don’t break the law, and you don’t pay. (In CR, no drivers were ticketed unless they were at least 10mph over the limit.)

Cameras are in use just to our north in Cedar Rapids. The cameras added up to big money and significantly fewer crashes, according to police statistics. Through 11 months, the city has made $2.3 million from the camera system, according to data from camera vendor Gatso USA.

Cedar Rapids Police Chief Greg Graham said crashes citywide dropped by 8 percent from 2009 to 2010, and injury crashes fell 16 percent. Instead of working crashes, officers went to neighborhoods. Graham said the extra officers in neighborhoods helped reduce violent crime by 2 percent and property crime by 12 percent last year.

That backs up my own experience. I travel to CR fairly frequently, and since the advent of traffic cameras, my behavior has changed dramatically. I drive MUCH slower through CR!

Those results are REAL. And they happened just 25 miles north of us! They occurred on the same stretch of road (I-380) for which I would recommend cameras.

As mentioned earlier, there are several things that can be done to mitigate civil liberties concerns.

First, violations must be treated as civil infractions rather than moving violations. That means fines are similar to parking tickets, and do not impact the vehicle owner’s driving record. This is important, because the owner of the car was not necessarily the driver when the infraction occurred. This also protects the privacy of the drivers, because there is no need to use cameras to attempt to determine who was driving. The camera is focused on the plate, not the driver.

Secondly, there must be a strict plan for the data. Files must be deleted frequently, and data must be strictly protected. The data must remain the property of the municipality and not the vendor. Neither Cedar Rapids nor Des Moines has experienced any problems with this. I would encourage civil libertarians be actively involved in the writing of whatever contract is created with the company that maintains the data.

Finally, there must be an easy appeals process. This has been achieved in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines.

Now Governor Branstad is getting into the act. He says he will sign a bill banning traffic cameras; according to Branstad, the cameras are “unfair”. How ridiculous! The cameras are EXACTLY the opposite – they are the MOST fair way to determine who broke the law! No giving breaks, no racial profiling, no room for human error. (And this is one more way for Branstad to take power away from local governments.)

Traffic cameras make sense. They prevent accidents, raise revenues, and create a safer environment. I think this AT LEAST deserves a discussion. What do you think?

*Government Does It Better!
So – who handles elections better? Elected County Auditors (the government) or local volunteers (the Iowa GOP Caucuses)? Chalk up another one for government!

*DID YOU KNOW? The Joint Emergency Communication Center (JECC) took over 45,000 emergency (911) calls in 2011.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

1-17-12

2012-01-20T19:48:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 1/17/12

In this edition:

*Future of Ag
*TIF Thoughts
*TIF Public Hearing
*Did You Know?

*Future of Ag
The Board passed a Multiple Special Events Ordinance at our last meeting. Many folks were referring to this as the “Schwab Amendment” in reference to Dick Schwab’s Celebration Barn. (That is his older structure, not the new Celebration Farm on Highway 1.)

I think that label is a misnomer. Frankly, I was much more motivated by the concerns of the folks who own Wilson’s Orchard. The thing I realized during this discussion is that we have a lot of work to do. If agriculture is going to continue to play a role in the future of Johnson County, we are going to need to adjust.

Most ag in Iowa (and Johnson County) is large volume (also known as “traditional”) agriculture. These are farms of 400 or more acres, mostly corn and beans. If they raise livestock, it is cattle and hogs. We do fine in that area. We support this type of ag operation, and we do more than any other county to preserve farmland.

There is another type of farming – some would call it “old fashioned”, others would say it is the future. This includes value-added ag, ag tourism, co-ops, organic standards, CSAs, you-pick-‘em operations, on-farm processing, and much more. All of these innovations mean more people coming to the rural areas.

The rules and regs that serve “traditional” ag do not always work for the ag of the future. If we want any type of ag to continue to exist in Johnson County, we are going to need to step up and address these issues.

What do you think about our ag future? Where do we go from here, and how do we get there? I am open to your ideas!

*TIF Thoughts
The recent case study of TIFs in Johnson County (http://www.iowapolicyproject.org/2011docs/111121-TIF-JC.pdf) and the subsequent public hearing has started some much-needed discussion on the topic.

I have spent over a decade discussing/debating this topic, so I see no point in stopping now! I’d like to address some points that were made at the recent forum.

Report author Peter Fisher recommended that State law should be amended to disallow TIFs for residential or retail – period. TIF should only be used for basic sector projects. Yet in Johnson County, much of our retail is TIFed. Why? As Fisher points out, retail follows population/location. North Liberty has not increased its retail because of TIF – it has increased its retail because the population tripled.

Fisher made a key point when he suggested that TIFs should be project based, and they should end once the project has been paid off. The argument is that TIFs are required to recruit businesses. If the business has already been “recruited” and is already operating, why continue the TIF? If the infrastructure has already been paid off, why continue the TIF? The Economic Development Director from the City of Bettendorf was in attendance, and he claimed Bettendorf has “never used one nickel more” than was necessary to pay off the project. Iowa City has done this on most occasions. Seems like a common sense way to do business – hopefully, lawmakers will agree.

It was argued that Coralville TIFs have created many good jobs. I do not dispute this fact. But they have also created some crappy jobs. What’s more, Coralville’s wage statistics include many University and other State jobs in the Oakdale area, which should not require any subsidies. And State jobs – while excellent jobs – exist in buildings that pay no taxes, and do not appreciate in value.

It was noted that the UI is a huge economic development engine for Iowa City. Of course! But why does that matter? Plus, Coralville has hundreds of UI and State jobs at Oakdale, and the city also benefits from hundreds of students who choose to call Coralville home. The UI is definitely a cash cow – and Coralville benefits!

Sales taxes were also mentioned. I think this is a red herring. As mentioned earlier, retail activity is driven by population and location. So are sales taxes. Plus, many of the Coralville increases in sales tax came at the expense of Iowa City – Penny’s, Sears, Best Buy, etc. were already paying sales taxes in Johnson County, just not in Coralville. To top it off, those sales taxes go to the State, not the County.

Fisher’s numbers were criticized by some people in the crowd. I find this disappointing. We live in a community where academic, scientific, peer-reviewed research is sacrosanct. As a tenured professor and researcher who has been published scores of times, Fisher has tremendous credibility. The onus should be on those who question his numbers to come up with their own.

I have said it before, and it remains true: I am NOT anti-Coralville! Coralville is a great city, forward thinking and bold. The place is full of people I consider friends. And TIF is not solely about Coralville; most cities in Johnson County use the tool. Again, I am NOT anti-Coralville. I’d like to see a different question asked: are other folks anti-Johnson County?

Finally, and sadly – still few people are willing to address the impact of TIF on the County. As I said at the forum, County government is the “stepchild” of governments. It would be great to get more respect!

Why not give all taxing entities a vote on TIFs? If it is a good idea, the County and the schools should vote to support it.

At least the conversation is under way!

*TIF Public Hearing
That conversation continues Saturday, January 21 at 10:00 AM the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building, 855 S. Dubuque Street in Iowa City.

Senator Bolkcom will be holding yet another public hearing on TIF – but this time, the public gets to be more involved! I hope you will attend!

*DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County had 1612 property sales in 2010, 82 of which were foreclosures (5.1%). Through 11 months of 2011, there have been 2182 sales, 73 of which were foreclosures (3.3%). (Source: Johnson County Assessor.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

1-10-12

2012-01-07T11:53:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 1/10/12

In this edition:

*MLK Day
*Mr. Bloom vs. Mr. Bohr
*TIF on TV
*Did You Know?

*MLK Day
Next Monday 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.

We often hear about Christians who feel that Christmas has lost its meaning, union members who feel that way about Labor Day, and Veterans who feel the same about Veteran’s Day. I fear that this could be happening to MLK Day as well.

America has come a long way since the 60s, and overt racism is now typically (but certainly not always) frowned upon. We still have a long way to go, however. Unfortunately, Johnson County is home to plenty of racists. The Press Citizen was all too pleased to offer them a forum for 7-8 years, too. MLK’s work – our work – on racial issues is far from done.

I just finished reading “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander. This book should be required reading in Johnson County. Why Johnson County? Because despite our “liberal” credentials, we incarcerate African Americans at the HIGHEST rate in Iowa!

Johnson County is about 85% white, and 6% African American. Yet we incarcerate African Americans at several times the rate of whites. Juvenile Court involvement occurs at a rate of NINE times the rate of whites. How can we possibly accept these disparities?

We need more discussion on race. But it is even more important that we remember that King was a radical in many ways. America grudgingly accepted racial reforms because they were less dangerous to the status quo than the other issues King championed. King took seriously the Biblical teachings that the love of money is a sin, and that rich men will not be welcomed into Heaven. He proposed seismic changes to the political and social structures that exist in America. In addition, King was adamantly anti-war.

To the status quo, he was the most dangerous man in the world. They were happy to grant him concessions on Jim Crow if they could maintain their financial and military might. The fact that he kept pushing on the Biblical teachings regarding greed meant he was destined to die. He was too big a threat.

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. And Happy MLK Day!

*Mr. Bloom Vs. Mr. Bohr
Thus far, I have followed the whole Steven Bloom controversy from a distance. My family has lived on the same spot of ground since before Iowa became a state. I am a very proud eighth-generation Iowan. Needless to say, I found Mr. Bloom’s piece offensive. I just didn’t think it was worth responding. Until now.

I stop to wipe away the tears as I write this. A good friend of the family passed away two weeks ago. Let me tell you the story of Don Bohr.

Don grew up on the family farm east of Sutliff (very near my family). He lost his mother at a very young age. Don played sports, but could never fully commit due to the obligations of the family farm.

As an adult, Don married a wonderful woman and had three great kids. He always wanted his own farm ground, but that was never to be. So Don spent over 30 years as a tenant farmer. He was a good one, too – he took very meticulous care of those farms. It was said that he never walked by a weed without pulling it!

Life was mostly hard work. It was tough to make a go of it. Soon there were no farms left to rent, and Don had to go to work as a security guard at the UI. Each of the kids had their share of problems. Nothing was easy.

But overall, Don was pretty much like every other guy his age. He had a good life. Don enjoyed simple pleasures. He loved a cold Pepsi. He adored his grandkids. Don loved to fish, loved the Hawkeyes, loved country music, and loved to hunt. He hunted every chance he got. In the end, it was skin cancer that got him – undoubtedly a result of all those hours outside.

Basically, Don Bohr is the guy Steven Bloom wrote about. Here is the part Steven Bloom does not understand: the world would be a better place if it were full of Don Bohrs.

Don was kind, gentle, caring, considerate, friendly, and hard working. He was no dummy, either. This may sound crazy, but I know that if I had made some outrageous request of Don - asked for a kidney, or his life savings – he would have given it to me.

I remember once when I was going through a particularly rough time at work. I met Don at Sutliff, and he leaned in close.

“They’re really giving it to you in the paper, huh?” he asked. “Yep”, I sighed. Don said, “Screw ‘em. We’re all here for ya’.”

OK – Don didn’t say, “Screw ‘em.” But this is a PG newsletter. The point is, I knew that he REALLY meant it. He wanted to see a local boy make good. He had a quiet pride in his place and his people. More importantly, when I needed someone, he was there. It was that way my whole life.

Simple does not mean stupid, and simple does not equate to bad. Simple can be very, very good. Don Bohr was a simple man. He was also very, very good. His is the Iowa story that needs to be told.

*TIF on TV
In case you missed the recent forum on TIF, it is available on the web. See City Channel 4 for details.

*DID YOU KNOW? Iowa has more libraries per capita than any other state. (Source: Susan Craig, Iowa City Public Library.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

1-3-12

2012-01-07T11:52:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 1/3/12

In this edition:

*Happy New Year!
*Democrats Caucus, Too!
*A Democrat’s Take On The GOP Caucuses
*Interesting Take on Board Actions
*Property Maintenance Code
*TIF Forum
*Did You Know?

*Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you and yours! I wish you a healthy and happy 2012!

*Democrats Caucus, Too!
The GOP Caucuses have gotten most of the ink, but Iowa Democrats also gather in precinct Caucuses tonight.

Regardless of Party, to determine your Caucus location, call the Johnson County Auditor’s Office at 356-6004.

*A Democrat’s Take On The GOP Caucuses
The Iowa GOP will be picking a Presidential nominee at the Caucuses tonight. Even though I am a Democrat, and disagree with the GOP candidates on many things, I feel like weighing in.

While I believe elections should be about issues, I think much can be learned from a look at the candidates regardless of issues. How can we evaluate candidates without involving the issues? Like this:

Mitt Romney: Face it – he will do whatever it takes to become President. He will change any position. He has no core values.

Michelle Bachmann: We all get the facts wrong once in awhile. When you do it all the time? You are a liar. I have no time for liars.

Newt Gingerich: A bit of Romney’s flip-flopping, a bit of Bachmann’s lying, and the biggest ego known to man. In addition, NO single individual is more to blame for the uncivil state of politics today. No thanks!

Rick Perry: A stupid, pious version of Gingerich.

Jon Huntsman: You say screw Iowa? I say screw you.

Ron Paul: Consistent, and a breath of fresh air. Not afraid to go against the orthodoxy.

Rick Santorum: He does not waffle, and has clearly held values. He is working hard at the grassroots level. Iowa is not “beneath” him.

But for the fact that we disagree on virtually every policy issue, either Paul or Santorum would be my candidate. (I doubt that my endorsement carries much weight in a Republican Caucus!)

While this might seem like a foolish waste of time, I actually think this is an interesting exercise for Democrats. (Remember, I still disagree with Santorum and Paul on almost every issue.)

Even though I believe elections should be about issues, I know that there are “Democrats” here locally for whom I have never voted and would never vote. That is because they have the personality flaws of Romney or Bachmann. There are other local Dems I have “learned to love” because like Paul, they do not fit nicely into a box.

I can actually say that there are 4 candidates in this field for whom I could not vote, even if we agreed on every issue! I find that astounding, and it really punches a hole in my “issue-based voting” theory!

So – what are your thoughts?

*Interesting Take on Board Actions
You may have seen the article in last week’s Gazette (December 28) “Supervisors Clash Over Rental Code”. The article paints an unfortunate yet accurate picture of that meeting.

Controversy invites interest. I have had a couple folks contact me out of curiosity, and a couple contact me in support. But the largest number contacted me to express concerns over civility.

This perfectly illustrates my recent Salvos regarding civility. Civility is a red herring. It allows bad government to hide behind polite behavior. It creates an Orwellian environment where the truth matters less than being polite.

The article said, “One Supervisor accused another of lying.” That is true. But why is that the focus? Why doesn’t the article say, “Supervisor lies!”? Again, our focus is totally wrong.

You can call me direct, or blunt, or even rude. But I’m trying my damndest to do the public’s business in the manner the public deserves. I am not going to stop doing that. So if your number one concern is civility, then you may want to vote me out of office. If you care about honesty, courage, competence, or any other characteristics, then I urge you to tune into any meeting. I stand by my record.

We NEED people to pay attention! Elected officials at EVERY level of government NEED you to pay attention!

*Rental Property Ordinance
The issue that we were discussing was a proposed rental ordinance. The proposed ordinance contains several exceptions. Frankly, these exceptions turn my stomach.

First, all owner-occupied units are exempt. That means there is little that can be done in most mobile home courts, where most units are owner-occupied.

Secondly, the property would be exempt if owned by a farmer. I grew up on a farm. I am not anti-farm by any means. But I was also raised to believe that all people are created equal, and the law don’t care what your daddy do. That is not the case in Johnson County, Iowa in 2012, though. Because here and now, if your daddy is a farmer, the laws do not apply.

Thirdly, properties would be exempt if the renter did any work at all on the farm. This is even worse! It creates a “company store” situation, where poor people can be victimized in multiple facets of their lives. This Board already had problems with farmers housing migrant labor in deplorable conditions. (In 2001 – before I was on the Board, but during the terms of three current Board members.) This ordinance would virtually guarantee a recurrence of that sad ordeal.

Finally, properties would be exempt if one family member was renting to another. Because if a child is going to live in unsafe conditions, by God, that child ought to be related to the landlord! (Yes, if you are sensing sarcasm here, you are correct.)

The proposed rental ordinance is a joke. I will not support it. I will continue to push for a property maintenance ordinance.

Every child in Johnson County deserves to live in a safe home. Period. That is what I believe, and that is what I will continue to fight for. I am sick and tired of this Board pandering to the Farm Bureau, particularly at the expense of poor children.

*TIF Forum
Hopefully, by now you are aware of the new report from the Iowa Policy Project: Tax-Increment Financing: A Case Study of Johnson County.

Abuse of tax-increment financing by cities in Iowa is a statewide problem. Johnson County offers an illustrative case study of why reforms are needed, and which reforms might help.

Senator Bolkcom will be holding a public forum on the results of the report on Wednesday, January 4th at 6 PM at the Coralville Public Library. Local elected officials will be there to offer their two cents. Please plan on attending!

*DID YOU KNOW? The Iowa Caucuses began in 1846, but rose to prominence when they moved to first in the nation in 1972.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

12-20-11

2011-12-23T21:44:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 12/20/11

In this edition:

*Merry Christmas!
*Serving as Chair
*Running For Reelection
*Bridge Data
*Congrats North Liberty!
*Salvos Salutes Next Week!
*Did You Know?

*Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to those of you that celebrate it. Happy Holidays to the rest. I hope you have a safe and fulfilling holiday.

*Serving as Chair
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors has a tradition of rotating the position of Board Chair. Each year, a different member of the Board takes over as of the first meeting of the year.

Though it is basically a formality, the Board still votes to select its leader. There have been a couple notable instances when the “rotation” did not happen. Dick Myers and Joe Bolkcom, who both went on to serve notable careers in higher office, were both passed over by their peers.

In some counties, the Chair rotates amongst the political party in charge. In Polk County, for example, the three Democrats rotate the role of Chair, effectively shutting out the GOP. In Muscatine County, the GOP used to do the same thing to Democratic Supervisors. In other counties, one individual has held the role of Chair for decades. So there is no set method other than holding the election.

Personally, I do not see any reason to shut anyone out. While it can get cumbersome, we have always operated on the premise that three members (a majority) of the Board can put anything they wish on the agenda, even over the objection of the Chair.

Additionally, individual Board members can impact the agenda without being Chair. I am proud of the fact that at my suggestion, agendas were changed to allow public discussion at both the beginning and end of each meeting. When I first started, public discussion was only at the end of the agenda. So if you showed up for a 5:30 PM meeting, you might not get to raise your issue until 9 PM. That was not friendly toward the public. But when I brought it up, others were happy to oblige.

To me, the biggest job of the Chair is ensuring that meetings run smoothly. The public deserves efficiency and effectiveness. A well-run meeting can also save hours of staff time – and that means money!

I am in line to serve as the Chair for 2012. I am looking forward to serving in that capacity, and I am happy to take your suggestions for improving Board meetings.

*Running For Reelection
Salvos readers, I have decided to seek reelection to the Board of Supervisors. Below is the press release I just sent out.

Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan announced today that he will seek reelection to a third term. Sullivan pointed to several accomplishments during his time in office. Since Sullivan joined the Board, Johnson County has:

• Successfully dealt with flood response and recovery;
• Passed a Human Rights Ordinance, the first County in Iowa to do so;
• Passed a Sensitive Areas Ordinance, the first County in Iowa to do so;
• Signed on to the Cool Counties initiative, the first County in Iowa to do so;
• Created a Livable Community for Seniors, the first County in Iowa to do so;
• Created a Trails Committee and for the first time put trails in the budget;
• Instituted a highly successful Earned Income Tax Credit program;
• Established a Buy Local policy;
• Passed a Wind Energy Ordinance;
• Added rural tornado sirens.

Sullivan has been involved with numerous organizations, including AFT Local 716; Sierra Club; St. Andrew Presbyterian Church; Iowa Foster & Adoptive Parents; IC Area Chamber; UNESCO City of Literature; Emergency Management Commission; Convention and Visitors Bureau; Johnson Co. Council of Governments; Chair of the Iowa Assoc. of Counties Human Services Committee; United Way of Johnson Co.; and Community Foundation of Johnson Co.

Sullivan’s top campaign issues for a third term are:
*Working with cities for sensible TIF usage;
*improving rural housing conditions; and
*increased support for Human Services.

“It has been a pleasure and a privilege serving as a Johnson County Supervisor,” Sullivan said. “We have accomplished some good things, but we can do so much more. I want to continue to push Johnson County to be the best it can be.”

Sullivan can be contacted at 319-354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. He has a website at rodsullivan.org.

*Bridge Data
Here is some very interesting data on bridges, courtesy of the Johnson County Engineer’s Office:

• There are over 24,700 bridges in Iowa, which is in the top 5 in the US.

• 223 of those bridges are in Johnson County. (This refers to bridges under County jurisdiction; that means a bridge owned by the State, or Tiffin, or Lone Tree, etc. is not included.)

• The 223 bridges are actually 165 bridges and 58 extra long culverts.

• Of the 223, 29 (13%) are structurally deficient. That puts Johnson County right in line with the national average (13%), but ahead of Iowa as a whole (22%).

• 35% of our bridges are 30-50 years old; 10% are 50-70; and 21% are over 70 years old.

It is important to note that structurally deficient does not mean unsafe. It means the bridge is required to have a weight limit, and it needs repair sooner rather than later.

If a bridge scores low enough, it is automatically closed. We have two of those – both on Level B roads, and both already closed.

*Congrats North Liberty!
North Liberty is prominently featured in the November issue of American City & County magazine.

Reporters with the magazine interview North Liberty officials about their move from paper packets to tablet computers. The article includes a photo, and I can make out Mayor Salm and Councilors Chipman and Kuhl!

We had a joint meeting in North Liberty a few months ago, and saw the tablets in action. Johnson County followed suit with tablets a few months later. I can attest, we are now saving thousands of sheets of paper!

Congrats again to North Liberty for blazing a trail, and being recognized for doing so!

*Salvos Salutes Next Week!
Your next edition of Salvos will feature our annual year-end awards – the Salvos Salutes! Check back next week to see who among your friends and neighbors gets honored with these prestigious awards!

*DID YOU KNOW? The use of “Xmas” as shorthand for Christmas comes from the Greek “Xristos”, which means Christ.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

12-27-11

2011-12-23T21:42:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 12/27/11

In this edition:

*Happy Hanukah!
*Happy New Year!
*Lead or Get Out of the Way!
*Salvos Salutes!
*Did You Know?

*Happy Hanukah!
A very Happy Hanukah to all my Jewish friends and neighbors.

*Happy New Year!
I want to sincerely thank you for reading Salvos throughout the year. I hope 2012 is a great year for you and yours.

*Lead or Get Out of the Way!
Unfortunately, we live in a world where elected officials are praised for “getting along” rather than addressing the issues at hand. We celebrate “civility” at the expense of results.

Let’s stop all the excuses for doing NOTHING. Let’s have just a tiny bit of political courage for once.

If you are elected, you are elected to lead. Make a decision, right or wrong. If you refuse to decide, then step down and let somebody else take a shot.

Alright. That is off my chest. Almost. Damn it, public – hold these people accountable! They work for you. Demand better!

*Salvos Salutes!
2011 is coming to a close, and it is time for honoring a few select Johnson County residents with that most treasured of honors, the Salvos Salute. A few observations:

* This is the sixth annual set of awards, and there are always more people who deserve awards than there are awards to give. We live in a great County!

* The focus is on Johnson County. While it is certainly worth noting the heroism of someone like Sal Guinta, we have everyday heroes right here in Johnson County that deserve a shout out.

* There are some people out there that could win every year. I am trying to honor different folks, but repeat winners are not out of the question.

* Salvos Salutes do not have specific criteria, but you can bet that in general, most of the winners are courageous, advocate for peace and justice, have good ideas, speak truth to power, avoid hypocrisy, and look out for the less fortunate.

Without further adieu, your 2011 Salvos Salutes go to:

John Bacon: The Principal at City High has improved the attitude at that school, and is doing a great job of explaining that City High is a wonderful place. His enthusiasm is infectious, and he really cares. The ICCSD has screwed some things up in recent years, but hiring Mr. Bacon was a masterstroke!

Larry Wilson: Larry has always been a great community volunteer, including lots of volunteerism benefitting Johnson County. After retiring from the UI, Larry put his years of expertise toward the new Justice Center. I think the County is going to put forth a very good Justice Center proposal. When we do, Larry Wilson will deserve much of the credit.

Dorothy Whiston: The newly installed Pastor at First Baptist Church, Dorothy has led the Soul Friends Ministry for several years. That organization does a great job of ministering to families affected by the criminal justice system. Lately, Dorothy has done fantastic work addressing the systemic racism that exists here in Johnson County. This is an important but difficult topic, and Dorothy has tackled it courageously.

Gene Mohling: The Iowa State University Extension Office provides a myriad of service in Johnson County. From gardening to budgeting to childcare to raising hogs – if you need info, Extension is there. Leading the charge is Gene Mohling, who does a great job bringing the resources of ISU to the people of Johnson County.

Roger Lusala: The Mayor’s Youth Empowerment Program (MYEP) is booming! Some have pointedly asked – “Can MYEP really do all this and do it well?” If the Executive Director of the agency is any indication, then the answer is yes, they can! What’s more, the guy is a father to 5 daughters under 12! Go, Roger!

Gerald & Joan Morgan: From serving as Santa and Mrs. Claus, to organizing antique tractor rides, to running the Old Settlers events, to volunteering on the Conservation Board, to being President of the Farm Bureau, to serving as the “Mayor” of River Junction – Gerald and Joan Morgan donate more of their time and talents than almost anyone I know. They epitomize the volunteerism that runs so deep here in Johnson County.

Bill Greazel: The job of assessing property demands accuracy. Nobody does that better than Johnson County Assessor Bill Greazel, who is the best in Iowa, period! We should all learn to appreciate the excellent job done by Bill and his employees.

Jill Dodds: The newly elected member of the Coralville City Council ran a campaign promising to thoroughly review city finances. This is not an easy position to take, but it is a very necessary one. Jill is a courageous individual, and she will need deep reserves of courage as she challenges the status quo.

Zach Wahls: I do not know Zach Wahls, nor do I know his mothers. I just know that no one has made me more proud to say I am from Johnson County! Thanks, Zach, for putting us on the map in such a positive light! We are proud of you!

Ernie Found: It is hard to imagine a person enduring a more difficult year than Doctor Found endured in 2011. It is even harder to imagine someone persevering with more grace. Mr. Found, you are a shining example for the rest of us!

Iowa Policy Project: I have spoken in the past of my desire to make data-driven decisions. So where does good, objective data come from? It comes from the Iowa City-based Iowa Policy Project (IPP). I use the facts and statistics produced by IPP every single day in my job. A notable example is the recent IPP report on TIFs in Johnson County. Every taxpayer should read this report! Thanks, IPP!

Occupy Iowa City: The political, financial, legal, and other systems are rigged to favor the wealthiest 1% of Americans. To varying degrees, we all knew this. Yet the Occupy Movement has called attention to the needs of the 99% like no previous effort. What’s more, the local Occupiers have been polite, respectful, thoughtful, and smart. I have spent several hours talking to Occupy folks, and they fill me with hope for our future.

Congratulations to all the winners! You make Johnson County a great place to live! Keep it up in 2012!

*DID YOU KNOW? More vehicles are stolen on New Year’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-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

12-13-11

2011-12-10T10:06:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 12/13/11

In this edition:

*Sand Road and Other Chip Seals
*Candidates and Charity
*Liberty and Justice for Some
*Did You Know?

*Sand Road and Other Chip Seals
The Board recently heard from a group of residents who live along Sand Road south of 520th, where the road becomes chip seal. The residents are concerned about excessive speeds, coupled with farm and bicycle traffic. The road has seen a big increase in traffic – up to 1600 vehicles per day (vpd). The residents feel this section of roadway has become dangerous.

The residents out there want something done. There are really only 3 options, none of which are perfect solutions:

1. “Improve” the road
2. Paint stripes on the road
3. Reduce the speed limit

“Improving” the road means buying right of way (so taking front yards), cutting down trees, and paving a wide swath. It is expensive, and while it makes driving fast safer, it does nothing to address the farm/bike traffic.

Painting a chip seal road is a waste of money, period. It costs about $5,000 per mile to paint, and it would need to be done every single year. With over 100 miles of chip seal road in Johnson County, we simply cannot afford it.

Reducing the speed limit is the cheapest and easiest option, but poses problems of its own. The average speed on the road is currently greater than 55. Is it wise to artificially lower the speed limit? And what are the implications for the Sheriff’s Office where enforcement is concerned?

The bigger question is: why address Sand Road, and why now? Personally, I think we need to take a holistic look at ALL our chip seal roads. There are over 100 miles of chip seal road in Johnson County. We should begin to address this starting with the highest vpd and moving on through to the lowest.

The fact of the matter is, we have several chip seal roads with more curves, more hills, more trees, higher traffic counts, more bikes, and more residents. In my mind, these roads deserve our consideration before Sand Road.

Do not get me wrong: I sympathize with the folks on Sand Road, and I trust that everything they report is true. But the people who live on Sandy Beach Road (the highest vpd of any chip seal in Johnson County) have not been in the room to advocate for their road. What about their needs?

Since starting as a Supervisor in January of 2005, I have tried to make as many data-driven decisions as possible. Historically, too many decisions get made based upon who you know. I prefer quantifying those things that can be quantified, and putting that information to use.

Unfortunately, the Board of Supervisors is very susceptible to the desires of a room full of voters. It is an election year for four of the five Supervisors, and it is likely that any candidate would prefer 40 happy constituents to 40 that are angry. So my guess is that the Board will vote to give these residents the lower speed limit they desire without tackling the tougher topic.

Personally, I will only vote for a comprehensive approach to our chip seal roads. That may leave me on the angry side of those 40 voters, but I feel it is the only fair way to proceed.

The issues of speeding, tough terrain, and noncompatible uses are problems countywide. The Board should address the issue countywide rather than simply greasing the squeaky wheel.

*Candidates and Charity
Wondering for whom you should vote? I have an idea for you! One of the best ways of evaluating candidates for office is to find out to which charities they contribute their time and talents.

I wish the press would ask candidates where they donate and how much. The results are typically very telling.

If you don’t believe me, try it yourself! Ask the candidates – you’ll gain a great deal of insight.

*Liberty And Justice For Some
I just finished an excellent book by Glenn Greenwald entitled, “With Liberty and Justice for Some”.

This book focuses on the fact that the fundamental underpinning of our democracy – that all people are equal under the law – is simply no longer true.

It really began with Ford’s pardon of Nixon. While many felt this was positive step in our country’s “healing”, Greenwald argues that it set the stage for lawlessness at the top.

George H.W. Bush pardoned the guilty parties in the Iran-Contra affair. Bill Clinton pardoned those involved in Iraqgate. George W. Bush failed to investigate crimes committed in the Clinton Administration. Barack Obama has completely ignored an illegal war, warrantless wiretaps, torture, illegal rendition, Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, suspensions of habeas corpus, war crimes, and much more. Obama is even worse when it comes to Wall Street. Zero accountability.

“If the President does it, it’s not a crime.” Richard Nixon was wrong when he famously said that. Unfortunately, it is true today.

At the other end of the spectrum, the US imprisons more people than any government in the history of the planet. Virtually all of those people are poor, and a disproportionate number are people of color.

One quarter of all African American men will serve time in a US prison. One in 9 African American children has a parent in prison. Meanwhile, privatized prisons spend our tax dollars lobbying for harsher sentences.

I finished this book as Occupy Wall Street protesters were being arrested in New York, Oakland, and elsewhere. Think about that for a moment. No one from Goldmann Sachs was charged with anything – even though they brought the US economy to its knees. But the folks who protest that lack of accountability are going to jail!

There are two systems of justice in the US – one for the rich and powerful, and one for the rest of us. It is un-American, and it SHOULD be protested!

*DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County Ambulance ran 7379 calls in FY11 – about 20 per day. They get to 75% of all calls in under 8 minutes. The busiest time for calls is Sunday from 12-2 AM.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

12-6-11

2011-12-03T13:20:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 12/6/11

In this edition:

*Local Media and You
*Luke 16:13
*Grants Part 1: LED Lights
*Grants Part 2: Rural Tornado Sirens
*NBA Lockout
*Did You Know?

*Local Media and You
I am frequently critical of the Gazette and Press Citizen. Among other concerns, I feel that they rarely give adequate coverage to important local issues.

I must give credit where credit is due, however. Recent coverage of the IPP TIF report and the proposed JECC budget are exactly the type of thing I have been looking for. Both papers have covered the issues thoroughly.

I hope they will keep it up. As you know, I have been hammering these two issues for years. My voice is not enough. If you care about these issues, YOU need to get involved.

The Press Citizen and Gazette have stepped up and done their job. The ball is in your court. The issues will only die if you LET them die! Write your local papers, and talk to your city councils and Iowa Legislators! Let’s be the change we wish to see in the world!

*Luke 16:13
“You cannot serve both God and money.” – Luke 16:13. That was the topic of a recent sermon at our church.

I cannot help but put this quote in the context of our public discussions about the widening gap between the rich and poor. There are a few folks out there who are making a LOT of money… about 2% of us, give or take. It strikes me that many of those same people claim to be Christians. Are they serving both God and money? The Gospel says clearly we cannot!

In fairness, Christianity commands ALL followers to share their wealth, not just those who have a lot. Every person has something she or he can give, even if it is not monetary.

I believe in a separation of church and state. While I am a Christian, I certainly do not expect anyone (or everyone) else to share my beliefs.

My frustration stems from the fact that the candidates for office tend to force their beliefs on others. The same people who make the biggest deal out of their Christianity are the same people who advocate for serving money. They are also the same people who want to interject Christianity into our government. Hey, if putting Christianity in government means Luke 16:13, then put it in!

Interesting to hear our self-professed Christians criticizing the Occupy movement, which is simply pointing out the degree to which we serve money in this country.

The Bible says you cannot serve both God and money. So, which is it, Rick Perry? Herman Cain? Michelle Bachmann? Mitt Romney? Who do you serve, God or money?

*Grants Part 1: LED Lights
Johnson County recently received a $36,000 grant to update our parking lot lights to LED technology.

Going to LED is a good investment for our environment and our taxpayers! The payback in terms of energy savings is only about 18 months, so this grant is a real score!

Thanks to grant writer Sara Sedlacek for her good work on this!

*Grants Part 2: Rural Tornado Sirens
I have written previously about my efforts to secure rural tornado sirens for unincorporated (yet populated) portions of Johnson County.

Well, we have more good news on this front! Johnson County Emergency Management Director David Wilson recently announced that Johnson County is getting a $200,000 federal grant to cover rural sirens.

Johnson County got the grant because of our existing commitment to rural public safety; we had already budgeted $25,000 for more rural sirens this year. The additional $200,000 will serve to cover the populous portions of Johnson County extremely well.

Thanks to Dave Wilson for his good work on this!

*NBA Lockout
Though I love sports, I try not to write much about it in Salvos. I figure that readers already have many places to read about and discuss athletics.

I am making a bit of an exception this week, as I believe it is important to have some discussion of the National Basketball Association (NBA) lockout.

As you may have seen, the NBA players and owners have reached a tentative agreement. I am squarely on the side of the players. Here are some very important factors to keep in mind:

1. The labor stoppage is a lockout, not a strike. Players had already agreed to go to work for less money!

2. While players obviously make a lot of money, team owners are among the wealthiest people on planet earth! This is NOT “rich versus rich” as it is being sold. This is rich versus so wealthy it cannot even be explained.

3. Don’t fool yourself – there is a racial component to this. Owners are old white men. Players are largely young black men. This whole business reeks of a modern day plantation.

4. The work stoppage hurts many additional people – most poor- who work as janitors, in concessions, etc.

Here is the biggest irony: the players are saying, “give us a free market.” The owners want all kinds of controls, caps, revenue sharing, etc.

Take a moment to see what those same owners say about their other businesses. In those cases, they must have no regulation. Only a completely free market will do.

Except when it hurts them. Face it – the owners are hypocrites who have gorged themselves at the public trough. I hope you will join me in supporting the players – the workers – in this classic work stoppage.

*DID YOU KNOW? Sirimauo Bandranaike of Sri Lanka became the world's first popularly elected female head of state in 1960.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

11-29-11

2011-11-25T15:02:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 11/29/11

In this edition:

*JECC Update
*The Facts on TIFs
*Welfare Queens?
*Did You Know?

*JECC Update
The saga of the Joint Emergency Communications Center (JECC) rolls on. I brought up 8 points to the JECC Board at their public hearing on November 18. Those were:

1. Public hearings should not be at 7:30 AM. That is not being accessible to the public.

2. Public hearings should be at the beginning of scheduled meetings, not the end. The public should not be expected to wait an hour.

3. The proposed budget was sorely lacking in detail.

4. The JECC Board should have reviewed the proposed budget prior to its publication.

5. The proposed budget did not reflect the $275,000 the JECC is receiving from the E911 Board.

6. The JECC Board should commit to extremely low reserves. This is complicated, but directly related to the TIF situation in Johnson County.

7. The proposed increase in the budget was WAY too high!

8. As I have said since before the JECC was created, the form of governance is not good, and leads to problems such as the seven previous issues.

I know the JECC Board has promised to “dramatically” lower the budget. We’ll see if their version of “dramatic” and mine are similar. And hopefully they will follow my advice regarding low reserves.

So, that is your JECC update.

The real question here is WHY must I give you another update? Why has the JECC taken so many hours of my time when I have never served on that board? Why has this endeavor been so screwed up for 3+ years?

When the reserves were being discussed, it was suggested that the JECC Board should get something in writing, given the “history” between the JECC Board and the Supervisors.

First, let’s be completely clear exactly what that “history” has been. It is a history of parochialism, profligate spending, poor planning, and terrible hiring. The JECC Board did all those things. Four Supervisors complained about it. That is your “history”.

If you would characterize a crime victim and her assailant as having a “history”, then I suppose you see things this way. Frankly, I see the “history” as being pretty damned one sided.

From the beginning, it has been 2 Iowa City Councilors, 2 Coralville Councilors, a North Liberty Councilor, and one Supervisor making decisions for the JECC. Sheriff Pulkrabek has been the lone voice of reason on every important vote.

So, the JECC Board does not trust the Board of Supervisors due to “history”? Seems pretty ironic. That said, it cannot hurt to put some things in writing if it will save the taxpayers in the long run.

*The Facts on TIF
I have been talking about TIFs in Johnson County for over a decade now. Most folks choose to ignore me.

Hopefully, some of those folks will pay attention to the new report from the Iowa Policy Project: Tax-Increment Financing: A Case Study of Johnson County.

Abuse of tax-increment financing by cities in Iowa is a statewide problem. Johnson County offers an illustrative case study of why reforms are needed, and which reforms might help.

The Iowa Fiscal Partnership is a joint policy analysis initiative of two nonpartisan, nonprofit, Iowa-based organizations: the Iowa Policy Project in Iowa City and the Child & Family Policy Center in Des Moines. All IFP reports are at www.iowafiscal.org.

A highlight – or lowlight, depending on your perspective: taxpayers living in the Clear Creek Amana school district are paying an extra $2.83 per $1000 valuation to fund Coralville TIFs. That means a CCA family living in a $200,000 house pays an extra $566 per year. That is real money!

The people who have abused TIF here in Johnson County are now on the defense. They are trotting out the same old arguments. Guess what? EVERY argument they make is refuted in the report.

Please take a look at this report. This is not Rod Sullivan talking – these are experts in municipal finance. Their findings are important. What they report affects us all.

*Welfare Queens?
My colleague Sally Stutsman serves on the State of Iowa Human Services Council, a citizen’s advisory group designed to guide the Department of Human Services.

In that capacity, she found some fascinating statistics regarding welfare in Iowa. (What is commonly referred to as “welfare” has also been called FIP and TANF; despite different sets of rules, we are talking essentially the same programs.)

The Iowa statistics certainly do not describe “welfare queens”. First, there were only 17,000 individuals in the program, out of over 3 million Iowa residents. That amounts to only one half of one percent!

The average Iowa welfare recipient in FY11 was a 20-29 year old Caucasian woman who received $338 per month in benefits. She remained on the program an average of 21 months.

Welfare is not a great living. People don’t get rich from it, and they don’t want to be on it. It is a vital safety net, but it is not a bed of roses.

Here is a test. If someone tells you welfare is so cushy, ask him to give his job to a recipient, and have him go on the program for awhile. You will not find any takers.

*DID YOU KNOW? The Pilgrims arrived in Massachusetts in 1620. By the fall of 1621, only half of the original crew survived.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

11-22-11

2011-11-19T16:22:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 11/22/11

In this edition:

*Happy Thanksgiving!
*Congratulations Jawon!
*Civility, Or Shooting the Messenger?
*Homeless Children’s Trust
*Did You Know?

*Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a safe and enjoyable holiday, and I hope you take a moment to reflect on our many blessings.

I know I harp on this quite a bit, but… do you have any idea how rich we all are? If your family of four earns over $47,500 per year, you are among the WEALTHIEST 1% on planet earth.

I am extremely blessed. If you are reading this, you are extremely blessed. I hope you will join me in sharing our blessings over the holiday season and beyond.

*Congratulations Jawon!
Iowa Kids Net recently held an event to acknowledge National Adoption Month. They chose a local young person to be the spokesperson, and I would like to tell you a bit about him. (He told this story publically, so I feel comfortable sharing it.)

Jawon Walker was born in Gary, Indiana. His father was in prison, and his mother had drug and alcohol problems. His mother moved him to Iowa City when he was 5.

Jawon ended up in foster care at age 9. Even though he was always smart and polite, Jawon was very down on himself. He did not trust any adults.

Fast forward to today. Jawon lives in rural Shueyville with his parents, Chad & Jennifer Streit. He is a Senior at Prairie High School and an honor student. He is the Student Body President and Homecoming King. Jawon is involved in choir, show choir, speech and drama, and the Cedar Rapids NAACP. He has an internship at Rockwell Collins, and will be attending the University of Iowa in the fall. When he starts college, Jawon will have over 20 hours of college credit earned at Kirkwood.

Even more incredible than his accomplishments is his bravery. At age 16, Jawon went to court. The Streits put no pressure on him; they told him to follow his heart. With his birth mother in the room, Jawon told the judge that he wanted to sever that tie and be adopted. I cannot imagine how difficult this had to be.

I am incredibly proud of Jawon Walker. Melissa and I are honored to have served as his foster parents, and we are glad he is still a part of our lives. We are very thankful to Chad and Jennifer, but mostly, we are thankful to Jawon.

Not every adoption story is quite so remarkable. But every one gives a child a permanent family. Every one is remarkable in its own way.

Yes, I am biased. I have three adopted children of my own. Yet 250,000 children nationwide still need families. We would love you to join us as adoptive parents. Even if you can’t, there are things you can do to help.

I hope you will each do something during the month of November to recognize National Adoption Month.

*Civility, Or Shooting the Messenger?
Civility is a popular buzzword right now, particularly when talking politics. Polls show that voters want civility. Frankly, I think those polls are #*^@$%!

Seriously – the focus on civility is a red herring. Civility is good, sure. But we need results. We are lacking in moral courage, not civility.

Want some examples? Point out that the rich are getting richer, and you are guilty of “class warfare”. Point out that Coralville TIFs hurt Johnson County, and you are not being “civil”. Point out that someone has cheated or broken the law? You are not being “civil”.

Civility is used as an excuse for the failure to discuss anything of substance. This is why any and all joint meetings between various elected bodies are exercises in futility – we do not want to address real issues. We want to hide behind a fake civility.

It reminds me of a dysfunctional family: Uncle Joe has a drinking problem, sure – but the person who brings it up is the focus of family scorn. We shoot the messenger, and forget what she was trying to say.

Yes, the world would definitely be a better place if folks discussed things civilly. But be careful! The “lack of civility” is a Trojan horse, used to kill any meaningful discussion. Don’t want to talk about a touchy subject? Easy –just complain about the “lack of civility” on the part of the person who brought it up.

What we need are people of character, not people who are civil. We need people committed to honesty, stewardship, kindness, generosity, and courage. We need more frank discussions, not less. We may lack civility, but it is our lack of political courage that is killing us.

*Homeless Children’s Trust
The Homeless Children’s Trust is once again making the holidays special!

On Saturday, December 3rd the most needy children in Johnson County will be entertained at the Iowa City Moose Club while their parents shop for Christmas gifts at K Mart. There will be great entertainment and lots of wonderful food furnished by Jim Mondanaro.

Put this event on your calendar and come join the party. The party starts at 9:00am and Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive at noon. Gift bags are given to all the kids and the party ends shortly after 1 PM.

Any questions please call Mary Larew at 338-1212 (days) or 337-2264 (home).

*DID YOU KNOW? Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt were all cousins through one connection or another. FDR and Eleanor were about five times removed.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

11-15-11

2011-11-11T21:01:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 11/15/11

In this edition:

*More JECC Problems
*City Council Elections
*Local Banks, Dodd-Frank, and the Occupy Movement
*Did You Know?

*More JECC Problems
I need your help! The Joint Emergency Communications Center (JECC) Board is proposing a 43% increase in their FY13 budget. Odds are that you, like me, find this number to be obscene in light of our current economic circumstances.

That is why I need your help. The JECC Board refuses to listen to me. I have been arguing with them since the planning for the facility. They just assume I am a crank, and they ignore me.

If you feel a 43% increase is too much, YOU need to say so! The JECC Board is holding a public hearing on their budget at 7:30 AM on Friday, November 18 at the JECC facility, behind Chatham Oaks just west of 218 on Melrose Avenue.

I recognize that this is a TERRIBLE time for a public hearing, but please attend if you can. If you cannot make it personally, please call and/or e-mail the members of the JECC Board. Those members are Mike Wright and Regenia Bailey from the IC Council; Tom Salm from North Liberty; John Lundell from Coralville; Pat Harney from the Board of Supervisors; and Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek. In addition, I got the following e-mail off their website: info@jecc-ema.org. Who knows where that goes…. But you could copy it on an e-mail.

I am so upset about this that I get sick. When JECC was in the planning stages, I tried hard to create a different arrangement. I lost that battle, but I was hopeful that this less-than-ideal governance could still work. Unfortunately, it has been a colossal failure. 911 calls are being properly routed, and that is the most important thing – but the cost is absurd.

Not only is the budget too high, they have screwed up in two additional important ways. First, the E911 Board (upon which I serve) already voted to put $300,000 into equipment expenses at the JECC. The Director was at that meeting. Yet he did not include any E911 money in the budget. That alone would reduce their 43% increase to around 25%.

Secondly, JECC Board members continue to argue that they need a huge reserve. They do not, and keeping a big reserve is very poor financial policy. Here is why:

If an emergency arises, Johnson County can bond for whatever the JECC would need. Plus, by bonding, we can access the TIF Districts. Otherwise, properties in the TIF Districts will not contribute toward the JECC. So bonding is actually a win-win. Building a reserve means you build it on the backs of all non-TIF property owners.

It sounds as though only the Director and JECC Board President were aware of what was contained in the budget. They should have both known better. But the rest of the JECC Board also screwed up. The JECC Board should have exercised better oversight. I hope the local media will get to the bottom of this. The same type of thing happened a couple years ago, and it was swept under the rug. The people deserve better.

We have too many needs to sustain this profligate spending. The JECC Board needs to get the message from the people of Johnson County. It is up to you.

Tell the JECC Board NO to the excessive increase, and NO to the costly reserve fund!

*City Council Elections
Congratulations to everyone who won a local city council race in Johnson County. Thanks, too, to all who stood for election.

I wish I could keep this whole post positive, but I cannot. Unfortunately, turnout was once again abysmal – about 15% in both Iowa City and Coralville, and a few percentage points either way in other cities. University Heights, deep in the controversy over One University Place, led all cities with a turnout of about 60%.

Frankly, I think a 60% turnout is embarrassingly low. I do not believe we should settle for anything below 80%. (I am a realist, and I know that there is a certain percentage of the population that is just too stubborn to participate. So I arbitrarily chose 80% as a threshold. But you get the idea.)

We simply must do better. I wish I knew how. What are your thoughts?

*Local Banks, Dodd-Frank, and the Occupy Movement
Before I argue the following points, which will undoubtedly earn me some ire, please allow me to submit my bona fides: I am firmly convinced that I am among the biggest advocates of buying local.

After years of pushing, I got the County to adopt a Buy Local policy. This has had a direct economic benefit to several local businesses, including LL Pelling, Iowa Book, Big Country Seeds, Tallgrass Business Solutions, and Computer Solutions, just to name a few.

I think if you ask Nancy Quellhorst, she would agree that I was instrumental in the Chamber’s Buy Here initiative. I actually wanted to go much further than most – my definition of a “local” business was one that deposited their money in a local financial institution. So I stand by my record as a buy local advocate.

Having offered those disclaimers, I am angry at some of our biggest and best local businesses - our local banks. This anger is due to two issues: Dodd-Frank and the Occupy Movement.

When our local bankers tell me that Dodd-Frank is a costly problem for them, I believe them. When they tell me that the feds took a “one size fits all” approach to regulation, I believe them. When they tell me they are concerned about their abilities to comply with the new regs, I believe them. In short, I trust my local banks.

My problem is that our local banks are simply calling for a repeal. I have not once heard a local bank official acknowledge that big banks were in large part to blame for our financial collapse, nor that big banks need more and better regulation. The local banks are silent on the bailouts, credit default swaps, and obscene salaries at the big banks. The local banks have called for an end to Dodd-Frank, but have not suggested any substitute regulation to help us avoid another meltdown and subsequent bailout.

I want to see our local banks try to be a part of the solution. History tells me that less regulation is no solution. I would like to see them join in the call for a better answer.

As for the occupy movement, it sounds as though local banks feel under attack. I have spent some time with the local occupy movement at College Green Park, and I have not heard or seen any sign of this. In fact, I saw the opposite.

I really respect the work of the Corridor Business Journal, but I was extremely disappointed in their recent editorial on the matter. The CBJ framed it quite simply – your choice is this or Cuba. I reject those limited choices, as do most of the “99%”.

Had the CBJ chosen to actually speak with some of the protesters, they would have found that great pains were taken to support local businesses, local banks in particular. The original plan was to occupy the Ped Mall, but that idea was scrapped when organizers feared that would have a negative impact on local businesses.

I cannot guarantee that NO protester had a “Screw Hills Bank” sign. But I can guarantee that if there was one, that person was a definite outlier.

More importantly, there has been a national movement among the “occupy” crowd and their sympathizers to move their money from the six big banks that ruined our economy to local banks. As of this week, over 750,000 Americans had taken this step. If each of these people had just $500 apiece in the bank, that is a $375 MILLION windfall for local banks! You would think that local banks would LOVE these folks!

Meanwhile, I continue to get e-mails and facebook posts from employees of local banks (often identifying themselves as such) criticizing and mocking the occupy movement.

I still love and support our local banks. I just wish our local banks paid the same respect to the protesters that the protesters have shown them.

*DID YOU KNOW? Antonia ('Tonie') Nathan, the 1972 Vice-Presidential candidate of the Libertarian Party, was the first woman in American history to receive an electoral vote.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

11-8-11

2011-11-05T22:52:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 11/8/11

In this edition:

*Happy Birthday, Rachel!
*Election Day
*Veteran’s Day
*Support the Troops – End the War!
*Agricultural vs. Commercial
*Congratulations Lori Brooks!
*Did You Know?

*Happy Birthday, Rachel!
Happy Birthday to my daughter Rachel, who turned 20 on November 6. Rachel is a 2010 graduate of City High, and is now in the US Army, currently stationed at Fort Lee, Virginia.

Happy Birthday, Honey! I love you!

*Election Day
Today is Election Day. Vote!

*Veteran’s Day
Happy Veteran’s Day on November 11. My thanks to all the men and women who have served our country. I appreciate your service, and wish you peace.

If you are looking for a way to mark Veteran’s Day, the Veterans For Peace Chapter #161 is sponsoring an Armistice Day Observance to be held on Friday, November 11th at the Clinton St. entrance to Old Capitol. The observance will begin @ 10:30AM, and bells will be rung @ 11:00 AM, as they were rung around the world at the end of WWI in 1918 and on each November 11th for decades thereafter.

Armistice Day is a day to promote peace and to remember the victims of war, both veterans and civilians. The entire community is welcome. Co-sponsored by Iowa NEA Peace & Justice Caucus, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and PEACE Iowa. Celebrate and recapture peace on 11/11/11/11!

*Support the Troops - End the War!
I have had this sign up since 2002. Nine years. It looks as though the reason I put it up – the Iraq War – is almost over.

Unfortunately, I cannot see taking the sign down yet. I see no clear vision for an end to the war in Afghanistan. Bin Laden is dead. Al-Qaeda is but a couple thousand people, spread across the globe. Neither Afghanistan nor any other part of the world is safer because of our presence there. Being in Afghanistan simply costs too much in both money and lives.

The sign has been vandalized a couple times, and blown away once. Another just plain wore out. My friend Ed Flaherty is always kind enough to come up with a replacement. I hope this is the last such sign I’ll ever need.

*Agricultural Versus Commercial
The Board recently had a very interesting discussion that could have far-reaching implications. The changing nature of agriculture is leaving some of our zoning rules wanting.

Agriculture is changing. While corn, soybeans, and hogs still rule the rural landscape, we are seeing many different types of agriculture right here in Johnson County.

Look at orchards and wineries, for example. Growing fruit is most certainly agriculture. But what about the processing of that fruit? Can you process only what you grow, or can you process for other growers? What about tasting parties? What about receptions of 500 people? What about selling things you did not grow? Should their buildings be inspected? Should they be taxed at a commercial rate? How many trees make an orchard? How many vines add up to a vineyard? These are but a few of the many unanswered questions.

We also currently require that a landowner have over 40 contiguous acres in order to be considered a farm. This angers both Amish and small organic farmers, who many times do not need and cannot afford 40 acres. Problem is, if you lower that number, the developers are lurking! Careful, or we will have a county full of 10 acre lawns where farms used to be, which is undoubtedly the worst possible environmental outcome. We must preserve farmland, and changing the definition of a “farm” to a smaller acreage will have the opposite effect.

Perhaps the most radical change is that city folk are now going out to the farm to get their food. For thousands of years, human beings have been taking food from the farms to the urban centers. Now many urban folks are reversing that process.

Obviously, this change has impacts. More people now drive gravel roads. Farmers need to provide parking, and perhaps restrooms. Farmers want big signs, which are now prohibited. All these changes can create conflicts with both rural residents and “traditional” monoculture farming.

It is safe to say that Johnson County has a lot of work ahead in trying to balance the wants and needs of conventional versus “new” agriculture. Please let me know if you have any thoughts to share!

*Congratulations Lori Brooks!
Congratulations to Lori Brooks on her upcoming retirement. Lori began her career with Johnson County Ambulance on February 1, 1988. In her 23 years she has responded to over 6800 calls for service.

Lori began working for Johnson County Ambulance when emergency responders were virtually all male, and has been a real trailblazer. She will also be the first paramedic to officially retire from the service. Congrats, Lori!

*DID YOU KNOW? Croatia was the first country to recognize the United States in 1776.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

11-1-11

2011-10-29T11:51:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 11/1/11

In this edition:

*Council Elections
*Remembering November 1, 1991
*The Commons
*Did You Know?

*Council Elections
Cities in Johnson County are holding their elections on Tuesday the 8th. Make no mistake – these elections are important!

Sorry to say, but in many of these elections I do not know the candidates. I urge you to look up the candidates on the Auditor’s webpage:
(http://www.johnson-county.com/auditor/voter/1111cand.htm) and learn what you can about the candidates in your town.

Of course, it just wouldn’t be me if I didn’t weigh in on a few races. In Coralville, I support Mitch Gross and Jill Dodds for council. Mitch is smart, caring, kind, reasonable, and hard working. The people of Coralville are lucky to have him. We have had our differences, but I feel as though Mitch has always listened to my concerns.

I have had the opportunity to serve with Jill on the local Empowerment Board, which deals with issues of childcare. I came to respect her not because we agreed all the time, but because of the way in which we were able to disagree on a couple important issues. I think Jill will do a fantastic job in elected office.

In the Iowa City at-large race, I support Matt Hayek and Raj Patel. That list of adjectives I threw out regarding Mitch Gross? Ditto for Hayek. In this case as with the last, I have had my share of disagreements with his stances on certain issues. But I know Matt makes his decisions for the right reasons, and not for personal gain. He is a stand up guy and a damn good mayor.

I have only gotten to know Raj over the past few months, but he impresses me. He is smart and works hard. It is amazing to me that Iowa City has gone 30 years without a student on the council. The problem has typically been that the student candidates were not up to the task. Not so this time - Raj Patel can do the job.

In University Heights, the election is really about one thing only – the proposed development at One University Place. I have good friends on both sides of the issue, though a few more on the “smaller, slower” development side. I hope this issue gets resolved once and for all, because University Heights has much to discuss!

A few more quick plugs: Jim Throgmorton in Iowa City, Merle Hill in Hills, the incumbents in North Liberty, Mary Sue Jiras in Oxford, Mary Gudenkauf in Swisher, and Mike Ryan in Tiffin. I cannot comment on their opposition, but I can promise that these folks will serve their cities well.

There are other good candidates out there – including friends of mine – but that is all we have time for today. There are definitely good candidates out there that I failed to mention. There are lousy ones, too. Do your homework, and make your choices wisely.

Thanks to all the candidates who threw their hats into the ring. I respect people who walk the talk and stand for office.

I hope you all will take advantage of this opportunity, and get out to vote!

*Remembering November 1st, 1991
Twenty years ago today, a UI post-graduate student named Gang Liu killed four faculty members, a student, and himself.

Faculty members Christoph Goertz, Dwight Nicholson, Robert Smith, T. Anne Cleary, and Linhua Shan were all slain. Student Miya Rodolfo-Sioson was shot and survived but was left paralyzed from the neck down.

If you ask longtime residents of Johnson County, most can tell you where they were that fateful day. (I was working my second job - a Friday night shift in a Systems Unlimited group home.)

I wish I could say that in the decades that passed, something good had come from this horror. Frankly, I simply do not see it. Even bigger mass killings have occurred on other campuses across the nation. Our mental health system is no better, and our gun laws are even worse. The killings make no more sense today than they did twenty years ago.

I hope you will take a moment to reflect upon one of the saddest days in Johnson County history, and pray for the many survivors whose lives were touched by the people we lost that day.

*The Commons
“The commons is a new way to express a very old idea—that some forms of wealth belong to all of us, and that these community resources must be actively protected and managed for the good of all. The commons are the things that we inherit and create jointly, and that will (hopefully) last for generations to come. The commons consists of gifts of nature such as air, oceans and wildlife as well as shared social creations such as libraries, public spaces, scientific research and creative works.” (OnTheCommons.org)

Please join us on November 8–9, as Jay Walljasper, author of the recent book All That We Share: A Field Guide to the Commons (New Press, 2010), visits Iowa City to share ideas about the commons.

PUBLIC EVENTS - Free, no registration required. For questions or more information, email thomas-k-dean@uiowa.edu.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 12:00 NOON–1:00 P.M. – “A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE COMMONS,” 1505 Seamans Center.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 3:30–4:30 P.M. – PUBLIC RECEPTION FOR JAY WALLJASPER, M. C. Ginsberg: Objects of Art.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 7:00 P.M.–8:30 P.M. – “THE COMMONS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN IOWA CITY,” panel discussion, Robert A. Lee Rec Center. In addition to Jay Walljasper, panelists will include Jeff Davidson (City of Iowa City), Carson Eggland (The James Gang), Kurt Friese (Devotay Restaurant), Mark Ginsberg (M. C. Ginsberg: Objects of Art), Fred Meyer (Backyard Abundance), Katie Roche (Englert Theatre), and Christine Scheetz (United Way).

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 7:00 P.M. - READING, JAY WALLJASPER, Prairie Lights Bookstore.

Jay Walljasper chronicles stories from around the world that point us toward a greener, more equitable and more enjoyable future. His focus goes beyond what's in the headlines to chronicle the surprising real life of communities today. Jay is editor of OnTheCommons.org and a senior fellow at Project for Public Spaces, a New York-based organization that helps citizens enliven their communities by improving public places.

Walljasper is also a contributing editor of National Geographic Traveler, reporting on sustainable tourism initiatives, and is an associate of the Citistates Group, a public affairs consortium focusing on metropolitan regions. Walljasper's experience includes being editorial director and editor of Utne Reader, executive editor of Ode magazine, and a travel editor at Better Homes & Gardens.

*DID YOU KNOW? Despite over 30,000 students living there, Iowa City has not elected a student to the City Council since David Perret in 1979.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

10-25-11

2011-10-22T21:29:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 10/25/11

In this edition:

*Happy Halloween!
*Congratulations, Rachel!
*Supervisors NOT Alike!
*New Facilities Manager
*MLK Memorial
*Did You Know?

*Happy Halloween!
Halloween is right around the corner. That does not mean the same things to me it used to, as my kids are much too old to trick or treat.

It does, however, mean we all need to be extra careful as we drive around our neighborhoods. I hope your Halloween is safe and happy!

*Congratulations Rachel!
Congratulations to my daughter Rachel on graduating from Army basic training!

Rachel was stationed at Fort Sill, OK, and will be headed to Virginia for her advanced training. Needless to say, I am very proud!

*Supervisors Not Alike!
I get a few E-mails every week that refer to “you Supervisors” and then take us to task for doing (or not doing) something.

I find these E-mails extremely frustrating, because they only serve to demonstrate that the public does not see the huge differences of opinion that exist on the Board.

I blame much of this on the media. First, we are not covered. Period. Secondly, we are rarely ever asked about the differences of opinion that are clear to anyone watching a meeting. The public deserves to know what debates are taking place in their name, and exactly what their elected representatives think.

I must admit, I have been guilty of generalizing myself recently. Frustrated by the inability of the ICCSD Board to get anything done with redistricting, I wrote an E-mail to the School Board criticizing what I saw as their inaction.

In hindsight, I probably should have written it specifically to about half of the Board members, as there are half who were trying. It was really not fair of me to lump them together, be it for criticism or praise.

Elected bodies are made up of individuals. Yes, you get lots of unanimous votes to approve the agenda or send a letter thanking a volunteer. Those votes are perfunctory.

As my friend and former Iowa City Councilor Larry Baker once said, “95% of all votes could be cast by a trained monkey. You elect people for the 5% that really matter.” Larry nailed it.

Specifically addressing the Board of Supervisors - There are votes cast almost every meeting so lacking in moral courage that they bring shame to the office. There are other instances of elected officials really standing up for what is right.

So, dear citizens – pay attention. You will not get any help from the media – you are going to need to dig. But meetings are now all online. I urge you to tune in. Find out what individual elected officials really feel, and ask why they voted the way they did.

You will find that Boards and Councils are made up of individuals – VERY different individuals!

*New Facilities Manager
Congratulations to Eldon Slaughter, who starts October 31 as the new Johnson County Facilities Manager.

In addition to running his own electrical and contracting businesses, Eldon has managed facilities in Clinton and Saint Louis. Most recently, he served as a facilities manager for numerous Target stores.

If the name sounds familiar, it could be because Eldon previously served as Mayor of Lone Tree.

Eldon will be in charge of all the buildings and grounds for Johnson County.

*MLK Memorial
The new Memorial on the National Mall honoring the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior is now open to the public.

I am very glad to see King being honored in this way. I am a bit troubled, however, by the way King’s legacy has been sanitized.

What do I mean by this? King was a crusader for racial equality, sure. He was also committed to peace and social justice. He wanted an end to wars, and a greater redistribution of wealth. (He came to this philosophy through his Christian religious training.)

King was in Memphis to support striking sanitation workers. He had recently created the Poor People’s Campaign. He freely referred to himself as a Democratic Socialist. It is just as likely that King was killed for his economic views as his racial advocacy.

The Memorial is funded in large part by Wal-Mart, Exxon, Chase, and other corporations. They would never stand for a Memorial that really reflected King’s philosophy of economic justice.

*DID YOU KNOW? Iowa has the 5th highest percentage of residents over 65, at 15%. Florida is first at 17.3%, followed by West Virginia, Maine, and Pennsylvania.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

10-18-11

2011-10-15T09:45:00.000-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 10/18/11

In this edition:

*Homecoming Week
*Budget Preview
*Occupy Iowa City, Part 2
*Did You Know?

*Homecoming Week
It is Homecoming Week at the University of Iowa. I am a very sentimental guy… probably too sentimental! With that in mind, you can understand why I love Homecoming!

I hope you all get an opportunity to take in some of the pomp and circumstance surrounding the big game!

*Budget Preview
Johnson County will be starting the FY13 budgeting process very soon. Before we begin, I want to set the stage.

The FY12 budget was about $74,000,000. Only about 60% of that comes from property taxes – the rest is a mixture of federal and state dollars, grants, fees, fines, etc.

Despite chatter to the contrary, property taxes levied by Johnson County are low by Iowa standards, ranking 58th out of 99 counties in FY12.

What does FY13 hold? There are two sides to the balance sheet. On the expense side, things should be pretty quiet. There is only one major new expenditure looming right now. Fall of 2012 will likely see a vote on a new Justice Center, but even if it passes, that money would not be collected until FY14.

The County does have 6 union contracts open – it remains to be seen what type of settlement can be reached there. For the purposes of illustration, a 1% increase in wages for all County employees (not just union employees) results in an expenditure of approximately $200,000.

There may be some cuts – a position here and there, less staff training and education, stretching out replacement schedules, some minor program cuts. Having gone through EVERY SINGLE LINE of the County budget the past few years, I do not believe there is much “fat” to be trimmed. Any deeper cuts will have significant impacts on service.

The real question marks surround revenues. I see this breaking down into four main items of concern:

First, the residential rollback. Because Ag and Residential property are tied together, the rollback will actually go up again this year. (Due to incredible Ag productivity, the rollback went up last year for the first time in recent memory.)

This means residential taxpayers will pay on 48% of their value as opposed to 47%. (I’m estimating those numbers, but they are close.) So residential property owners will pay slightly more (likely about 1%) even if local governments keep the levy rates the same.

Second, growth in taxable valuation. This used to be the bread and butter of our local governments. While many places in Iowa lost valuation, local governments in Johnson County could count on a steady 5-9% annual growth.

Not anymore. While we still see some growth, it is much more modest – more like 1%. In addition, much of the growth has taken place in TIF Districts, meaning Johnson County gets ZERO tax dollars from the increment.

Third, apartments converting to co-ops. You may recall that I wrote about this in Salvos a couple weeks ago. Because of a recent Iowa Supreme Court ruling, several local apartment units will be converting to co-ops, thus cutting the taxes they owe in half.

While it is still uncertain exactly how much this might cost Johnson County in revenue, it will likely be at least $500,000 for FY13. (And no, Bob Elliott – rents will NOT go down as a result!)

Fourth, Governor Branstad and the Iowa Legislature. This is the single most important factor, and also the most difficult to predict. Governor Branstad has spoken of 60, 40, and 25% cuts to commercial property taxes. Any of these proposals would be devastating to local governments.

The State claims that they will “backfill” any lost property tax revenue, but that is bull puckey. The State has broken financial promises over and over again. (MH/DS and Homestead Tax Credits, just to name two.) I have ZERO confidence that the State will help local governments.

Where does this leave us? The tiny bit of growth coupled with the rollback should offset the conversion to co-ops. Johnson County should see no big changes unless the Legislature decides to play God with local governments. If so, all bets are off.

So, what are your thoughts regarding the FY13 budget? Please let me know!

*Occupy Iowa City, Part 2
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I had made a couple visits to the Occupy Iowa City campsite in College Green Park. I am a real fan of this grassroots movement.

As you know, Occupy Iowa City is mainly a show of solidarity with the folks who are occupying Wall Street. The excesses of Wall Street took us to the brink of financial collapse once, and they are headed that way again. The people of the world NEED the US government to step up. But our government is not functioning. People take to the streets when they cannot get action any other way.

The two political parties are badly broken. The national GOP is committed to protecting the wealthiest 1% of the population, everyone else be damned. Despite a purported love for Jesus, this party has become ignorant, cruel, heartless, and brutal. The national Democratic Party is simply inept, walking on eggshells. It reminds me of an insecure 14 year old, worried first and foremost about what others think.

I think the protesters have the right idea. Take to the streets. It can’t hurt!

*DID YOU KNOW? Commercial tax valuation in Johnson County is over $2.5 billion, a 22% increase from 2007 to 2011.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

10-11-11

2011-10-08T13:55:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 10/11/11

In this edition:

*Occupy Iowa City
*Psychology of TIF
*Community Foundation of Johnson County
*Paul Engle Day
*Under A Cider Moon
*Did You Know?

*Occupy Iowa City
I was excited to stop by and join the group that decided to “Occupy Iowa City” as a show of solidarity with those who are protesting on Wall Street.

I like the approach of the local group. Our local banks haven’t done anything wrong, and they should not be disturbed. College Green Park is as good a location as any.

The point here is not WHERE the protesters are – it is that 99% of us SHOULD be protesting! The average American is getting screwed while 1-2% of the population lives high on the hog. It is wrong, and it needs to change.

The Republican Party likes the status quo – they want even more wealth disparity. And national Democrats lack the guts to change things. So it is up to us, led by our friends in the park!

Many kudos to the protesters in New York, Iowa City, and elsewhere! Keep the pressure on!

*The Psychology of TIF
With the recent Von Maur to Coralville fiasco, more and more people are questioning the use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF). I have been asked why cities head down the TIF path. I think there are several reasons, most of them more psychological than anything. In no particular order, here are a few:

1. Councilors (and staff) DREAD being labeled as "anti-growth" or “anti-business”. They will do anything to avoid that label.

2. Every other city is doing it. If you don't do it too, you fear putting your city at a competitive disadvantage.

3. Similarly, you want your city to keep up with the Joneses. City next door got a new pool? We need a bigger pool. City next door has a theater? We need a theater. It never ends.

4. Councilors work other jobs full time. They have families. They simply have not taken the time to do the necessary research. They accept what staff gives them without enough questioning.

5. Councilors/staff feel "special" when developers come to them. The developer makes the councilor/staff feel special, and explains how “so many people in town just don’t understand this, but I know that YOU do!” Councilors/staff begin to feel as though they are big-shot wheeler-dealers. It is not unlike being on a drug. In this case, the drug is a sense of power.

6. TIF laws are obscure, and allow cities to obfuscate their true financial situations. For example, TIF debt is not counted toward a city’s total debt. (Why? Because the Iowa Legislature says so.) This allows the true picture to be muddled.

7. TIF laws in Iowa allow everything but murder. So you can do anything you want, look the public in the eye, and say, “The deal is legal.” Unfortunately, that statement will always be true given the TIF laws in Iowa.

8. TIF hurts County government more than any other government. This is critical, because County government is the least understood and least appreciated level of government. This makes it the easiest to justify raiding.

9. The downside of TIF is in the future. It is always easier to choose short-term gains, regardless of long-term costs.

These are but a few of the reasons TIF is used, overused, misused, and abused. I am certain there are others, but I’ve seen these in effect in Johnson County.

Don’t get me wrong – I understand this. One can see why a city council member chooses TIF. I do not agree, but I get it. Not every example cited above is present in every case. And I certainly don’t think a councilor is a bad human being because she/he voted for a TIF. I just think she/he is wrong.

I hope that either council people will change their minds regarding the use of TIFs, or that the Legislature acts.

*Community Foundation of Johnson County
I have served on the Grants Committee of the Community Foundation of Johnson County (CFJC) since its inception, and I am proud to say that I am doing so again this year.

For those of you who are unfamiliar – the CFJC develops resources and grants them back to the Johnson County community. Obviously, that is an extremely brief description – for more info, see: http://communityfoundationofjohnsoncounty.org/

The CFJC has granted over $3 million in the past 10 years – about two thirds of that went toward flood recovery. This year, the CFJC will grant a bit over $100,000.

Johnson County has an amazing 324 nonprofit organizations. A comparison to Linn County is interesting: in 2010, Linn County had 14 applications requesting $116k, and granted about $100k. Johnson County had 73 applications requesting $684k, and granted about $89k.

The need is there! I hope you will take the time to learn more about the CFJC.

*Paul Engle Day
The Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature is proud to present Paul Engle Day on Wednesday, October 12.

Paul Engle was a noted American poet, editor, teacher, literary critic, novelist, and playwright. He is perhaps best remembered as the long-time director of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and as founder of the International Writing Program (IWP), both at the University of Iowa.

Events will include a reception, Award Ceremony, High School Essay Contest and more. See http://cityofliteratureusa.org/ for more info.

*Under A Cider Moon
The Johnson County Heritage Trust (JCHT) is once again holding its “Under a Cider Moon . . . a Celebration of Autumn” event.

The event is Saturday, October 22, at the brand new Celebration Farm at HWY 1 and Newport Road.

Be sure to get there when the doors open at 5:30 p.m. so that you can look over and bid on the silent auction items and enjoy the evening. The live auction begins promptly at 7:00 p.m.

Entertainment will be provided by the Guy Drollinger Trio. Locally prepared food and refreshments from area wineries and brew pubs will be available. In addition, dessert will include pies prepared by winners of the 2011 Johnson County Fair’s Jo Beers Pie Contest.

Tickets are $50 per person ($30 is tax deductible). Make your reservations by October 1, to be eligible for the early bird drawing! Reserve tickets by calling Tammy Richardson at the JCHT office, 338-7030, or by e-mail at info@jcht.org.

The annual “Under a Cider Moon … A Celebration of Autumn” event has been the most important fundraiser for the Trust, generating over $85,000 the past four years. Proceeds from the event help make it possible for the JCHT to continue its mission: To preserve our natural heritage through protection and management of land and water with significant environmental value.

*DID YOU KNOW? 7 US Presidents were born in Ohio, second only to Virginia’s 8.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

10-4-11

2011-10-01T09:49:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 10/4/11

In this edition:

*Differing Impressions
*Von Maur to Coralville
*Pick an Issue!
*Gay Expo
*Pilot Club Breakfast
*Dems BBQ
*Run For The Schools
*Did You Know?

*Differing Impressions
I always find it interesting when I have formed an opinion of someone, then hear something different from a trusted source.

For example, it is not unusual for me to decide that I really like someone, only to have a friend later inform me that they believe said person is dishonest, rude, etc. This always gives me pause.

On the other hand, I’ll sometimes form a negative opinion of someone only to find out later that we have dozens of mutual friends. Again, this always gives me pause.

This just goes to show that we are all complex, multi-faceted people. I am trying really hard to recognize that we all have both good and bad characteristics.

*Von Maur to Coralville
Regular readers know I frequently write about what I see as an overuse and abuse of TIF. (I have literally hundreds of pages should anyone wish to see it.)

Some of those same readers have asked me what I think of Coralville’s using $11 million in TIF to lure Von Maur from Sycamore to the Iowa River Landing.

What do I think of it? What do you THINK I think of it? It is bullcrap! There isn’t much more to say!

*Pick an Issue!
“The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, remain neutral.” ---Dante

I made a promise to myself when I decided to run for office. I promised that I was going to do what was right, consequences be damned. If I lose an election because I voted and/or voiced my conscience, so be it.

I hope that I have stayed true to this in the 7 years since. Unfortunately, standing on principle is not common in local government.

This does not mean the folks in local government are bad people. It simply means they are not there for the right reasons.

Think about your current group of local elected officials. What are they passionate about? What is their vision? What issues did they run on? What really makes them angry? What really makes them happy?

Odds are you can answer this for a few folks, but not most. Don’t feel bad if you cannot answer those questions. First, the local media hasn’t said much about it. And they will not do so, because in-depth local news coverage is dead. Secondly, those elected officials have not said it either. They do not know.

I am tired of people serving who think being elected would be a cool thing for the resume. Then they sit back and let staff tell them how to vote. Elected office is IMPORTANT! We need people who have a fire in the belly to serve in these capacities.

City Council elections are coming up. Allow me to set the stage: a forum is held. A question is put to the candidates – “Why do you want this position?” The response – from every candidate – “I want to give back to the community.” Do not allow this to happen! There is no bigger cliché! As community members, we need to drill down and find out what these folks are about.

It is not often that I look to the current House Republicans as an example, but I am going to give it a shot. Look at the fervor with which they protect the wealthy. They are 100%, all-in committed to doing whatever it takes to protect the wealthy.

I wholeheartedly disagree with their choice of causes, but I respect their passion. It would be nice to see some more local elected officials demonstrate some passion. For something. For anything.

*Big Gay Expo
The 6th annual Big Gay Expo will be Tuesday, October 4 from 7-9 PM at the Hotel Vetro.

Come OUT and find out why Iowa City was listed as the 3rd gayest city in the US by the Advocate magazine! Local LGBT groups, organizations and businesses will be there for networking. Free appetizers.

Questions? Contact Bridget Malone at malone.bridget@gmail.com.

*Pilot Club Breakfast
The Pilot Club is holding its 36th Annual Breakfast & Bazaar Fundraiser Saturday, October 8 from 7-11AM at First United Methodist Church in Iowa City.

All money raised by the Pilot Club funds local charities that address brain-related disorders.

*Dems BBQ
It is time for the annual Johnson County Democrats Fall Barbeque! Date: Saturday, October 8. Time: 4-7 p.m. Location: Johnson County Fairgrounds, Building C. Cost: $25 per adult, $15 per senior or student.

Menu: Local barbequed pork, side dishes and homemade desserts. Sponsorship levels are $100 (Precinct Captain), $250 (Press Secretary) and $500 (Campaign Manager).

For more information, to volunteer or become an early sponsor, please contact Liz Etchells, Fundraising Chair, at 319-541-9672 or Elizabeth.Etchells@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you there!

*Run For The Schools
Run for the Schools will be held on Sunday, October 9. The race is sponsored by MidWestOne Bank  & hosted by Iowa City Road Races, Inc.

Through the generous support of individuals and sponsors, the Iowa City Community School District Foundation received over $28,000 last year to help support the School District! Regina also receives financial contributions.

Run for the Schools donations are being accepted! Mail your check to ICCSDF, 509 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA 52240.

To register or for more info see: http://www.runfortheschools.com/

*DID YOU KNOW? Over 1,591 senior citizens suffer a fall each day. The average cost of medical bills resulting from those falls is over $19,000 each.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

9-27-11

2011-09-24T18:53:00.000-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 9/27/11

In this edition:

*Dandekar & Iowa Senate
*Utilities Board Pays WHAT?
*Getting Things In Salvos
*Jefferson - Democrat or Republican?
*Harvest Celebration
*Sierra Club Annual Dinner
*Did You Know?

*Dandekar and Iowa Senate
By now you have all heard that Senator Swati Dandekar (D-Marion) is leaving the Iowa Senate for a spot on the Iowa Utilities Board.

It knew she could be bought. I am actually surprised that her price was that high. I have seen her sell out the poor people of Iowa because of $500 per year from the mobile home lobby. I have seen her sell out all the people of Iowa because of $1000 per year from the utility lobby. So Dandekar actual negotiated a much better price this time.

I am hopeful that Democratic candidate Liz Mathis can win the seat, thereby maintaining the 26-24 Democratic edge in the Iowa Senate. I am very disturbed by the thought of handing total control of Iowa’s state government to Terry Branstad. The fight for Iowa’s future is now, and it is being fought in Marion!

*Utilities Board Pays WHAT?
Lost in the discussion over Senator Dandekar’s appointment to the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB)…. The job pays $139,000? Really?

Is this even a full time job? Do the appointees actually spend 40 hours per week? If so, how do they spend their time? I have a hard time believing these political appointees deserve $139,000 per year.

I looked at the IUB website (http://www.iowa.gov/iub/). It looks as though they have no more than 2-3 meetings per month. It does appear that there is a lot of paper to wade through, but it is unclear how much staffing the office has. There are at least 8 additional staff people listed on the website, and they all appear to be professional. So my guess is there is administrative staff on top of that. Look for yourself – does the workload justify three people earning a combined $420,000 plus benefits?

Governor Branstad, you claim to want smaller government. Let’s begin by cutting the salaries of the members of the Iowa Utilities Board to a more reasonable $60,000 per year.

*Getting Things In Salvos
Readers occasionally ask that I mention an issue or event. Unfortunately, these requests often come too late.

I try to get each edition of Salvos out over the weekend. The one you get each Saturday or Sunday is dated for the upcoming Tuesday. This is an old magazine trick; it gives the newsletter a bit more shelf life.

In addition, I attempt to keep each edition to about 1,000 words, give or take 200. I do not have the time to write a book each week, nor do I believe readers want that type of product. I like getting things several weeks in advance; that allows me to choose which week it will run.

I recognize that there are important issues about which I do not write; I want to share my thoughts and feelings, but I never claimed to be a newspaper. I may really care about your issue and still not run it. I do the best I can with a staff of zero.

Because of a combination of all these factors, I will never GUARANTEE that what you send me will be included. I am glad folks send me ideas- I appreciate them tremendously! I simply cannot do it all.

I hope this helps to clarify my “policies”. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

*Jefferson – Democrat or Republican?
Thomas Jefferson is one of my political heroes. I recognize that Jefferson (like all of us) was a very flawed character. But his achievements are truly the stuff of legend.

It should come as no surprise, then, that modern Democrats and Republicans fight over laying claim to Jefferson’s legacy. Democrats have long held “Jefferson-Jackson” dinners and celebrations in his honor; the current Tea Party movement spends a lot of time quoting Jefferson’s thoughts on limited government.

It is apparent to me that this battle will continue, particularly in an environment where Americans long for a government possessed of the ideals about which Jefferson wrote so eloquently.

So I will not pretend to know to which (if either) political party Jefferson would belong were he with us today. I do, however, want to share the following Jefferson quote:

“I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country.”
-Thomas Jefferson, 1816

Interesting stuff, huh? He sounds like a Socialist there! Let the debate continue!

*Harvest Celebration
Potluck & Barn Dance! Saturday, October 8, 6pm at Local Harvest CSA/ZJ Farms: 5015-120th Street NE, Solon.

 Join Local Harvest CSA/ZJ Farm for the annual end of the season farm tour and harvest celebration featuring the Gilded Bats. Farm Tours 3:30pm, potluck 5pm, Music and dancing 6pm-8pm. Bring a dish to share, a beverage and your own place setting.

*Sierra Club Annual Dinner
The Sierra Club is holding its annual dinner on Saturday, October 1 at 6:00pm at the Holiday Inn in Coralville.

Tickets are $35; contact Jane Clark at jrclark@radiks.net.

*DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County has 6 collective bargaining units, 3 AFSCME and 3 PPME.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

9-20-11

2011-09-17T18:32:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 9/20/11

In this edition:

*School Board Election Results
*Exceptions Are Dangerous!
*US Constitution and You!
*Local Foods Harvest Dinner
*Did You Know?

*School Board Election Results
Congratulations to the winners of our local school board races. Joel Yedlik and Sheila Burr were elected in Lone Tree. Steve Swenka, Rick Hergert, Bob Broghammer and Terry Davis were elected in Clear Creek-Amana. Dan Coons and Dean Martin were elected in Solon.

In the ICCSD, Karla Cook ran away with the 2 year term. Marla Swesey, Jeff McGinness, Sally Hoelscher, and Patti Fields were elected to 4 year terms.

I appreciate the challenges of school board service. My younger brother Andy has served several years on the school board at our alma mater (Lisbon Community Schools), and I have seen firsthand the incredible amount of work he puts in. What’s more, I have seen how badly he gets treated. It is a pretty thankless task!

Good luck to those of you who were elected. These are challenging times for local governments; we will need your best efforts!

Finally, a sincere thanks to everyone who threw her/his hat into the ring. Win or lose, you put your money where your mouth is. It is easy to sit back and criticize; I have a lot of respect for individuals who actually step up!

*Exceptions Are Dangerous!
No policy is perfect. There are always situations that do not quite fit, and scenarios that make decision making difficult.

Because of this, we have exceptions to policy. So, grant an exception and everyone is happy, right? Right? Not exactly.

Policies exist for a reason. They should be followed. Exceptions should be rare, and only be granted when there is no other practical option.

That is how things are supposed to work. The Board of Supervisors granted an exception of the worst kind at our formal meeting on Thursday the 8th.

Let me set the scene. A Solon area farmer wanted to split a residential lot off from his farm. Our regulations allow each farm to do this once and only once. At issue was the driveway.

Johnson County has a policy that requires at least 500 feet of separation and at least 500 feet of sight distance for each driveway. It is a safety issue. Some driveways are grandfathered in, but when a landowner wants to subdivide, he needs to bring the driveway into compliance.

We have had 4 driveway situations in the past 4 years where exceptions were granted. Some of these applications had languished for years while applicants, County staff, engineers, and others debated how to proceed. In each case, it was simply impossible to make the 500 feet work.

When it was finally determined that there were no practical solutions, the Board granted these exceptions. The policy worked, the exceptions worked, and I was proud of the way in which we proceeded. Unfortunately, I do not feel the same way about our recent decision.

The farmer in this case had many options. He could have put his driveway literally hundreds of other places. He just didn’t want to. That does not rise to the level of granting an exception.

The Planning and Zoning Commission followed the County policy, and voted unanimously to deny the application. Unfortunately, the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to overrule P&Z. The farmer got his wish, and gets to put the driveway where he wants.

Every time you grant a driveway exception, you are sacrificing safety. If you grant exceptions simply because they are cheaper for the developer… what if someone dies? Was it worth it? Should we all be a little less safe because it might cost a developer a bit more? I don’t think so.

Just as importantly, now you have created an unfair playing field. Citizens need to have faith that they will be treated fairly by their governments. If the Board makes an arbitrary exception in this case, why not the next one? And the next?

Will exceptions depend upon who you are or who you know? Will they depend upon your campaign contributors? How can citizens trust that they will be treated fairly?

The Board of Supervisors made a bad decision on the 8th. I hope this is not the start of a trend.

*US Constitution And You!
The local League of Women Voters is sponsoring a series of discussions around the Constitution, beginning this month and ending in May of 2012.

The fundamental goal of this project is to make the U.S. Constitution and the final arbiter of its meaning, the U.S. Supreme Court, better understood.

The law will be discussed in the context of the social, political, and economic factors that influenced it and how those same factors are influencing our current debate. If the Constitution both shapes and reflects civil society, what is the story it tells and what is the current narrative?

The series has seven parts. See http://www.jclwv.org for a complete listing.

*Local Foods Harvest Dinner
Harvest Dinner, a benefit for Johnson County Local Food Alliance (JCLFA) will be Sunday, September 25 at 5:30 PM at 201 South Linn.

Tickets $50 Tickets sold online, New Pioneer Food Co-op stores and Hy-Vee (812 S. First Ave. in Iowa City).  

The 3rd annual Harvest Dinner, a JCLFA benefit event, will delight the senses by putting Iowa’s abundant harvest into the hands of some of the area’s best chefs delighting you with a dinner that will not soon be forgotten!

Special guests include author & local chef Kurt Friese and local food advocate Francis Thicke.

*DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County staffs three ambulances 24 hours a day with two paramedics in each ambulance. Two of the ambulances are stationed in Iowa City and one in Coralville. We have three reserve units that we are able to use in the event of high call volumes. We also use the extra trucks to take to special events.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

9-13-11

2011-09-14T16:30:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 9/13/11

In this edition:

*Big Tax Cuts For Apartments
*Rents To Go Down?
*Fiddler’s Picnic
*I Love IC Film Contest
*Did You Know?

*Big Tax Cuts For Apartments
The Iowa Supreme Court recently ruled on a Jasper County case that will have major tax impacts in Johnson County, particularly in Iowa City.

In the decision, the Court allowed an apartment building to convert to a “co-op”. This conversion means that the apartment building goes from being taxed at full value (like other commercial properties) to getting the residential rollback (like other residential properties).

Since the rollback is about 50%, this reclassification means an immediate 50% cut in the apartment owner’s taxes. Similarly, it means local governments will collect half the taxes they used to from these properties.

Several apartment building owners have tried this in Johnson County, too, dating back to 2009. Now that the Court has ruled in their favor, taxing bodies (county, city, school) will need to issue refunds.

Moving forward, not every apartment building will meet the applicable building codes. Still others have tax reasons for remaining apartments rather than switching to co-ops. Still, Iowa City and the ICCSD stand to lose a substantial amount – perhaps $3 million each. Johnson County’s losses should be closer to $1 million.

That might not sound like much, but it is about 1.4% of our budget. That means we will need to either cut services or raise taxes by 1.4% next year just to keep even.

I am concerned by this ruling and the impact it will have on some local governments. More troubling is the growing trend that people who “lawyer up” get a better deal from their governments.

Government is supposed to be fair to everyone. Lately, it seems most fair to those with the most expensive attorneys.

*Rents To Go Down?
I just mentioned the recent Iowa Supreme Court decision and its tax impact on local governments.

While I am concerned by the impact of this decision, it does present an interesting case study to settle a longstanding argument between my friend Former Iowa City Councilor Bob Elliott and myself.

Bob always claims that all things being equal, higher taxes will automatically result in higher rents. His argument is that property tax increases disproportionately affect the poor because property owners pass the tax on in the form of higher rent. On the face, this seems logical. But I disagree.

I stole my arguments directly from former UI Urban and Regional Planning Professor Peter Fisher, who argues that rents are a function of supply and demand, and every other factor (including taxes) is virtually meaningless.

Peter says that if you overbuild, rents will go down. If an area is underbulit, rents will go up. The Iowa City apartment market has pretty much always fluctuated between 94-99% occupied. So the built environment has traditionally matched the need pretty well.

So Peter argues that all business-savvy landlords are already charging the maximum they can squeeze out of their properties. If rent is $700/month, that is because at $725 the property will take longer and cost more to rent out. It may sit empty longer, thereby generating less revenue.

If taxes go up, the landlord is still stuck with a property that is most rentable (and most profitable) at $700. Taxes do not impact the bottom line nearly as much as supply and demand.

Bob is a good guy, a smart man, and a person who cares about this County. We disagree on many things, but he means well. I like him, even though he insists on being a Cardinals fan.

But Bob is wrong on this issue. Just watch. We know taxes are going way down on many rental units – a 50% drop. So according to Bob’s theory, rents should go down.

Just wait. Barring a huge construction boom, rents will not go down in Iowa City.

*Fiddler’s Picnic
The Iowa Friends of Old-Time Music present the 41st annual Fiddler's Picnic! Come on down to the Johnson County Fairgrounds on Sunday, September 18 to enjoy a fun afternoon of old-time music.

Among the festivities will be a continuous stage show featuring some of the best old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, country, and folk musicians in Eastern Iowa. You can swap instruments at the vintage instrument dealer showcase, kick your heels up at the square dance, join in on one of the many parking lot jam sessions that are guaranteed to get going, and learn some new licks at the free workshop. Rain location is the fairgrounds barn.

The cost is Adults: $5, Kids 12 and under: FREE.

I Love IC Film Contest
Do you love Iowa City? What do you love most about it?

PATV is hosting its first ever short film contest about just that on November 6th from 6 - 8 p.m. Make a short film and you could win fabulous prizes!

The submission deadline is Monday, October 3rd, and the screening and awards ceremony will be Sunday, November 6th.

For full contest details, rules & regulations, tips and suggestions and submission guidelines visit http://patv.tv/blog/pages/filmcontest/

*DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County’s largest percentage growth occurred between 1940 and 1950, when the County grew 38% from 33,191 to 45,756. (Source: US Census.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

9-6-11

2011-09-05T21:20:00.002-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 9/6/11

In this edition:

*On the Radio!
*School Board Elections
*A Funny Story!
*Taste of North Liberty
*Iowa Women’s Music Festival
*Did You Know?

*On the Radio!
I have a neat opportunity this Tuesday, September 6, as I will be a guest on the Iowa Public Radio network’s 10 AM “Talk of Iowa” show.

Host Charity Nebbe will be speaking to Kaci O’Day Goldstein and I about foster care and adoption in Iowa.

I do not know Ms. O’Day Goldstein, but according to her biography, she and her spouse have been foster parents for 8 years, fostered 24 children, and adopted 3. That sounds very similar to our experience – we have been foster parents for about 13 years, fostered between 30-40 kids, and adopted 3.

While it will be kinda cool just to be on the radio, I am really excited about the topic. Foster care and adoption have been a big part of our lives. In many ways, it has come to define who we are.

Most importantly, Iowa (and Johnson County) are in DESPERATE need of foster families! It may sound cliché, but if we could do it, you can do it. Yes, there have been some bumps along the road. It has not always been easy. But I wouldn’t change a thing.

I hope you will tune in on Tuesday morning. More importantly, I hope you will consider becoming a foster parent!

*School Board Elections
School Board elections are September 13 in Johnson County. While there are elections in every school district, I want to focus briefly on the ICCSD.

Toni Cilek, Gayle Klouda, Michael Shaw and Mike Cooper have all decided not to seek reelection. Eight candidates are seeking the four available 4-year positions.

Since Mike Cooper moved with two years left on his term, there are also two candidates (Karla Cook and Julie Van Dyke) for the two years remaining on his term.

The eight 4-year term candidates are incumbent Patti Fields, Sally Hoelscher, Marla Swesey, Jim Tate, Phil Hemingway, Bob Porter, Jeff Alden, and Jeff McGinness.

No matter who wins, I have some advice: you cannot please everyone. As a matter of fact, lots of people will be angry no matter what you do.

So – just do what is right. Don’t get hung up on process. Don’t get hung up on those damned governance rules. (Sorry, Nick!)

Don’t worry about reelection; you aren’t going to get paid for this, and you won’t get famous. So do the right thing.

A lot of this really is common sense. If a mother calls you, call her back. Teachers have a very good idea what works in the classroom – respect them and listen to them. If a statewide organization continues to flout the law, quit being a member. If a person commits 3 or more fireable offenses, he should be fired. Common sense.

Good luck to all the candidates. The whole ICCSD (about 100,000 people) is counting on you.

*A Funny Story
I was walking my dog a week or so ago, only about a dozen or so blocks from my house.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see something flying in the air toward me. I stop, and it lands about ten feet from me.

I think I know what this is, but it CAN”T possibly be that! Upon closer examination, it is what I feared… a bag of dog excrement!

I know that we live in a world where elected officials are not held in high regard. But throwing dog poop? Really?

Before I had a chance to react, the owner of the house came running around the corner of the house apologizing. To make the story even funnier, the poop thrower is an old friend of mine!

I am happy to report that he did not throw the poop as a result of my politics!

*Taste of North Liberty
Hometown Rewards in conjunction with the North Liberty Farmer’s Market is presenting a “Taste of North Liberty”.

The event is Sunday, September 11, from 11-2 at the North Liberty Rec Center, and features updates on several North Liberty “green” initiatives.

*Iowa Women’s Music Festival
The Iowa Women’s Music Festival is Saturday, September 10 in Iowa City.

Acts include Angie Pierce Jennings Camille Bloom  Lindsay Mac and the Boom Booms  Jami Sieber w/Natalie Brown  Pieta Brown w/Bo Ramsey  Dawn Drake and ZapOte

The event concludes with a performance by legendary artist Janis Ian at the Englert at 8PM.

For more information, see: http://www.prairievoices.net/index.html

*DID YOU KNOW? Turnout in School Board elections in the ICCSD was higher in ’95-’99 than it has been since, despite the fact that the population of the ICCSD has grown over 20% in that time.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

8-30-11

2011-09-05T21:20:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 8/30/11

In this edition:

*Happy Labor Day!
*Labor Day Picnic
*Go Hawks!
*Fry Fest
*Regina Fall Fun Festival
*Sutliff Bridge Authority Fundraiser
*United Way Kick Off
*Did You Know?

*Happy Labor Day!
Happy Labor Day next Monday! I love Labor Day. Every Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day we set aside time to recall the folks whose service has given us our freedom. I have long felt we need to treat Labor Day in a similar fashion.

Please take a moment this Labor Day to remember the people who fought (and often died) to give us child labor laws, 40 hour weeks, weekends, overtime, vacations, the minimum wage, sick leave, parental leave, OSHA, employment nondiscrimination, pensions, Social Security, health insurance, and so much more.

Do not be fooled! These benefits were not GIVEN to workers by benevolent corporations! They were earned by workers who sacrificed! It is a shame that so many average Joes have chosen to support our corporate masters versus supporting those whose efforts really benefit the masses.

Unions continue to provide the best protection working people can have. I feel as though I have accomplished some good things as a member of the Board of Supervisors. One of the accomplishments of which I am most proud is starting an employee appreciation lunch every year the week of Labor Day. Johnson County employees deserve much more, but this is one extra opportunity to say thank you.

Trust me – the average person has nothing to fear from unions. We all benefit when folks have safe and healthy workplaces. We all benefit when workers get adequate rest. We all benefit when workers receive good training. We all benefit when folks earn a living wage and have health insurance. Unions help improve the quality of life for all of us.

One example of a way in which unions benefit everyone: much is made of the automobile industry expanding into the southern US. While these are not union plants, workers still have good wages and benefits. Some see this as an indictment of unions. It is precisely the opposite.

Do not think for a minute that these companies pay $22 per hour because they WANT to. They would be much happier to pay $4 per hour. And, when China’s workforce improves in quality to the point that they can do automotive work, the companies will move there.

Understand – big companies exists for one reason, and that is to earn a profit. If the laws allowed slavery, companies would use it. Because it is cheaper.

So why do they pay $22 in the southern US? Because of the threat of the United Auto Workers (UAW). If the wages or benefits ever sink too low, UAW could unionize those workers. The car companies don’t want that, so they pay the lowest possible acceptable wage.

See? The UAW does not represent the workers at those plants. But they have driven up the wages and benefits for the workers there all the same.

I am proud to be a member of Local 716 of the American Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the Iowa City Federation of Labor. Happy Labor Day!

*Labor Day Picnic
The Iowa City Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, will host its annual Labor Day picnic on Monday, September 5, starting at 12 Noon at Upper City Park, shelter 2. Burgers, brats, veggie options and beverages provided. Political speeches and a good time guaranteed. Free to all Friends of Labor. For more information call Patrick Hughes, President, Iowa City Federation of Labor, 319-828-4541.

*Go Hawks!
The Iowa Hawkeyes kick off their 2011 football season this weekend in Kinnick Stadium versus Tennessee Tech.

I am a huge Hawkeye fan. But every year at this time, I caution my fellow Hawk fans. The Hawks will be good; perhaps very good. Just be careful with expectations.

Much as I love Hawkeye football, my favorite part of the experience is spending quality time with great friends. So, keep things in perspective – enjoy the season – and GO HAWKS!

*Fry Fest
The celebration of all that is Hawkeye – Fry Fest! – takes place this Friday at the Iowa River Landing in Coralville.

This year’s event has a Dan Gable focus, celebrating the career of our former wrestling coach. For all the event details, see: http://fryfest.com/

*Regina Fall Festival
Iowa City’s Catholic community holds its biggest fundraiser of the year this weekend with the annual Fall Festival.

This is always a fun community event – there are hundreds of things going on all weekend on school grounds. Check it out!

*Sutliff Bridge Authority Fundraiser
The Sutliff Bridge Authority is holding its annual Labor Day street dance fundraiser this Sunday, September 4 from 12-5.

There will be food, drink, music, prizes, and it all goes toward restoring and maintaining the historic Sutliff Bridge. For more info, see: http://www.sutliffbridge.com/

*United Way Kick Off
The United Way of Johnson County holds its annual kick off on September 1st at 7:30 AM at the Marriott.

It is really very simple. If you are reading this, you are among the more fortunate people in our community. Give. Then give some more.

*DID YOU KNOW? John L. Lewis, the President of the United Mine Workers from 1920-1960 was born in southern Iowa. Lewis is credited with dramatically increasing on-the-job safety for workers in all occupations.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

8-23-11

2011-09-05T21:19:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 8/23/11

In this edition:

*Happy Birthday BJ!
*RIP Linda Severson
*Tax Statements
*Cosgrove Pork Day
*Happy 40th Systems Unlimited!
*Computer Sale
*Did You Know?

*Happy Birthday BJ!
Happy Birthday to my son BJ, who turns 15 on August 22! All parents are proud of their children, but I am particularly proud of BJ, who has grown into a wonderful young man.

He is a very kind, caring, hard working young man. He is also a good driver and a snappy dresser!

I cannot imagine loving another person more. I am a very lucky man! Happy Birthday, BJ! I love you!

*RIP Linda Severson
Johnson County again lost one of those quiet heroes with the recent passing of Linda Severson.

Linda was the Human Services Coordinator for the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County (formerly JCCOG) for the past decade or so. Prior to that, Linda had a long career with Johnson County DHS and Goodwill Industries. She was also a long time member of the State and local Arc Boards.

I had known Linda since the late ‘80s. She was the consummate professional; you could always count on her to do the right thing and never cut any corners.

As just one example of this – when I was working for the State, I brought in a case plan Linda had done as an example of good work. The State ended up redacting the identifying info, then using that case plan as THE model statewide. That was characteristic of Linda’s good work.

Linda spent her whole life trying to make the world a better place for those with less. We need more people like Linda in this world. Unfortunately, we now have one less. RIP, Linda.

*Tax Statements
Property tax statements arrived in the mail last week. Allow me to use my own statement to point out a few things:

My property is in Iowa City, residential, and valued at $161,420. My total annual property tax bill is $3068. That is up $96 from last year – an overall increase of 3.2%.

The Iowa City portion went up 4%. The ICCSD portion went up 3%. The County portion went up three tenths of one percent. That is an increase of only 0.3%! My actual dollar increase for the County portion was $1.61.

My taxes go 44% to Iowa City, 36% to the ICCSD, 17% to the County, and the final 3% is divided amongst 4 smaller taxing bodies. (The Grant Wood Area Education Association, the Assessor, ISU Ag Extension, and the State of Iowa make up the rest.)

There can be slight differences between like properties – first and foremost, whether or not a property was recently reassessed. Otherwise, properties within the same taxing districts should notice very similar increases.

If you want to discuss your own property tax bill, please do not hesitate to come in! County government is home to many knowledgeable employees who are willing to go through it with you.

*Cosgrove Pork Day
The fine folks of St. Peter’s Catholic Church are holding their annual Pork Day celebration on Sunday, August 28.

The food is great, there is a beverage tent, entertainment, and prizes. Plus, the village of Cosgrove is charming. Check it out!

*Happy 40th Systems Unlimited!
Systems Unlimited will be holding a 40th Anniversary Open House Sunday, August 28th, 2-4 pm at their offices - 2533 Scott Blvd SE, Iowa City.
Forty years ago, a handful of parents of children with disabilities came together because they were unhappy with the lack of options available to their families. This was the beginning of Systems Unlimited.
You can hear from some of these founding parents, as well as others who have been integral to Systems Unlimited becoming what it is today. Refreshments and tours of the service center will be offered.

Computer Sale
Johnson County is selling used county computers, laptops, printers and other computer related equipment on Saturday, 8/27 from 10- noon at 855 South Dubuque Street.

You can check out the available equipment by following the sale link on the county web page http://www.johnson-county.com/ . We will be adding additional equipment between now and the sale date so check the list regularly.

If you have a question about a specific piece of equipment, please call Fred Brown 356-6080 and he will try to assist you.

*DID YOU KNOW? The surface of Johnson County is 98.6% land, and 1.4% water. (Source: US Census.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

8-16-11

2011-09-05T21:18:00.002-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 8/16/11

In this edition:

*Happy Birthday Melissa!
*School Starts
*Lone Tree Fall Festival
*Jean Martin Memorial Service
*Welcome Lynette!
*Greatest Athlete?
*Did You Know?

*Happy Birthday Melissa!
Happy Birthday to my wonderful wife, Dr. Melissa Fath! You will have to look long and hard to find someone who can simultaneously fill the roles of mother, wife, daughter, sister, scientist, volunteer, etc. and fill them all so well!

I am truly blessed to be spending my life with such a wonderful human being.

I love you, Honey! Happy Birthday!

*School Starts
School is starting in Johnson County over the next couple of weeks. You know the drill – leave a little earlier in the morning, and be watching for students of all ages.

Iowa Mennonite gets things started on 8/15. CR Prairie (hundreds of Johnson County kids in that district!), the ICCSD and Regina begin on 8/18. The UI, Kirkwood, Lone Tree, and Clear Creek-Amana start 8/22, Solon is underway 8/24, and Mid-Prairie goes back 8/29.

My son & I spent Friday stuffing backpacks for the Homeless Children’s Trust; it is always an eye opener to see how many kids in Johnson County have so little! Hopefully, all the children in Johnson County will get off to a good start. Best of luck to everyone on the new school year!

*Lone Tree Fall Festival
The last of the small-town “days” is this weekend in Lone Tree. The Fall Festival is a great summer event, and a perfect way to say goodbye to summer.

Lone Tree is a great little town with a lot of pride, and they put on a nice event. I encourage you to check it out!

Events run the 19th and 20th. For a full listing of events, see: http://www.lonetreeiowa.com/cc_fallfest.htm

*Jean Martin Memorial Service
I wrote back in May about the passing of my friend Jean Martin. I am happy to announce that there will be a Celebration of Life for Jean on Sunday, August 21 from 11-2 at North Hickory Hill Park in Iowa City.

The event begins with a potluck at 11; meat is provided. Bring your own chairs and drinks. There will be music, and a service at 1PM.

This is an opportunity to honor a true Johnson County legend. Jean did so much for so many – I hope you can come out to say thanks.

*Welcome Lynette!
The Board of Supervisors is happy to welcome Lynette Jacoby as Social Services Coordinator for Johnson County. Since 1995, Jacoby has served as Program Director/Administrator at United Action for Youth, providing services to assist youth and families in the Johnson County area.

As Social Services Coordinator, Jacoby will oversee social services programs including the General Assistance Program, county obligations for civil commitments, human service block grants and other human service functions.

Jacoby brings a wealth of experience to the Coordinator position. In addition to her work with UAY, she has served on multiple local and statewide boards and coalitions and was a founding member of a statewide adolescent pregnancy prevention coalition that has gained national attention. Jacoby was awarded the Donna Valle Distinguished networking Award from the National Network 4 Youth in 2009 for her extensive work with networking locally, statewide and nationally.

We are thrilled to have Lynette on board. This position requires someone who can simultaneously manage many programs and budgets, yet still maintain a person-centered focus. We are confident that Lynette is exactly the right fit.

Jacoby will start her new position on August 22nd. She replaces Amy Correia who served as Johnson County’s Social Service Coordinator for five years.

*Greatest Athlete?
ESPN and other outlets are currently debating the “Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century”. I disagree strongly with their findings.

First, it is extremely difficult to compare across sports. Is the momentary brilliance of Michael Johnson more impressive than the decades of success of Jack Nicklaus? Do Babe Didrickson and Jim Thorpe deserve extra credit for excelling in multiple sports, for being extremely underrepresented minorities, or both? Can I set aside my personal admiration of Dan Gable?

While these are all fun to discuss, I am disgusted by the choice of Michael Jordan. He is not the leading scorer in NBA history – that is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Jabbar had a bigger impact defensively, too. Jordan is not the biggest winner – that is Bill Russell, with twice the championships. Jordan never impacted the game like Wilt Chamberlain and Russell.

Some talk about Jordan’s impact culturally. This is where I REALLY get steamed! Michael Jordan had an opportunity to make the world a better place. You can argue that he made it a worse place. American jobs moving overseas to child slave labor gulags creating overpriced shoes that lead kids here kill each other. Gambling problems. Infidelity. Looking out for number one. Nice legacy.

That is why my personal choice is Muhammed Ali. Ali, too, was imperfect. But he changed sports. He changed television. He addressed racial issues. He addressed the war. He stood for something. He impacted US society more than any other athlete. As he himself was fond of saying, “Ali was the Greatest!”

*DID YOU KNOW? You can watch and/or listen to Board meetings! Just visit http://www.johnson-county.com/ and click the “watch meetings” tab on the right side of your screen.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

8-9-11

2011-09-05T21:18:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 8/9/11

In this edition:

*RIP Bob Braverman
*University Heights TIF Request
*Courage Ride
*Branstad Should Be Ashamed!
*Did You Know?

*RIP Bob Braverman
Johnson County lost a true character this week with the untimely passing of Bob Braverman. The original local food guy, Bob owned and operated Friendly Farm.

Bob chewed me out longer and louder than any other constituent. He was also one of the kindest, most supportive, most passionate, most decent people I had the privilege of knowing.

Rest in peace, Bob.

*University Heights TIF Request
Below are my thoughts on Johnson County involvement in the University Heights Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Project.

I need to begin with full disclosure. I am a member of Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church in University Heights. I am a former Deacon, and my wife was serving as an Elder when the church voted to purchase land on Camp Cardinal in western Iowa City.

When our congregation voted, I enthusiastically voted to purchase the land. That does not mean I was necessarily for or against the church moving; I simply felt the deal was too good to pass up. I felt that it gave St. Andrew future options it would not have otherwise. I still believe that vote was the correct one.

I took my scenario to the County Attorney’s Office, just to make sure there would be no conflict of interest if I were asked to vote on this issue. I informed Assistant County Attorney Andy Chappell of our family’s annual giving to St. Andrew (around $3000 per year) and he determined that it was not a large enough amount to present any type of conflict. So I am free to vote on this matter.

I think it is important to preface this discussion with a recognition that reasonable people can disagree. I have friends on both sides of this issue; they are all bright, caring people who want the best for their city. No one here is the devil, nor are there any angels. You are all just people who care about your town. I hope all future discussions will recognize and respect this fact.

Clearly, University Heights has some big decisions to make. Supporters of this project refer to the tax base, but it is unclear that the majority of the residents want any development. Residents in opposition need to understand the ramifications of a stagnant tax base. But those decisions are bigger than this project. University Heights needs to decide where it wants to go BEFORE it decides how it is getting there.

University Heights Councilor Mike Havercamp is an old friend, and I love the passion he has for University Heights. Mike is smart, dedicated, and sincerely feels that this project is crucial to the future of the city. If I had the opportunity to vote for Mike, I would do so proudly. It just so happens that Mike and I disagree on the use of TIF for this project.

I have been crusading against overuse and misuse of TIF since prior to my first election as a County Supervisor in 2004. I have written literally hundreds of pages on the topic, yet it seems to have moved very few people.

Contrary to popular belief, I am not against all TIFs. I simply believe that TIFs have been abused in Johnson County. The job of government is providing quality public services at a reasonable cost. When we create convoluted public-private financing schemes, we take our eyes off of the ball. Governments have a mission, and they should stick to it.

The biggest sticking point in all TIF discussions is the “but for” argument. In other words, “but for the TIF, this business would not (leave, come, expand, etc.).” The “but for” argument is always referenced, but never proven. It creates a scenario whereby governments are held hostage in every single economic development application.

To understand the TIF request for this project, one simply needs to examine the bottom line. The developer feels that he cannot make enough money without the TIF. Well, in my opinion, it is not the job of any governmental unit to ensure that a developer attains a certain profit. This is a classic example of socializing the risk while privatizing the profits. Lower income people are afforded no such benefit.

A friend of mine who owns a small business put it this way: “I have been paying local property taxes for years. When is the government going to step in and give me a guarantee?” This points to the basic inequities at play when governments begin to pick winners and losers.

My philosophy is simple - if a project does not pencil out, don’t do it. Similarly, if Hills Bank or Midwest One will not finance this concept, why should the public sector?

I can envision a scenario where the County’s debt capacity would be accessed to help arrange a major project, but it would have to be a project involving a basic sector employer who was creating hundreds of jobs that paid far better than average wages and provided full benefits. Even then, any deal would need to be carefully scrutinized.

Again, the job of government is providing quality public services at a reasonable cost. When we do that, we create an environment that is business-friendly.

I am opposed to the involvement of Johnson County in this project.

*Courage Ride
The 2011 Courage Ride is August 27th, leaving from Iowa Mennonite School. Register online and ride with us!

Hosted by the Bicyclists of Iowa City (BIC), the Courage Ride honors the courage of Seth Bailey, a former IMS student. Your entry fee goes to a great cause! This annual bike ride is dedicated to improving the lives of people living with cancer by raising money funding local cancer research at Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Your donation can help find a cure for cancer!

You can pedal over gently rolling green hills leading past Amish homesteads and over old stagecoach routes! You can enjoy fabulous foods all day from start to finish; a mouthwatering Belgian Waffle Breakfast, a substantial biker's lunch, and a plethora of surprise snacks at rest stops that will keep your legs fueled! The hills will be alive with the sound of music; live entertainment throughout the day - even at the rest stops! You can also place a winning bid on bikes and other fantastic items in our silent auction!

A detailed route map, SAG support, bike mechanics, hot shower, free grass camping, and really cool bike socks are all part of the package. Bring your family and friends! There is something for everyone! For more info, see: http://www.courageride.org/

*Branstad Should Be Ashamed!
I was heartbroken to learn of Governor Branstad’s recent veto of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

One of my proudest accomplishments as a County Supervisor is the series of countywide Free Tax Help clinics set up in cooperation with the Tippie School of Business. One of the best features of these clinics is the emphasis on getting people the EITC they are due. The program is even called “You Earned It, Now Claim It!”

The law passed by the Iowa Legislature would have amounted to a tax cut of about $100 for working families with incomes under $45,000. And Branstad vetoed it!

Apparently, the GOP prescription of tax cuts only matters when you are talking about tax cuts for wealthy Branstad donors. Tax cuts for poor and lower-middle-income folks are a distraction.

Branstad called himself a Christian on the campaign trail. He certainly did not behave as one with this veto. The Governor should be ashamed!

*DID YOU KNOW? The average age of a US resident is 37 years. (Source: US Census.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

8-2-11

2011-07-31T16:48:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 8/2/11

In this edition:

*Congratulations Rachel!
*Swisher Fun Days
*Homeless Children’s Trust
*EMA Award
*Chamber Ag Tour
*Wind power
*Campaign T-shirts
*Did You Know?

*Congratulations Rachel!
I start this week with congratulations to my daughter Rachel, who has recently enlisted in the Iowa National Guard. Rachel, 19, is a 2010 graduate of City High. She will be shipping out to Fort Seale, Oklahoma for Basic Training on August 7.

If you have read my writings for any length of time, you know how I feel about the three (or more) wars in which we are currently engaged. Iraq is an illegal war, based on lies. No one can give me a good reason for staying in Afghanistan. Libya was unauthorized, and is looking like the 2011 version of the Bay of Pigs.

In other words, I am not a big fan of US military policy since 1944. One might think that this presents me with a moral dilemma, but not really.

I have always advocated for bringing our troops home. I have always supported our troops. Those two stances are not mutually exclusive. Now that I have a child who could face deployment in these areas, my feelings are only magnified.

Meanwhile, despite my concerns, I think the military lifestyle will be a positive for Rachel. Congratulations, Honey, and good luck! I am proud of you!

*Swisher Fun Days
Fun Days rocks the City of Swisher on August 5 & 6. If you get the chance, visit Swisher and have some fun with the locals – they know how to have a good time!

For a full schedule of events, see: http://www.swisheria.org/

*Homeless Children’s Trust
The Homeless Children’s Trust is once again collecting Back To School supplies for needy children in Johnson County.

You can donate school supplies at the Little Red Schoolhouses found at several locations throughout Johnson County, including all HACAP and UI Community Credit Union locations; Walgreens in IC and Coralville; Hy Vee on Waterfront and in Coralville; Hills Bank on Gilbert; Big K Mart; Hawkeye Harley Davidson; and KCJJ. Thanks to all those great sponsors!

Schoolhouses will be out until August 12, so donate today! And, needless to say, financial contributions are welcome! For more information, contact Mary Larew at 337-2264.

*EMA Award
Congratulations to Johnson County Emergency Management, which has received the Region 7 award for outstanding efforts in emergency planning.

This is a great honor, as Region 7 covers a four state area. It is also an honor that is well deserved. Congratulations!

*Chamber Ag Tour
The Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual Ag Tour from 1 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 9th.

We will visit Scattergood Friends School, Acciona Windpower and Wilson's Orchard. The cost is $10 for Chamber members, $15 for non-members. Please RSVP by Friday, August 5.

Questions can be directed to Maggie Putman, Director of Special Events by phone at 337-9637 or e-mail: maggie@iowacityarea.com.

*Wind Power
I hope you all saw the recent newspaper articles about a wind farm coming to Johnson County. (The proposal is for a relatively large farm just south and east of Solon.) I am extremely excited by the prospect of joining other Iowa counties as a clean energy producer!

Johnson County still needs to craft an ordinance to permit wind farms in the Ag zoning districts. A draft is already complete, and I am confident we can create a good ordinance. There are plenty of governments with years of familiarity in this area – we can certainly learn from their experiences.

The whole key seems to be setbacks. Pretty much every objection I have heard (sight, sound, ice, etc.) can be addressed by mandating adequate setbacks.

There are several area farmers excited about this income stream. There are green energy supporters excited about more green energy being produced locally. There are economic development folks excited by the good-paying jobs. I like all that and more! What are your thoughts on wind power?

*Campaign T-shirts
I still have a few “Sullivan for Supervisor” t-shirts that I would like to give away to a good home. Just promise me you will wear it in public, and it is yours!

I may not have all sizes available, so get yours now!

*DID YOU KNOW? The average number of people per household in the US is 2.58. (Source: US Census.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

7-26-11

2011-07-24T10:28:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 7/26/11

In this edition:

*Fair week!
*Iowa = Good for Business!
*LEED Gold!
*Faith Without Works
*Obama Birthday Party
*Did You Know?

*Fair Week!
It is time for the Johnson County Fair! Free parking and free admission- and great fun for all ages! See you there!

*Iowa = Good for Business!
A recent CNBC study of the business climate in all 50 states ranks Iowa #9 overall. (The whole list can be viewed at CNBC.com.)

Iowa LED the nation in “cost of doing business”, a category that combines utility costs, wage costs, real estate costs, and yes… taxes! In other words, the overall cost of doing business in Iowa is lower than any other state.

So, as politicians from both parties fall all over themselves trying to cut taxes for big out of state corporations, remember this poll. Life ain’t so tough for a big business setting up shop in Iowa.

I hope the Iowa House and Senate look at this info, and decide to stick with the Main Street-friendly commercial property tax credit championed by Senator Bolkcom.

*LEED Gold!
The Johnson County Conservation Board (JCCB) has been awarded LEED® Gold Level Certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the new Conservation Headquarters and Conservation Maintenance Facility Buildings at F.W. Kent Park.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental design (LEED) Rating System was designed by the US Green Building Council to encourage and facilitate the development of more sustainable buildings. LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

Gold is the second-highest rating awarded (behind Platinum), and is extremely rare in Iowa. The Johnson County Health and Human Services building received a Silver rating a couple of years ago.

The Conservation Headquarters and Conservation Maintenance Facility Buildings both achieved GOLD LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, these LEED Certified Buildings save money for taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for workers and the larger community.

Congratulations to the JCCB!

*Faith Without Works
A couple of Sundays ago, our Pastor read from James 2:17 - “Faith without works is dead.”

What does this mean? It basically warns Christians of the hypocrisy of talking a good game, then failing to act in a Christian manner.

The surrounding passages describe feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, housing the homeless, and tending to those who are ill.

So – how will Christians accomplish these works? By tax breaks for billionaires? By tax loopholes for multinational corporations? By cutting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security? By cutting preschool? By reducing the estate tax?

Look, I do not believe the US government is required to follow Christian doctrine. I think it is clear that the founding fathers intended for a separation of church and state. Our government should not favor any one religion. But if you are going to make the case that we are a Christian nation, at least back it up with deeds!

Jesus speaks about helping the hungry, the homeless, and those who are ill. This dominates the things we hear from him. It is the most common subject he talks about. He also states many times – very clearly – that too much wealth is a sin.

Christians – faith without works is dead. Knowing that, how do you feel about where our country is headed?

*Obama Birthday Party
The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding an event in honor of President Barack Obama’s 50th Birthday.

The event is Sunday, August 7 from 4-7 pm in Lower City Park. A picnic dinner (burgers, brats, and veggie burgers, plus sides) will be available for $5 per person, $10 per family. That includes birthday cake!

Both sponsors and volunteers are needed. For more info, contact Liz Etchels at elizabeth.etchells@gmail.com or 319-541-9672.

*DID YOU KNOW? The national home ownership rate is 65%. Iowa and Delaware rank #1 in home ownership at 72.1%; New York is last at 50%. (Source: US Census.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

6-28-11

2011-06-25T12:49:00.000-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 6/28/11

In this edition:

*Independence Day
*Rural Voter Precincts
*Did You Know?

*Independence Day
Happy Independence Day! Please take a few moments this July 4th to reread some of the amazing history of this country. Unfortunately, a big group has been trying to rewrite our history books. That works only if you fail to know our history and discuss it!

Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the festivities in Sharon Center, Morse, Coralville, Oxford, Hills, Iowa City, and every other place in Johnson County where fun activities are planned!

*Rural Voter Precincts
Johnson County will soon be looking at voter precinct boundaries. Here is some background:

As a result of the 2010 census, municipalities must redraw precinct lines. This is not just the job of the cities; counties do it, too.

Remember, Supervisors only set the precincts for the unincorporated areas. You may feel that Iowa City has too many (or too few) precincts, but Supervisors cannot make that decision. Iowa law leaves that decision to the cities.

There is one other law that comes into play here. Iowa law prohibits precincts from exceeding 3,500 in population. That means that the number of precincts in North Liberty (currently 2) MUST go up to at least 4. Coralville is faced with a similar predicament. So if we do not cut back somewhere else, taxpayers will have no choice but to pay for more Election Day expenses.

Johnson County has added rural precincts before. Ten years ago, population growth forced a split of Jefferson Township into Jefferson East (Shueyville) and Jefferson West (Swisher). Similarly, Solon was split away from Big Grove. (Tiffin had to be split from Clear Creek because of legislative lines.) It would not surprise me if Newport and/or Penn Townships had to be split after the 2020 census. Again, population growth would force these changes.

In my opinion, Johnson County needs to consider the efficiency of some of our smallest precincts. By sticking to township lines, I believe we are perpetuating an antiquated and expensive system, especially when one considers all the available options for early voting.

In addition, I am philosophically opposed to the use of private residences as polling places. I believe this creates unnecessary anxiety on the part of some rural voters.

One more point - There are guidelines from the state that push for precincts to be as close in population as is practicably possible. Johnson County fails miserably at this test. In many precincts, our cost per vote is outrageously high!

With all this in mind, I would suggest five major changes to the rural voter precincts. These are, in my order of priority:

1. Monroe: We should not be using private residences as polling places. There are (admittedly anecdotal) reports of voters who feel intimidated voting at this location. We have the additional costs of a porta-potty. All the residents of the township are accustomed to driving other places to do business – you cannot buy gas or groceries anywhere in the township. It is even on a gravel road, meaning it could be inaccessible in the case of any early snow. With 562 residents and 411 registered voters, this is only 16% of the Secretary of State’s recommendations for maximum precinct size. At $4.95 per vote, only ten precincts are more expensive.
Recommendation: Combine with Jefferson West (Swisher).

2. Lincoln: We should not be using private residences as polling places. We have the additional costs of rent and a porta-potty. All the residents of the township are accustomed to driving other places to do business – you cannot buy gas or groceries anywhere in the township. It is even on a gravel road, meaning it could be inaccessible in the case of any early snow. With 205 residents and 149 registered voters, this is the smallest precinct in Johnson County, less than 6% of the Secretary of State’s recommendations. At $12.68 per vote, this is the most expensive precinct in Johnson County.
Recommendation: Combine with Pleasant Valley or Fremont. (Vote in PV or Fremont.)

3. Pleasant Valley: All the residents of the township are accustomed to driving other places to do business – you cannot buy gas or groceries anywhere in the township. With 269 residents and 205 registered voters, this is the third smallest precinct in Johnson County, less than 8% of the Secretary of State’s recommendations. At $8.71 per vote, only two precincts are more expensive.
Recommendation: Combine with Lincoln or Liberty. (Vote in PV.)

4. Clear Creek: With 265 residents and 171 registered voters, this is the second smallest precinct in Johnson County, 5% of the Secretary of State’s recommendations. There is no good polling place in the township. Currently already voting in Tiffin. At $11.77 per vote, only one precinct is more expensive.
Recommendation: Combine with Tiffin. (Vote in Tiffin.)

5. Madison: With 399 residents and 325 registered voters, this is the fourth smallest precinct in Johnson County, about 11% of the Secretary of State’s recommendations. All the residents of the township are accustomed to driving other places to do business – you cannot buy gas or groceries anywhere in the township. There is no good polling place in the township. Additionally, most the population of Madison Township lives off of Scales Bend Road, which will likely be annexed into the City of North Liberty over the course of the next decade. Currently already voting in North Liberty. At $7.18 per vote, only three precincts are more expensive.
Recommendation: Combine with North Liberty. (Vote in North Liberty.)

These five changes would result in four fewer rural precincts, thus requiring less staff, less equipment, and less taxpayer money. These changes are important, as increasing numbers of precincts in North Liberty and Coralville will already be increasing the costs of elections. It costs $13,000 just to purchase the equipment for a precinct, not including staffing. Multiply this expense by 3 or 4, and you have paid for the equivalent of one FTE.

As you may know, the Auditor recently sent out a postcard polling rural voters on this matter. I have several issues with this poll. Here are just a few:

1. It is unscientific.

2. It is worded in such a way that results will be skewed. If I sent out a poll that said, “Do you want your taxes lowered?” what do you think the results would be?

3. The results have been reported in such a way as to skew the narrative. For example – The press release says “58% of respondents said they would vote on Election Day at another township or city, and 42% said they would vote early by mail or in person. But when asked if there were any chance that the closure might result in them not voting, 37% replied “yes”.”
Why focus on the leading (and misleading) question “Is there any chance you will not vote?” Why not focus on the fact that 100% reported they would vote in a different way?

4. The poll only went to rural residents. Elections are paid for by all property taxpayers. The opinions of all taxpayers matter here! People in Iowa City, Lone Tree, and every other city deserve the same opportunity for input.

5. Similarly, voters in East Lucas, Penn, and other precincts that already vote in cities were not polled. This would have undoubtedly changed the results of the poll.

6. The poll served its intended purpose – several rural residents are now scared, and fear that they will be asked to drive into Iowa City to vote. Now that they are upset, it will be difficult for the Board to find the political will to keep costs low.

7. Finally, just sending the postcard cost taxpayers over $1000, not counting all the staff time that went into creating it and tallying responses.

There are many options for people who wish to vote. They can vote by mail. They can vote early at a satellite voting site, including the Auditor’s Office. They can vote on Election Day at their designated polling place. A person who wants to vote has many options available to her.

My suggestions would not change any of these options. The only difference is that people who choose to vote on Election Day would drive to a different location. In many cases, the new polling place will be CLOSER to where they live. In most cases, it is a location they were more likely to be going in the first place!

This is a situation where leadership matters. The easy thing to do is decide to spend whatever is necessary so that no single voter is angry. That is a very easy thing to do. Then, when the budget discussions come around in the late fall, you pretend there is nothing you can do about these expenses.

Worse yet, Supervisors who vote to waste money in the area of elections may try to make up for it later, and feel the need to make deeper cuts during the actual budget discussions. Then the cuts come from programs that help our most disadvantaged citizens.

As I noted, the campaign of misinformation has already begun. There are folks on the phones and in the coffee shops talking about how the Supervisors “hate the rural people”, and “want everyone to vote in Iowa City”. It is not true, but the story already has legs.

I think consolidating some rural precincts makes sense. Asking a person who already drives 2 miles to drive 4 is not that onerous, and certainly not worth $50,000. What are your thoughts?

*DID YOU KNOW? In April 2011, 25 active duty military personnel committed suicide, almost half the number (51) killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan. (Source: Time.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

6-21-11

2011-06-25T12:48:00.000-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 6/21/11

In this edition:

*Rural Sirens
*Juneteenth
*Roadside Vegetation Award
*T-shirts
*Did You Know?

*Rural Sirens
June means tornado season, so this might be a good time to discuss some of the things the Board has been doing in terms of tornado safety.

At the risk of bragging, I am going to toot my own horn (sound my own siren?) about a recent Board accomplishment. One of the things I have personally been pushing for several years is rural tornado sirens.

You may be thinking, “Rural sirens? Does that make sense? Is anyone there to hear them?” If that is what you are thinking, you need to expand your idea of rural! Take our first rural siren, for example.

It took some doing, but a couple years ago we finally got our first rural tornado siren put up in Frytown. Located in the southern part of Johnson County, Frytown is technically unincorporated, but there must be 150 people who live there. More importantly, a busy day at Yoder’s Auction House might see 300 or more people in one small area. In addition, many in the area are conservative Mennonite or Amish, and may not have access to radio or tv. It makes sense to have some sort of warning system there.

The next rural siren will be going up soon in Joetown. Even further south than Frytown, the Joetown siren will serve the 50-100 residents of that area; more importantly, it will be next to Iowa Mennonite High School and its 140 students. It will also serve Washington Township Elementary, with even more children in that building.

We have plans to add another siren next year in the Big Grove area, in the northern part of Johnson County. In Big Grove the number of rural residents and campers far exceed the numbers we have in southern Johnson County. This will be another great addition.

These sirens are not cheap (they run between $10-20k), but the newer models are virtually maintenance free, so there is little ongoing expense. These are expenditures that I am happy to make!

I have been working on this for quite some time, but we are starting to get there. I think many rural residents are going to be safer as a result.

*Juneteenth
Club Kazi members will be hosting a day of summer fun while celebrating Juneteenth. A Family Carnival will be at Mercer Park in Iowa City on Sunday June 26th from 12:00 to 6:00 pm.

There will be free food (while supplies last), vendors, music, and live entertainment. Children can enjoy story time, a jumping gym, and face painting while adults can enter the bid whist, spades, and chess tournaments. There will be a free health fair and financial wellness fair.

Children and families will also have a chance to win wonderful door prizes including tickets from the Englert Theatre to see the Miles Davis Experience, tickets to the Children's Museum, tickets to see the Cedar Rapids Kernels, gift certificates to local restaurants and much more.

For more information please contact: LaTasha Massey, Club Kazi Co-Chair at 688.5708 or lmassey@co.johnson.ia.us.

Club Kazi is a group of African American professionals that work on different areas of concerns within the Black community. For the past few years we have been working on bringing awareness about overrepresentation of Black children in the child welfare system and how to embrace and support families that foster children of color.

*Roadside Vegetation Award
Congratulations to the Johnson County Secondary Roads Department, who in cooperation with the Johnson County Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management Committee, has been awarded the 2011 Achievement Award for the “Native Plant Community Policy for Roadside Vegetation Management.”

For those of you who have been following this issue, this award is a long time coming! A quick history lesson: Several county residents spent the decades of the 70s and 80s trying to get Johnson County to stop spraying our ditches. In response to their efforts, in the 90s, the Integrated Roadside Vegetation Committee was formed – then they spent ten years debating a series of policies!

The end result was a very forward thinking policy that honors the native vegetation of Iowa, balances the desires of private ownership and government, and minimizes the use of herbicides. No one got everything they wanted out of the policy, but it has both served as a model for other counties and worked quite well.

Our current Roadside Vegetation Manager is Chris Henze, and Chris has done a FANTASTIC job! This award is indicative of good policies, a great committee, and his hard work.

(In addition to “Roadside Vegetation Manager”, Chris also has that classic job title unique to County government – Weed Commissioner!)

This prestigious award comes from the National Association of Counties, with a membership of 3,068 counties in all 50 states. The award will be presented on July 17 at the national conference in Oregon. Congrats again!

*T-shirts
I have about twenty “Sullivan for Supervisor” t-shirts of various sizes, and I would like to get them in the hands of folks who will promise to wear them in parades and to public events.

If you are interested, E-mail me with the size(s) you need, and I’ll get them to you. They are Kelly green. Thanks!

*DID YOU KNOW? The average cost of family health care insurance accessed through an employer is now $19,393 – up over 7% from last year. (Source: CNN.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

6-14-11

2011-06-25T12:47:00.002-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 6/14/11

In this edition:

*Father’s Day
*North Liberty Wards
*Doing More With Less
*Pride
*Bookmarks
*Corn Prices
*Did You Know?

*Father’s Day
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. To those of you who still have a dad around – please cherish that fact! Even though he has been gone for 12 years, I miss my own father every single day. He was not only my dad, but my best friend. I love you, Dad!

*North Liberty “Wards”
I found it interesting that just as I was writing about a District system for Supervisors, North Liberty got a petition forcing an election on a ward system.

We are not talking about a city the size of Des Moines, where citizens in one area could perhaps argue they are overlooked. North Liberty has less than 12,000 residents. An elected official SHOULD be able to represent the whole city!

The same arguments I made last week apply here. Rather than doing what is best for the whole city, North Liberty will get a system of parochialism. Your ward got a park? By God, my ward will get a park! This type of thinking will drive up the cost of government immensely.

I think some folks in North Liberty are angry at their Council. Fine. Recruit candidates. But do not fundamentally alter your government in a way that makes it less efficient.

*”Doing More With Less”
As governments at every level go through a period of austerity, we often hear the phrase, “We’ll have to do more with less.”

While I understand the sentiment, I think it is important to point out that it is EXTREMELY unlikely that anyone can actually do more with less. Like “giving 110%”, “doing more with less” is a turn of phrase that is not likely going to happen.

Sure, there may be situations where people are very wasteful, or processes are very inefficient. In those cases, one might truly be able to “do more with less”.

But that is not my experience with government in Johnson County. If we provide fewer resources, the public will be getting fewer services. There is no “do more with less”. It sounds good, but an optimistic attitude can only go so far. The reality is – less public dollars means fewer public services!

So, when you hear this, point it out. Do not let the budget cutters off the hook. They are free to advocate cuts, but they do not get to claim that services will improve because of it! You cannot have your cake and eat it too! If you voted for budget cuts, then you voted for service cuts. Simple as that.

*Pride
Johnson County will be busy with Pride events this upcoming week. There will be a picnic Friday night, a parade at noon Saturday, and a festival Saturday afternoon, just to name a few.

I LOVE the fact that I live in a state where same sex couples have the right to marry! I LOVE the fact that I live in a city and county with strong Human Rights Ordinances! I LOVE the fact that Johnson County is a relatively open and affirming place! And I LOVE the fact that the rest of the country is beginning to see that we have it right! If you feel the same way I do, join in the fun this weekend!

For a full schedule of events, see: http://www.queerconnections.org/

*Bookmarks
If you have not yet done so, get out and visit the wonderful Bookmarks public art installations. Spread throughout Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty, these large sculptures are a real treat to visit!

Bookmarks is just the latest initiative brought to you through the UNESCO City of Literature. Rest assured, more great reading/writing events are on the way!

Check out photos, maps, and more about Bookmarks at: http://bookmarksiowa.org/

*Corn Prices
It is a good time to be a corn grower! Record corn prices have some farmers rolling in dough right now.

Corn prices were historically around $2 per bushel. Depending on weather conditions, farmers might earn a very small profit – usually less than 2-3%. Then came the ethanol industry and $4 corn. Suddenly, farmers were doing pretty well. Fast forward a couple more years, and we have corn prices at $7.40 per bushel!

A bit of quick math: Corn is $7.40 per bushel. Multiply that by the average Iowa yield of 183 bushels/acre. The average Iowa farm is 353 acres. (Not all that will be corn, so we’ll be conservative and say 67%.) 353 x .67 = 236.5 acres in corn. $7.40 x 183 x 236 = $319,591.

If a farmer broke even at $2/bushel, that is $86,376. Now granted, inputs (fuel, fertilizer, etc.) have gone up tremendously. Still, the annual difference in income from the days of $2 corn is well over six figures!

Obviously, if your farm is virtually all dairy or hogs, and you are purchasing that corn, your business could be struggling. But it is a VERY good time to be a corn grower!

*DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County put down 103,000 tons (206 million pounds!) of gravel in the spring of 2011.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

6-7-11

2011-06-25T12:47:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 6/7/11

In this edition:

*North Liberty Fun Days
*Supervisor Districts – A Bad Idea!
*Did You Know?

*North Liberty Fun Days
North Liberty holds its annual Fun Days celebration Friday-Sunday June 10-12. After a rained-out Blues & BBQ, we need to get out to North Liberty and support that city!

A schedule of all the events is available at: http://www.facebook.com/NLFunDays

*Supervisor Districts – A Bad Idea!
The issue of County Supervisor Districts has reared its ugly head in Johnson County. I think this is a really shortsighted idea!

I am sure there are some who would love to make a little dig at Supervisor Rettig and I, who only live about 12 blocks from each other. But it is not about me personally. I have been consistent in my opposition long before it had the potential to affect me personally – I was the “con” opinion at League of Women Voters forums in both Washington and Linn Counties.

As I said, this type of change is much bigger than two incumbents. It can cost taxpayers for decades to come! That is correct – a district system costs taxpayers more money!

Plus, I do not believe geography matters nearly as much as people think. One high-profile example - Supervisor Harney lives in Newport Township, yet disagreed with the vast majority of Newport residents over the road.

Personally, I voted to vacate a road that is home to one of my friends, very near where I grew up. That was not fun, but I felt I needed to ignore the geography.

Geography is but one thing that binds people together. Despite the immigration of the past two decades, we remain a small community in many ways. Frankly, most elections are won because of who your Mom and Dad are/were. There are old friendships to take into account. Every election has issues of gender, race, religion, occupation, education, political party, and income level, just to name a few.

These issues aren't usually well publicized, but it is clear that many farmers vote for farmers, many UI folks vote for UI folks, many Catholics vote for Catholics, and so forth. This does not even take into account the actual issues of the day - public safety, roads, social services, taxes, and the like. Does geography matter? Yes, but not nearly as much as people think.

This leads to the issue of Supervisor districts. Linn and Washington Counties recently adopted district systems, where the county is divided into 5 districts and only the people in that district vote for that Supervisor. Sups must live in the district they represent. I have several issues with a district system.

First, as I pointed out, geography is often less important than people realize. (See my arguments above.)

Secondly, we have a system of one person, one vote. Iowa City, with 68,000 residents, will always have more voters than Oxford, with 800. Law would not allow a district to be gerrymandered in such a way to guarantee a Supervisor from Oxford. If we had districts, each would contain about 27,000 residents. A district that included Oxford, Tiffin, Swisher, Shueyville, and lots of rural residents would still only amount to 7,000 people. Even if you added North Liberty to the mix, the district would be 7,000 people short. So the idea that you are going to get an Oxford-based Supervisor is still slim.

The best bet for someone wanting a Sup from Oxford is to find a good candidate in Oxford, work with her on issues, and urge her to run. Good candidates CAN win regardless of where they live; it is difficult to win BECAUSE of where you live.

Thirdly, districts actually eliminate good candidates. It is entirely possible that the two best candidates live next door to each other. Why eliminate one from holding office? If it was a job interview in the private sector and you were determined to hire the two best people, you wouldn’t even look at where they lived.

Fourthly, districts add inefficiency to government by creating a patronage system. If Swisher gets a road repair one year, Lone Tree will get one the next, whether it is needed or not. Because rather than looking out for the best interests of the entire county, you have created a system that rewards “bringing home the bacon.” This WILL increase the cost of government!

It also adds expenses to elections. Supervisor Districts create additional ballot types, driving up the cost of elections while adding to voter confusion. That does not even take into account the fact that you need to hold an $80,000 special election just to vote on the change!

Fifthly, districts eliminate some of the representative nature of government. All 5 Sups vote on ordinances, the budget, and everything else. If a Sup is going to spend my tax dollars, I want to have a say by being able to vote for or against her. And the Rural Fund makes up only $3 million of the $75 million dollar county budget.

In Polk and Linn Counties, there are Supervisors who do not have a single county road or rural resident in their Districts. This would likely occur in Johnson County, too, if a District system was in place. This creates an incentive for the urban representative to push all the expenses of County government to the rural side of the budget.

Finally, I dislike identity politics. I frequently hear, “We need a couple farmers on the Board.” I understand the reasoning, but I disagree. Look at all the flaws in this argument:

1. Not all farmers think alike, and not all farmers will vote alike. And who defines which people are “really” farmers?

2. Johnson County has about 4,000 on-farm residents, including children. (That amounts to 3% of overall county residents, and a little less than one in 5 rural residents.) Johnson County has many more teachers than farmers; why don’t we need a teacher on the Board?

3. In continuing the identity politics, Johnson County is home to approximately 5,000 Latinos; 6,000 African Americans; 13,000 people with disabilities; 7,000 gays and lesbians; 20,000 seniors; 25,000 people with Master’s Degrees or higher. Must we ensure that each of these groups is represented? If so, how do we accomplish this on a 5 person Board?

4. What does it mean “to be represented?” While not African American, I am sensitive to issues of race through having three African American children. While not currently a farmer, I grew up on a farm, and we still have several in the family. While I do not have a disability, I used to work at The Arc. Each Supervisor could go on similarly as to why she/he represents everyone well.

Several local business leaders have been advocating for governments to think bigger and more regionally. This proposal goes the opposite direction. I hope Chuck Peters, Clay Jones, and others who have been advocating for less government will publically oppose this silly idea!

I hope that Johnson County never heads down the ill-conceived path of Supervisor districts. It only serves to drive up the cost of government, without improving services.

*DID YOU KNOW? 295 Johnson County residents pay privately for dust control; 48 of those pay for chip seal.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

5-31-11

2011-06-25T12:36:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 5/31/11

In this edition:

*The People’s Budget
*Medicaid
*Arts Fest
*ICARE Pancake Breakfast
*Did You Know?

*The People’s Budget
We hear a lot about two differing approaches to deficit reduction. On the one hand, you have Paul Ryan and the House Republicans calling for massive reductions in both taxes and entitlements. On the other hand, you have President Obama calling for the same thing, but to a much lesser degree.

The problem with this is that the whole debate takes place within extremely narrow constraints. There are other options! We can reduce the deficit, while at the same time protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

First, there are common sense spending cuts. We can cut our military budget dramatically. (The US spends more than the rest of the world combined!) We can end expensive and pointless wars. We can implement a public option for health care. We can break up banks that are “too big to fail”. We can simply choose not to give trillions in tax cuts to multinational corporations.

On the revenue side, we can raise taxes on those earning over $250,000. More importantly, we can raise taxes even more on those earning millions and even tens of millions! We can tax capital gains as heavily as we tax income earned through work. We can impose a financial speculation tax.

When we talk about shared sacrifice, we need to consider the actual definition of “sacrifice”. My $50,000 annual salary is about 100 times the amount my 14-year-old son can hope to earn mowing yards, walking dogs, etc.

Is it a “sacrifice” for me to pay for the rent and food in our household? Should I require him to purchase his own insurance on the open market? Should I be demanding that BJ “share in the sacrifice”?

Consider that a senior citizen on Medicare, whose only income is Social Security, might earn $1,000 per month. Someone earning $120,000 has the same relative wealth to that senior citizen as I have to my son.

Is it fair to ask both to “sacrifice” equally? (Of course, the suggestion has been that only people earning more than DOUBLE that $120,000 be asked to pitch in.)

Many of the ideas I have articulated here can be found in the People’s Budget, an interesting document created by the 81-member Progressive Caucus in the US House of Representatives. It actually reduces the deficit more quickly than anything presented by either Ryan or Obama, and does so with more common sense.

I have not had the opportunity to ask Representative Loebsack about the People’s Budget. I know he is a member of the Progressive Caucus, and I know he supports several individual pieces of the plan. Yet he does not appear to be one of the 41 signatories. I’ll try to find out and report back.

Meanwhile, take a look at the People’s Budget. And recognize that the very narrow constraints of the debate the media allows us to hear are not actually constraints at all!

*Medicaid
From PHI: Contrary to what many Americans believe, Medicare provides little coverage for long-term services and supports. It pays for limited medically necessary home health services, but does not cover home care for individuals who need ongoing assistance. By contrast, Medicaid is the principal payer for long-term services and supports in the United States—it pays for 62 percent ($125 billion) of all spending.

Over 3 million individuals receive long-term services paid for by Medicaid. It is Medicaid-funded services and supports that allow elders and people with disabilities to live in the setting of their choice without draining family budgets across generations.

Nearly 80 percent of paid hands-on care for elders and people with disabilities is provided by direct-care workers, who earn, on average, just $10 per hour. With such low incomes and limited employer-provided health insurance, Medicaid is essential to keeping these workers out of poverty. In addition, without this coverage, these workers are more likely to miss work due to health problems, disrupting the continuity of care so many families rely on.

Of our nation’s over 3 million nursing assistants, home health aides, and personal care aides: Nearly 1 million (28 percent) are uninsured. In 2009, nearly 20 percent, or 600,000 direct-care workers, received health coverage through Medicaid or other public insurance at some point during the year.

*Iowa Arts Festival
In my mind, summer officially begins each year with the Iowa Arts Festival in downtown Iowa City. The event this year runs Friday, June 3 through Sunday, June 5.

For a full schedule of events, see: http://www.summerofthearts.org/portals/0/2011%20iaf%20schedule%20at-a-glance.pdf

*ICARE Pancake Breakfast
Another annual event that kicks off the summer is the ICARE Pancake Breakfast. This year’s event, the 24th annual, is Sunday, June 5 from 8AM to 1PM in the Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp (where the Iowa City Farmer’s Market is held).

Tickets are $8 advance, $10 day of, children 4-12 half price; children 3 and under eat free. The menu features gourmet pancakes, sausage, fresh fruit, orange juice and coffee, with live music and a raffle. All proceeds benefit ICARE, the Iowa Center for AIDS Resources and Education.

*DID YOU KNOW? In 2010, power generated by wind was 15.4% of all electricity generated in Iowa.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

5-24-11

2011-06-25T12:35:00.000-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 5/24/11

In this edition:

*Jean Martin
*Memorial Day
*Graduation
*Solon Firefighters Pancake Breakfast
*North Liberty Blues & BBQ
*Kent Park Beach
*Did You Know?

*Jean Martin
I lost a good friend last week with the passing of Jean Martin. Our county lost a quiet but effective champion for senior citizens, mental health, the environment, organized labor, women’s issues, and many other important causes.

One of the biggest fallacies in our society is that only big names and/or big voices get things accomplished. You do not need advanced degrees to be intelligent or to win an argument. You do not need to be wealthy to contribute to charity. You do not need to buy acres of timber to help the environment. You do not need to be a politician to affect social change. You do not need to be elected to be a leader. Jean Martin proved all these points.

Jean Martin was a single mother who earned union wages, worked two jobs most of her adult life, and lived in a mobile home. Yet I challenge anyone to name me a person who gave more to this community.

Jean spent a lot of time quietly helping others. I recall a time in the mid-90s when I was in a conversation with Joe Bolkcom, who was running for County Supervisor at the time. He was looking into the larger campaign signs that are sometimes used in the rural areas. Joe inquired as to who knew anything about those. I recall turning to Jean Martin, who not only knew where to get the signs, but took it upon herself to drive around the county putting them up. Joe didn’t expect her to take this on, but we were told by several people, “Don’t worry - that is just one of those things Jean does.”

There were a LOT of those things! Jean worked the front desk at the Senior Center, often helping folks who were actually younger than herself! Jean could always be counted on to clean up the grounds at the Community Mental Health Center. Jean picked up dog poop at the dog park. Jean spent every Friday evening during the summer raising money for Iowa Shares. She was constantly helping some of her less-fortunate neighbors. Jean was the driving force behind organized labor in Johnson County. The list goes on and on.

Jean was committed to social justice, and she was willing to stand and fight. But she also did what she could do personally. The whole idea of “Think globally, act locally” is embodied in her spirit.

In addition to all of her good works, Jean was smart, funny, patient, kind, caring, and a real joy to be around. We lost a very special person with the passing of Jean Martin. RIP, Jean.

*Memorial Day
Happy Memorial Day! While you enjoy a day off work, please take a moment to thank the women and men who have sacrificed to make this country the place it is today.

If you want to physically show up and show your support, there are several commemorations throughout Johnson County. I could not find a link to a good listing, but I am certain the local media will fill us in as the day gets closer.

*Graduation
Congratulations to all our graduating seniors! Commencement has already taken place at the UI and Kirkwood, and the local high schools are graduating as we speak.

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.

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!

*Solon Firefighters Pancake Breakfast
The Solon Fire Department is holding its 50th (yes, 50th!) annual pancake breakfast on Sunday, May 29 from 6AM to 12:30PM at the fire station.

Volunteer fire departments run on shoestring budgets. They count on fundraisers like this. Please do what you can!

*North Liberty Blues & BBQ
North Liberty is holding the annual Blues and BBQ celebration Sunday, May 29 from noon-10 PM at Liberty Centre Park.

This gets better every year! This year’s acts include 2 of Iowa’s very best - Kevin Burt and the Instigators and Bob Dorr and the Blue Band! There will be lots of food vendors, including BBQ competitors. Add in games and rides for the children, and you have a great event!

For more information, see: http://www.northlibertyiowa.org/bluesandbbq/

*Kent Park Beach
THE F.W. KENT PARK BEACH WILL OPEN FOR THE SEASON ON SATURDAY, MAY 28. DAILY HOURS ARE 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM.

NO LIFEGUARDS ARE PROVIDED, SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK, SWIM ONLY AT DESIGNATED BEACH, NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED ON BEACH. CANS BOTTLES AND FOOD ITEMS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE BEACH AREA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE JOHNSON COUNTY CONSERVATION BOARD AT 319-645-2315.

*DID YOU KNOW? 47% of all American adults use a mobile device to access local news. (Source: Pewinternet.org.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

5-17-11

2011-06-25T12:34:00.002-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 5/17/11

In this edition:

*Hills School
*Update on Property Tax Bill

*Hills School
The ICCSD Board is concerned because Hills Elementary School is very low in enrollment.

Let’s cut the crap. The ICCSD created this problem. To pretend they are shocked! shocked! that enrollment is down there is absurd. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy, perpetuated at the expense of a mostly voiceless group of families.

The whole thing makes me so angry that I need to move on to other, less ire-inducing topics. Such as the State budget!!!

*Update on Property Tax Bill
The Legislature is considering property tax changes that may significantly affect residential taxpayers and local governments. This is important stuff – more important than anything I can write!

The following piece is the best analysis I have seen. It is borrowed in whole from my friends at the Iowa Policy project. I made a few edits for length; you can find this and much more at their website: http://www.iowapolicyproject.org.

House File 691 would reduce commercial property tax assessments by 40 percent over five years — an unnecessary cut in our already low-tax state. Reducing commercial property taxes would further shift local funding of cities, schools and counties to residential property taxpayers. In addition to reducing commercial property taxes, the bill severely limits the ability of local governments to meet the needs of their citizens.

Iowa’s Business Taxes Already Low

When one considers the whole range of state and local taxes that fall on businesses, Iowa is a low-tax state. In a report on overall taxes, including property taxes, paid by businesses, the nationally recognized accounting firm of Ernst and Young recently showed that only 15 states taxed businesses at a lower rate than Iowa as a percent of private-sector GDP.

Commercial Property Tax Break Will Spur Little or No Growth

A state or local government’s tax rate — be it corporate income or commercial property or the combination of all taxes on business — is a tiny portion of a business’ overall costs. Taken together, state and local taxes on business are, on average, only about 1.8 percent of total business costs. The commercial property tax by itself would be an even tinier fraction of a business’ overall costs. Furthermore, cities already routinely use Iowa’s TIF law to provide generous rebates of property taxes on new commercial and industrial buildings. The notion that cutting commercial property taxes further by reducing assessments will bring in new economic activity and new revenue is a pipe dream.

Bill Would Shift Taxes from Business to Residential

The bill mandates a 40 percent reduction in commercial and industrial property assessments, phased in over five years. At the same time, the annual growth in taxable residential and agricultural property value allowable under the rollback formula would be reduced from four percent to two percent. The net effect is still a sizeable shift in taxes from commercial and industrial to residential property. HF691 would substantially magnify the shift from commercial to residential: The commercial share would drop all the way to 20 percent while the residential share rises to 54 percent. The bill does express a “legislative intent” to partially reimburse localities for the loss in revenue due to the new assessment limitations on commercial property. But there is no guarantee that even the partial reimbursement will continue. If past practice is a guide, it will not.

Limitations on Local Governments

In addition to slashing business property taxes, HF691 limits the amount of property tax revenue city and county governments may raise to support public services, in exchange for eliminating the cap on property tax rates. Revenue growth would be limited to inflation plus new property valuation.

This limitation is problematic for a number of reasons. First, inflation will be measured by the consumer price index (CPI). The CPI tends to underestimate inflation for costs affecting government. State and local government budgets are largely driven by personnel costs, and the cost to of hiring workers has steadily increased as insurance costs have increased at a pace faster than inflation. Between 2000 and 2010, the consumer price index increased by over 26 percent; the state and local governments price index increased by more than 44 percent over the same period. Over time the revenue limitation would force substantial cuts in local government services because revenues would not be allowed to increase as fast as costs, a problem aggravated by the bill’s limitation on the inflation factor to four percent regardless of actual inflation. Since 2000, the state and local government price index increased by more than 4 percent from year to year six times.

The formula may force further service cutbacks and employee layoffs through another provision. Most local services are services to people, and it is population growth that necessitates expansion of services and increases in local budgets. The formula does not allow for revenue to grow along with population, but instead allows it to grow only with construction of new taxable property. This provision puts additional pressure on local governments to engage in unfair “fiscal zoning” practices to exclude properties that tend to bring in families with children and with below-average valuation, and encourage only high value property that brings with it few people and few additional demands on services. The alternative is to cut services because revenues can’t keep up with the needs of a growing population.

A bill as complex and far-reaching as HF691 demands further analysis and discussion than the General Assembly has given it. Changes of this magnitude deserve — and Iowans should demand — far more study than they have received.

*DID YOU KNOW? 84% of all American adults own a cell phone, and only 33% use it strictly for making phone calls. (Source: Pewinternet.org.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

5-10-11

2011-06-25T12:34:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 5/10/11

In this edition:

*Amish Farm Tour
*Bike To Work Week
*IC Farmer’s Market
*County Historic Preservation
*IC Historic Preservation
*Social Security Stats
*Hickory Hill Plant Sale
*Did You Know?

*Amish Farm Tour
The Board recently had a very enjoyable tour of southern Johnson County, including Farmer’s All Natural Creamery, Yoder Auction House, and several Amish farms.

The tour was not just for fun, however – Amish farmers are struggling with a couple of Johnson County ordinances, and would like to see some things change.

One of the most important ordinances we have on the books is the definition of a farm. In Johnson County, a farm is a parcel of over 40 acres used for agriculture. A farm of greater than 40 acres may only have two houses on it.

This causes problems for some of our Amish friends. Many Amish families have 6, 8, and even 10 children. Given the current land prices, it is very difficult for an eldest son to afford the 40 acres he needs to begin farming on his own. A father may be able to sell 40 acres to one son, but certainly cannot do it for a second, third, or fourth. This forces many young Amish to leave our area and begin new Amish communities, such as the one near Drakesville in Davis County.

Some of the Amish feel that the 40-acre rule penalizes them. Using “typical” methods of farming, it would be very difficult for a “farmer” to earn a living off 40 acres. This is not the case for the Amish, who have an abundance of labor. There are Amish families earning nearly six figures off as little as ten acres. (That six figures must support a huge multi-generational family, of course!)

So why not just allow Amish farmers to farm less acres? It is not that simple. If we allow it for one group, we need to allow it for all groups. My biggest fear is that we begin creating a bunch of ten-acre lots, and we end up with a bunch of McMansions with chemical lawns sitting atop our prime farmland.

I shared this concern with the Amish men, and they understood completely. My biggest fear is their biggest fear. I think there are a few other rules we can tinker with that may assist small farmers. Meanwhile, I believe we should proceed with caution before we change our definition of a farm.

*Bike To Work Week
Bike to Work Week is May 15 – 21, 2011. Once again, our flagship event will be the “New Pi to New Pi” ride on Wednesday, May 18th. The ride leaves from Chauncey Swan park in Iowa City and ends at the New Pioneer Coop in Coralville, where New Pioneer hosts a dinner and music.

Bike to Work Week is pleased to be affiliated this year with the new website www.thinkbicycles.org , a web site dedicated to promoting bicycle culture and healthy living in Johnson County.

Bike to Work Week Events:
Monday, May 16: Bike to Work Week Breakfast Kick Off
30th Century Bicycles, 310 E Prentiss St.
7:30 to 9:30am. Food by Red Avocado, coffee by Wake Up Iowa City. Free as usual. Door prizes.

Bike/Bus/Car Race, sponsored by the MPO of Johnson County, beginning at 11:33 a.m. at the Coralville Public Library and ending at the Iowa City Public Library.

Tuesday, May 17: Ride through virtual “Bike Town” Free tour of the Hank Virtual Environments Lab, an immersive/interactive bicycling simulator. Includes presentation of local research on child and adult cyclists crossing intersections and tour participants will be given the opportunity to ride the bike through the virtual “Bike Town.” Tour starts at noon, Room 311 MacLean Hall.

Wednesday, May 18: Old Pi to New Pi Ride sponsored by New Pioneer Coop, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Chauncey Swan Park in Iowa City and ending at New Pioneer Co-op in Coralville. Live music, food, and door prizes will be offered. No preregistration is required.

Friday, May 20: End of Week Celebration featuring the Heels & Wheels Fashion Show hosted by the Johnson County Trails Foundation, as well as live music and prizes. Activities begin at 5pm, at the Hawkeye Hideaway. See you there!

Art Show: “bicycle generator installation” at Public Space One, 129 E Washington.

May 16-May 20: The Broken Spoke is sponsoring a raffle for a Kona Ute.

*IC Farmer’s Market
Keeping with tradition, the Iowa City Farmer’s Market began its 39th season on Wednesday, May 4. Please come visit the many vendors each week as they sell their home grown, homemade products fresh to you twice a week during the months of May through October. Also, enjoy musicians as they play live music in Chauncey Swan Park on Wednesdays from 5-7 pm and Saturdays from 9-11 am, June through August.

While the downtown Iowa City market is the largest and best known, there are several other markets in Johnson County; for a complete list, see the website of the Johnson County Local Food Alliance at: http://jclfa.org/Buy%20Fresh%20Buy%20Local.htm#markets

Farmer’s Markets - a sure sign that summer is on the way!

*County Historic Preservation
Johnson County has openings on the Historic Preservation Committee. This committee has a great deal of potential to do many cool things… we just need a couple new bodies. Please consider applying!

*IC Friends of Historic Preservation
Speaking of Historic Preservation, the Iowa City Friends of Historic Preservation is holding a Parade of Historic Homes on Sunday, May 15.

The tour includes Plum Grove, home of Governor Robert Lucas, as well as a look at a few of the Moffit homes. (Those cool, funky little houses that utilize stone in interesting ways? Moffit houses!)

For more info, see http://www.ic-fhp.org/new/index.html

*Social Security Stats
Some interesting statistics on Social Security in Iowa:

Social Security Beneficiaries in Iowa: 574,315

Retirees: 388,139

Widow(er)s: 52,462

Disabled Workers: 68,425

33.6% of non-government workers aged 55-64 are without workplace retirement benefits.

Please allow me to take this opportunity to remind you that Social Security – one of the most successful programs in human history – has NEVER added ONE CENT to the federal deficit.

Social Security is in good shape for at least the next 25 years, and with minor adjustments, will be set for a couple generations.

*Hickory Hill Plant Sale
Friends of Hickory Hill is holding its annual Spring Plant Sale May 13 (4-7 PM), May 14 (10-4), May 20 (4-7) and May 21 (10-4). The sale will be held at 1167 E. Jefferson in Iowa City.

All proceeds from the sale benefit FHHP projects within the park. See www.hickoryhillpark.org for more information.

*DID YOU KNOW? SEATS set an all-time record with 10,326 trips in March of 2011.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

5-3-11

2011-05-05T07:27:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 5/3/11

In this edition:

*Mother’s Day
*League of Women Voters Legislative Forum
*Water Trail Grand Opening
*319 Music Fest
*MYEP
*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
*Project Green Plant Sale
*Did You Know?

*Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday, May 8. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, especially my own mom, Susan Sullivan Smith and my wonderful wife, Melissa Fath. I love you both!

*League of Women Voters Legislative Forum
The final Legislative forum of the session is this Saturday from 1-3 PM at Harvat Hall.

I always appreciate the League for arranging these opportunities for the public to hear from (and question) their legislators. (In the interest of full disclosure, I am a dues-paying member of the League.)

This forum is of particular interest, because Representative Jeff Kauffman (R-Wilton) and Senator Sandy Greiner (R-Keota) are expected to attend.

This is noteworthy only because neither has ever attended a Johnson County League forum, to the best of my knowledge. Kauffman has served since January 2005, meaning he has had about 28 opportunities to attend League forums. Greiner has served in the House and Senate since 1993, meaning she has had roughly 68 opportunities to attend League forums.

So, we will give them a break, be overly generous, and say perhaps they have each been to three League forums over the course of their careers. Don’t the people of Johnson County deserve better than 11% (Kauffman) and 4% (Greiner) attendance?

I know what you are thinking. Perhaps they have other commitments closer to home. Well, Rep. Kauffman attends the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce forums immediately before the League forums, directly across the street!

Representative Kauffman is on record as saying he would not attend League forums because he could not get a fair hearing there. Frankly, I find that insulting to both the League and the people of Johnson County. I have been attending League forums for 20 years, give or take. Every legislator is given the same opportunity to speak and to respond to questions. Kauffman’s claims are not only patently false, but offensive.

Could these decisions to show up in Iowa City have anything to do with the new legislative maps? The redistricting process left Rep. Kauffman with a large chunk of Johnson County, including the city of Solon and Big Grove, Newport, Graham, and Cedar Townships. These precincts have many more residents and lean much more heavily Democratic than the two Johnson County townships (Scott and Lincoln) he currently represents.

Similarly, the new map left Sen. Greiner representing a huge L-shaped piece of Johnson County, including Swisher, Shueyville, North Liberty, Oxford, Tiffin, Lone Tree, and several rural precincts. This area is much more populous and more Democratic than her current District of far southern Johnson County.

Interestingly, Greiner was the only Senator from either party to vote against the map; Kauffman was one of only 7 Representatives to do so. Could there be any coincidence?

Look, I understand what it is like to represent people with whom I disagree. There are lots of Johnson County residents who disagree with me, and they tell me so. That does not prevent me from attending public forums or functions. You are elected to represent EVERYONE in your District, not just the Chamber of Commerce in your District!

Hiding from the people you represent is no way to serve them. I hope the appearances of Rep. Kauffman and Sen. Greiner are not a transparent political move, but an actual commitment to good government.

*Water Trail Grand Opening
Join us on May 7 for a float trip, lunch and dedication ceremony as the Iowa River Water Trail partners dedicate, celebrate and designate Iowa's newest water trail!

Saturday, May 7, 2011 (alternate date in case of unsafe conditions: August 6, 2011)

Schedule of Events
8:00 - 11:30 Early Bird paddle, Sturgis Ferry Park to Hills Access
11:30 -12:30 Dedication Ceremony & Lunch at Hills Access
12:30 - 3:30 Afternoon paddle, Hills Access to River Junction Access
Join the trip for the morning, afternoon or all day.

Beginners and experienced paddlers are all encouraged to participate. The trip will be led by naturalists from Louisa and Johnson County Conservation Boards. And for added safety we've even got a motorized "sag wagon."

If you will have your own boat, shuttle and lunch, you do not have to register. However, all proceeds from the registration fee will go toward the management and improvements for the water trail so your support is appreciated!

Fee: $25/person donation includes lunch, water bottle refill station, shuttle service and canoe/kayak rental (or provide your own).
Registration: see http://iowariverwatertrail.com

NOTE: Canoe & kayak rentals are limited so register early! Extras will not be available for walk-ins.

*MYEP Youth Festival
The annual MYEP Youth Festival is Saturday, May 7 from 11-2. Norm Parker, the Defensive Coordinator from the University of Iowa Football team is the Honorary Chairperson.

The Youth Festival is MYEP’s main fundraising event, and will feature food provided by the Iowa River Power Restaurant and performances by local musicians including the Spot Kids’ Choir, the Little Hawk Singers, Jeffrey Morgan and friends, Greg and Susan Dirk, and Kevin Burt.

There are also silent auction items donated by local businesses including a trip for two to Las Vegas donated by Allegiant Airlines with a weekend stay at the Mirage Hotel.

*319 Music Fest
Taking place at Wetherby Park in Iowa City on Saturday, May 7th, from 1 until 7, the “319 Music Festival” is being organized by a team of AmeriCorps VISTAs and other volunteers who wish to focus on bringing people in the community together while regenerating the reputation of SE Iowa City.

319 features local artists Dave Zollo, Idris Goodwin, Kevin ‘BF’ Burt, Agri Cultor, Midwest Quality, Saul Lubaroff & Quartet, and Rae & the Honeybees. And every show is FREE!

There will be games and activities for the children while vendors and food will be provided for the adults.

*Arc Awards
The Arc of SE Iowa is holding its 54th Annual Awards Ceremony May 10 @ 6 pm @ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. Tickets are $15 and available at the door.

*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding a Hall of Fame awards ceremony on Saturday, May 7 at 7 PM at the Marriott in Coralville.

Honorees are Ralph & Arlene Neuzil, Jae Retz & Roberta Till-Retz, and Dick & Doris Myers.

Tickets to this event are $25; for more info, please send me an E-mail!

*Project Green Plant Sale
Project Green is holding its annual plant sale on Saturday, May 7 from 9-11:30 at Carver Hawkeye Arena. All money raised supports the wonderful beautification through horticulture projects of the Project Green members.

*DID YOU KNOW? The top three vote totals in Johnson County history all came in 2008 – Tom Harkin: 52,741; Barack Obama: 51,027; Lonny Pulkrabek: 50,922.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

4-26-11

2011-04-23T14:23:00.000-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 4/26/11

In this edition:

*May Day
*Congressman Loebsack
*Take Back the Night
*Democratic Party Hall of Fame Event
*Other Weekend Events
*Did You Know?

*May Day
I celebrate May Day. You should, too! May Day continues to be a worldwide worker’s holiday; it used to be celebrated in the US, too, until McCarthyism. So feel free – celebrate May Day!

*Congressman Loebsack
As you may have heard, Iowa’s Second District US Congressman Dave Loebsack plans to move to Johnson County in an attempt to continue to represent SE Iowa in the US House of Representatives.

I wholeheartedly support Congressman Loebsack, and it goes well beyond party politics. Please allow me to explain:

First and foremost, and in the spirit of full disclosure, I have considered Dave a friend since the mid-90s. I was fairly heavily involved in the Johnson County Democratic Party at the time, and Loebsack was frequently in attendance at our meetings and events. I will admit, at first I wasn’t sure what to think of someone who gets that involved in a neighboring county. When I asked, it became clear – as a professor, he was always interested in observing and learning. From that day forward, I always smiled at his enthusiasm. The guy enjoys politics!

Dave and I got to know each other well during the 1998 Osterberg for Senate campaign. I volunteered several days each week, while Loebsack took time away from teaching to run the campaign. We made a lot of phone calls, stuffed a lot of envelopes, and got to know each other much better. We have lots of mutual friends, we are both in AFT716, and we both love to visit Sutliff.

OK. All that is personal, and we all have personal friends who would not make good Members of Congress. So let’s discuss Dave’s record. Do we agree on everything? Of course not. But Dave and his staff are willing to listen to our points of view.

I think the best recommendation of our Congressman is his hard work on the Armed Services Committee. Congressman Loebsack has won awards for his dedication to veteran’s issues. Every veteran’s group gives him a 100% rating. He has completely won over hard core Republicans who care about this issue; they recognize his efforts.

Does Dave care about veterans? Of course. But you would get the same results if it were education, labor, health care, agriculture, or any other topic. That is because Dave WORKS. The guy is a tireless worker, and he will pursue an issue with a doggedness that would amaze you! I have seen it, and it is real!

Another example of Dave’s work is the aftermath of the flood. In addition to getting things done in DC, Dave worked shoulder to shoulder with our local victims. I must share a story that says it all:

I spent a few days sandbagging at Thatcher Mobile Home Court in Iowa City. This location was not high profile like the UI buildings; it is a location full of poor and working class people. They were not flush with money nor volunteers. So, who showed up and joined us sandbagging? Dave.

You should have heard the residents of Thatcher as word spread throughout the workers. “Our Congressman is here? And he’s actually working?” “You mean here’s here, even though there are no cameras?” It is safe to say that those folks all gained an appreciation for Dave’s genuineness that day.

Most politicians were born with silver spoons in their mouths. Not Dave. Congressman Loebsack grew up in poverty, the son of a single mother who struggled with mental illness. Every Democrat claims to support the “least among us”, but few actually know what it is like. I can guarantee you that Dave will NEVER vote against Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and the like. Those programs kept his family afloat when he was a kid, and he has not forgotten his roots.

Interestingly, many politicians are also born with POLITICAL silver spoons in their mouths. A remarkable number of Governors, Senators, and Representatives are the daughters and sons of political movers and shakers. Not Dave. You just read his background above.

Look, I know a lot of people are jealous of Dave. Every one of them had the opportunity to run in 2006. Loebsack was no big name. Dave won the nomination by default. Any big shot could have had the nomination. I am certain that many people out there regret the fact that they chose not to run, but hindsight is 20/20. Dave had the courage, and Dave won.

I could write more, but you get the idea. I wholeheartedly support Congressman Dave Loebsack as he runs for reelection to the US House of Representatives.

*Take Back the Night
April 28 at 7 PM is the annual Take Back the Night event. Join us for an empowering march supporting survivors and symbolically making the night safer. Meet at 7pm on the UI Pentacrest lawn.

This event, part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, is co-sponsored by the Women’s Resource and Action Center and RVAP.

*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding a Hall of Fame awards ceremony on Saturday, May 7 at 7 PM at the Marriott in Coralville.

Honorees are Ralph & Arlene Neuzil, Jae Retz & Roberta Till-Retz, and Dick & Doris Myers.

Tickets to this event are $25; for more info, please send me an E-mail!

*Other Weekend Events
There is a very busy weekend ahead in Johnson County… the NAMI Walk and ACLU Banquet are two usual stops for me. Unfortunately, I will not be at either one, as my daughter Jordan is running at the Drake Relays. That is Johnson County for you – more cool things to attend than you can possibly grace with your presence!

*DID YOU KNOW? Lost in the huge census gains of some other Johnson County cities was the solid growth of Lone Tree. Lone Tree grew 141 people (12.2%) from 1159 to 1300.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

4-19-11

2011-04-16T11:30:00.000-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 4/19/11

In this edition:

*Senators Bought and Sold
*Obama Reelection Campaign
*Clothesline Project
*Johnson County Women in Agriculture
*Ag Extension Building
*NL Food Pantry
*Kent Park
*Happy Passover
*Did You Know?

*Senators Bought and Sold
SF252 was a piece of legislation designed to give much-needed additional protections to residents of mobile home parks.

Unfortunately, Senators Wally Horn of Cedar Rapids, Swati Dandekar of Marion, and Dennis Black of Grinnell scuttled this important piece of legislation. (Senator Dandekar was mysteriously absent for the vote. Senators Horn and Black voted no.)

When asked, Senator Horn said it was “not an issue for people in my District.” First, Horn is incorrect. There are hundreds of residents of mobile homes in Horn’s District. They deserve the same protections as other citizens. Secondly, consider Senator Horn’s logic. Many Senators had no flooding in their Districts; should these Senators spite Eastern Iowa because flooding was “not an issue for people in their District”?

Perhaps we should follow the money. Senator Dandekar received $250 from the Iowa Manufactured Home Association in 2008, and $500 in 2009. Senator Horn received $500 in 2010. Senator Black received $250 in 2006, $500 in 2008, and $250 in 2010. There may be more donations of this sort; this list was the result of quick research.

The issue is black and white – support poor and middle class Iowans, or support a few millionaire donors. The question is really quite simple: Whose side is your Senator on? The answer, unfortunately for many Eastern Iowans, is the wrong side.

Thanks to the many courageous members of the Iowa Senate who stood up for mobile home residents. Shame on those who did not.

*Obama Reelection Campaign
To the surprise of no one, President Obama has announced his reelection campaign. The new battle cry is “I’m in”.

As many of you know, I was an early Obama supporter in 2007. I worked extremely hard, and frankly, I think I made a difference.

So am I in? Not yet. Not until the power-brokers are shown the door, and I am assured that the middle class and poor are truly represented.

Some like to claim Obama is a Muslim (as if that were a bad thing). His campaign responds that he is a Christian. Frankly, I’d say he is not living up to either religion, both of which speak at great length about caring for the sick and poor.

We need to end all three wars. We need to reclaim the moral high ground as it relates to Gitmo, torture, rendition, etc. We need to REALLY regulate Wall Street. We need to REALLY regulate oil drilling. We need a real commitment to LGBT equality. We need a real commitment to Social Security.

Hey, I know that these things are not easy to accomplish. And I know some very good things HAVE been accomplished. I like President Obama, and I respect President Obama. But my vote is precious. I do not just give it away. It must be earned.

Do I owe Obama? Hell no! He doesn’t owe me anything, either. But he does owe something to the poor and middle class. To those who much is given, much is expected. If Obama cannot represent the people, he should step aside.

Yes, the President gave an excellent speech last Wednesday. He spoke eloquently about the need to repeal the Bush tax cuts, the need to support governmental regulation, and the importance of Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. And you know what? I’ve heard it ALL before. It is time to show me real results.

So am I in? Not yet. Not until the money-changers leave the temple, and I am assured that the middle class and poor are truly represented. Then we can talk.

*Clothesline Project
The internationally renowned Clothesline Project will be in Iowa City on April 26 from 10 am-3 pm. View a display of t-shirts created by sexual assault and domestic violence survivors on the UI Pentacrest lawn.

This event, part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, is co-sponsored by the Epidemiology Student Association, the American Medical Women’s Association and RVAP.

*Johnson County Women in Agriculture
Women have always played an integral role on the farm, although it was often behind the scenes. Join the Johnson County Historical Society for a panel discussion on the life of a woman on the farm through the eyes of women who lived it.

The discussion is April 28 at 7 PM at the Johnson County Historical Society. Joining the panel will be several Johnson County women who lived and worked on the farm in the 20th century.

Admission is free, and no reservations are necessary. To top it all off in true farm fashion, pie will be served! Call 351-5738 for more info.

*Ag Extension Building
The Johnson County Extension Office will soon be moving into their new building at the Johnson County Fairgrounds. Meanwhile, they are looking to rent their former offices (also at the Fairgrounds).

The building is 4500 square feet, with lots of parking. Extension would prefer a nonprofit tenant, but is open to offers. If you are interested in learning more, contact Extension at 337-5865.

*NL Food Pantry
The North Liberty Food Pantry is undertaking an aggressive fundraising campaign to build a new facility. They hope to raise $250,000 to build a 2400 square foot space that will better serve their clientele. (The current location doesn’t even have a restroom!)

If you are not aware of the NL Food Pantry’s work, you may be surprised. In 2010, the Pantry averaged between 400 and 500 visits per month. Over 136,000 pounds of food were distributed, along with 7000 pieces of clothing. More than 100 volunteers provided 4000 hours of service in 2010.

As the statistics demonstrate, North Liberty is not a small town. There are great needs in the community, along with great volunteerism. If you would like to help financially or otherwise, they would love to hear from you!

For more info, call Tina at 626-2711, or visit www.nlmethodist.org/pantry.

*Kent Park
The F.W. Kent Park Campground opens for the season on Friday, April 29. Daily fees for electric sites are $15.00; non-electric sites are $10.00. Kent Park is located 12 miles west of Iowa City on Highway 6.

*Happy Passover
Happy Passover to my Semitic friends!

*DID YOU KNOW? Lost in the huge census gains of some other Johnson County cities was the solid growth of Oxford. Oxford grew 102 people (14.5%) from 703 to 805.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

4-12-11

2011-04-09T20:12:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 4/12/11

In this edition:

*Taxpayers Deserve Better!
*Tax Day
*Your Favorite Books
*Hospice Walk for Dignity
*Did You Know?

*Taxpayers Deserve Better!
The recent battle between Governor Branstad and CR Mayor Ron Corbett strikes home with me. Consider me strongly in Mayor Corbett’s camp!

I happen to believe that current state bidding laws unduly tie the hands of local governments. Our current laws give us a worse product, at a higher cost, built by outsiders! Taxpayers deserve better!

Unfortunately, we have our own local example. Tricon, Inc. from Dubuque was the low bidder on our Health and Human Services Building. While our new building is definitely an improvement over the spaces we were previously renting, there are several things that have not gone well.

Tricon has basically walked away from Johnson County, even though several things remain undone. (Johnson County is still holding a sizable final payment as a type of retainer.) Some subcontractors were shady; others are owed money. Tricon is still required to pave a parking lot that remains undone. All of the doors in the building needed to be redone; several are still problematic. The drywall was not done well, and had to be redone. Now, cracks are beginning to show in some areas. The HVAC system has not worked as advertised.

Obviously, none of these problems is life or death. All in all, we have an acceptable building. But it is NOT what we asked for, NOT what we were promised, and NOT what we paid for. Doesn’t it seem as though we ought to have some recourse?

I believe state law needs to offer more local control. Local governments should be able to give preference to local workers. Local governments deserve a better legal means for getting damages from a contractor who simply does not fulfill a contract. Local governments should be free to pay a bit extra for better quality work.

Local taxpayers deserve better. Please ask your State Legislators to allow greater local control in building projects.

*Tax Day
April 15th marks “Tax Day” in the US. There will undoubtedly be tax protests that day. I hope you will join me in acknowledging all the good things that happen because we pay taxes.

Look – each of us has several things in the federal budget we would cut. Each of us has several things in the federal budget we would increase. We need to continue having those discussions.

Personally, I am not going to allow those differences of opinion to sour my feelings toward the US. We live in a GREAT country! That greatness is in part due to the important things that have been accomplished by our government. Tax Day is not a day to protest – it is a day to celebrate!

*Your Favorite Books
Last week in Salvos, I asked about your favorite books. Well, the responses are in, and I am amazed! Dozens of Salvos readers took the time to share their favorites. The response was too great to mention every book, but here are a few highlights:

Della McGrath wrote a great deal about her Pilot Club Book Club, which has been reading a book per month for several years. Della has the complete list! She recommended about a dozen books, and offered fairly detailed critiques! Della, you are an overachiever!

Sheriff Pulkrabek’s favorite book is a mystery by retired Iowa Deputy Sheriff Donald Harstad titled "Eleven Days". It even mentions coming to Iowa City and Johnson County during an investigation.

Sticking with the local theme, noted Iowa City author Larry Baker joked that he could not decide which of his books was his all time favorite. On a more serious note, Larry recommends Andrew Sean Greer's “Path of Minor Planets”.

It was not long until Larry’s name came up again. Another Salvos reader listed Baker’s “The Flamingo Rising” as her favorite book ever. Interestingly, Larry has been working on a fascinating documentary film that traces the writing of his recent novel, “A Good Man”. Check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOYvVr6TGUE

Dr. Maureen McCue has varied tastes: “Life of Pi” and “Middlesex’. I loved her selections of children's lit – “Charlotte's Web” for little ones, and for preteens the Madeleine L’Engle works.

Non-fiction got a few mentions, too – my pal Jenny Britton recommends “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” by Anne Fadiman.

There were too many other books to possibly mention here. Sincere thanks to everyone who took the time to respond. Very worthy of a City of Literature!

*Hospice Walk For Dignity
The Hospice Walk for Dignity is Sunday, April 17 at 1:00 pm at Willow Creek Park in Iowa City.

Join the family of John and Erma Alberhasky, this year’s Honorary Family, to celebrate the lives and honor the memories of loved ones, and show support for Iowa City Hospice.

Our goal: The MOST SUCCESSFUL WALK YET! Let's break all records--1,300 walkers and $130,000 raised! 

Visit http://www.IowaCityHospice.org/calendar/Walk.html or contact Judy Frits, at 688-4213 or judy.frits@iowacityhospice.org for more information.

*DID YOU KNOW? The impressive 17% growth posted by Johnson County between 2000-2010 is actually a very similar percentage to the growth between 1990-2000, 1980-1990, and 1970-1980.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

4-5-11

2011-04-02T19:34:00.000-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 4/5/11

In this edition:

*Happy Birthday, Jordan!
*Play Ball!
*Pancake Day
*Energy Usage
*Iowa Taxes Are Low!
*Your Favorite Book?
*Did You Know?

*Happy Birthday, Jordan!
Happy 17th birthday to my daughter Jordan. Jordan is a smart, beautiful, tough, resilient, responsible young lady with a good head on her shoulders. She has grown into a wonderful young lady, and I am awfully proud of her!

Happy birthday, Jordan! I love you!

*Play Ball!
Opening Day is upon us! Spring has arrived, and hope springs eternal. Yes, I am one of those folks who romanticize baseball!

*Pancake Day
Supporters of athletics at West & City Highs: Pancake Day is Saturday, April 9 from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM at West High School. Tickets are $5 each, with children 5 and under free. This is the second biggest fundraiser for athletics in the ICCSD. Please show your support!

*Energy Usage
I attended an interesting session on the environment recently, and the following statistics really stuck with me.

The total energy used in the world breaks down something like this: Oil 40%, Coal 23%, Natural Gas 21%, Nuclear 6%, Hydro 4%, Wind 2%, Solar 2%, Wood 2%.

There is so much here that is amazing! First, I was surprised to see oil so far ahead of coal. This really illustrates the amount of energy that goes into moving people and goods.

I was also surprised to see how much natural gas is used. This reflects the recent increases in the US, but is primarily a result of the huge usage in Russia, China, India, and the rest of Asia.

The most shocking and disappointing fact is that wind and solar – which are zero carbon and quickly renewable – are used in the same amounts as wood! Wood, for cryin’ out loud! Worldwide, we have a LONG way to go if we hope to reach any type of sustainability!

Iowa Taxes Are Low!
Iowa state and local taxes rank below the national average, Census data show.

Peter Fisher, research director of the Iowa Policy Project, said the findings confirm trends that have been building for several years. "We often note Iowa is in the middle of the pack on taxes, contrary to the claims of those who want to keep cutting taxes further. Iowa state and local taxes actually are below the national average for states and Iowa ranks in the bottom half of states,“ Fisher said.

Fisher said the best way to compare tax levels between states is to measure taxes collected as a percentage of personal income. On that measure, the study notes, total state and local taxes in Iowa in Fiscal Year 2008 (latest data available) were 10.4 percent of income — half a point below the national average — ranking Iowa 26th among all states. In the region, the report found all but two states had taxes higher than Iowa, with Wisconsin topping the nine-state region at 11.6 percent, followed by Minnesota (11.1), Kansas (10.9), Nebraska (10.7), Illinois (10.6) and Indiana (10.5). Iowa was next at 10.4 percent, followed by Missouri (9.3) and South Dakota (8.1).  

 The Iowa Fiscal Partnership is a joint public policy analysis initiative of two Iowa-based, nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations: The Iowa Policy Project in Iowa City and the Child & Family Policy Center in Des Moines. IFP reports are at www.iowafiscal.org.  

*Your Favorite Book?
I have had the privilege of serving on the Board of the UNESCO City Of Literature since its inception. One of the best parts of being on this Board is the opportunity to discuss what people enjoy reading.

The City of Literature designation is certainly due to the presence of the UI Writer’s Workshop and UI International Writing Program, but there are other factors that are less discussed but also important.

The fantastic libraries and booksellers we have are also a key component, as are the citizens who do all the reading. Our literate citizenry played a big part in the UNESCO designation.

So, citizens… I would like to run a short and decidedly unscientific poll of Salvos readers. What is your favorite book? If a few titles outpoll all the rest, I’ll let readers know.

Personally, I have to divide it into genres. I read a lot as a child. Add that to being a father of three and a foster parent, and I have to acknowledge children’s lit separately.

People who know me well know that I could be described as a softy, a hopeless romantic, a sap – choose your term. This side of me is demonstrated in my favorite children’s book – “I’ll Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch. I can hardly get through it without tearing up!

My favorite work of fiction is “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole. I love a book that makes you laugh out loud!

So – how about you, Salvos readers? What are your favorites?

*DID YOU KNOW? 58 Iowa counties have a tax rate higher than Johnson County’s $9.96 per thousand in valuation; 40 counties are lower.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

3-29-11

2011-03-26T09:49:00.001-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 3/29/11

In this edition:

*Social Security and the Deficit
*Most Admired
*Fair Vs. Equal
*Maps!
*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
*Did You Know?

*Social Security and the Deficit
I am tired of the hatchet job that is taking place on the Social Security program.

Social Security has never added ONE CENT to the federal deficit. It is completely self-sufficient, and always has been. This is an incontrovertible FACT!

Social Security is already set until 2034. Wealthier people only pay Social Security on the first $106,000 they earn. A tiny change, raising that $106,000 to say, $125,000, will make Social Security solvent for the next 50 or more years.

So, next time you hear pundits talking about balancing the federal budget and they mention “Social Security”, contact that show and call them on it! Every time you see a “journalist” sit there and let this go unquestioned, call them on it! Social Security has NO relationship to the federal deficit!

We know how this works. Repeat it over and over, and people begin to believe it, even though it is false. This is the same thing that happened with President Obama’s religion, Iraq’s ties to Bin Laden, and John Kerry’s military service. Do not allow that to happen to Social Security!

*Most Admired
Of all the many jobs out there, which do I admire most? Public school teachers. The school teachers edge out police, fire, and paramedics at the very top of my list.

Do those jobs ring a bell? Have you heard much about them lately? If you get the opportunity, tell a teacher you appreciate her/him. They have been under attack, and they deserve SO much better!

*Fair Vs. Equal
As a Supervisor, I often find myself concerned with trying to determine what is “fair”. I find that this searching leads to some interesting struggles between the concepts of fairness and equality.

In case you are thinking these two terms mean basically the same thing, you are incorrect!

A quick check of the dictionary gives us the following definitions: Fair: free from bias, dishonesty, or injustice. Equal: the same.

There are times where making things equal is being fair. There are other times where making things equal is unfair. Here are a few examples:

You can kill someone in self-defense, through vehicular homicide, or through premeditated murder. Our justice system has wisely chosen to treat these three instances differently. In each case, one person took the life of another. So we could claim that the perpetrators should be treated equally. To do so, however, would not be fair.

Imagine two employees who are both missing work. Employee A goes to the doctor and finds that she has leukemia, which explains why she has felt so poorly. She immediately begins treatment, meaning more missed work. Employee B continues to miss work with no explanation. To meet our definition of “fair”, we need to make sure there is no legitimate excuse for the poor attendance of Employee B. If there is no reason, Employee A will likely keep her job, while Employee B loses hers. They are not being treated equally, but they are being treated fairly.

Look at income taxes. Some wealthy people like Steve Forbes would try to make you believe that we should all pay the same in income taxes. That would be equal, but it certainly would not be fair! Why should someone earning $20,000 pay 5%, while someone earning $20,000,000 also pays 5%? This is hardly fair.

I spend a lot of time in my job trying to determine what is fair. It is not always easy. On some occasions, fair means equal. On other occasions, fair and equal mean very different things.

*Maps!
For political junkies like myself, March 31st is a big day! That is the day that Iowa’s Redistricting Commission releases the new Congressional and Legislative District maps.

As you know, Iowa is a model for our nonpartisan method of determining the districts. Because of this, there is always great drama – no Member of Congress or Legislator is safe!

This will be particularly true in 2011, as Iowa loses a Congressional seat. While the first map is unlikely to be the final map, the speculation begins in earnest on 3/31. Stay tuned for all the fun!

*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
Save the date! The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding a Hall of Fame awards ceremony on Saturday, May 7 at the Marriott in Coralville.

Honorees are Ralph & Arlene Neuzil, Jae Retz & Roberta Till-Retz, and Dick & Doris Myers.

Tickets to this event are $25; many sponsorship opportunities are available. For more info, please send me an E-mail!

*DID YOU KNOW? In 2010, Johnson County cities annexed 339 acres of county land. (207 of these acres are now the Terry Trueblood Recreation Area in Iowa City.) That is up from zero acres in 2009, and 45 acres in 2008.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

3-22-11

2011-03-19T15:12:00.000-05:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 3/22/11

In this edition:

*Tragedy in Japan
*Roads and the Public Benefit
*Road Embargoes
*ISAC
*Mission Creek Festival
*Sound of Friendship Concert
*Chamber Ag Series
*Did You Know?

*Tragedy in Japan
My thoughts and prayers to all the victims of the disasters in Japan. Please do what you can to help.

As for nuclear power… can we learn from this? I would like to think so, but I doubt it. Just look at oil production in the Gulf of Mexico – we are right back to doing the same old things, no lessons learned.

Oh, for some real leadership from our elected officials on this critical matter!

*Roads and the Public Benefit
Like every county, Johnson County faces a funding crisis as far as the Secondary Road system is concerned. Road Use Tax funds are down, and state and federal funding is drying up. The bill for long deferred maintenance is coming due.

We acknowledge that our needs outstrip our resources, and that things are getting worse. We claim to have no appetite for raising taxes. That leaves very few options – cutting services first among them.

If we are going to cut services, I propose cutting in places that affect the health, safety, and welfare of the lowest possible number of people. When I look at the Secondary Roads network, the thing that rises to the top of the “cut” list is Level B roads.

What is a Level B road, you ask? Basically, those are our dirt roads. Johnson County has about 950 miles of road, 50 of which are Level B. Level B roads receive minimum maintenance – this means a maximum of one pass with the blade in the spring, and another in the fall.

Perhaps even more importantly, Level B roads typically lack adequate right of way. Level A roads have at least 66 feet of right of way; Level B roads are often 40 feet or less. This significantly impacts our ability to upgrade the road in question.

I believe Johnson County needs to consider vacating several of these roads. Vacating is another term that requires definition. Vacation refers to vacating the county’s interest. In other words, the property reverts to the landowners. They may maintain it as a private lane, plant crops on it, let it go wild, or basically do anything they like.

We have some Level B roads that are very close to cities, and others that are very close to recreational areas. So there are a few instances in which maintaining them as Level Bs may make sense. But in most cases, my opinion is that roads should either be upgraded to Level A (gravel), or vacated.

When push comes to shove, there is little public benefit to maintaining these roads. They are basically private lanes maintained at public expense. I say it is time to slowly but surely get out of the Level B road business.

Unfortunately, vacating a road is not a popular political decision. Vacating a Level B road only affects 3-4 people, but those people show up at the meeting, and they are angry! So it is definitely easier to simply maintain the status quo.

The problem is, the status quo is not cutting it. We are falling farther and farther behind. At some point, someone is going to have to make a series of tough decisions. I suggest we start with Level Bs.

*Road Embargoes
Speaking of roads, Johnson County now has a few roads that are embargoed.

For a complete list, see the county website at www.johnson-county.com. The list is updated daily.

*ISAC
I will be joining several of my fellow Johnson County employees at the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) meetings in Des Moines Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

One prominent addition to this year’s ISAC Conference is the first official meeting of the ISAC Urban Caucus. This will allow the Supervisors from Iowa’s more populous counties to specifically address the issues unique to them. I will report on the success of this initiative.

*Mission Creek Festival
The Mission Creek Festival is March 28-April 4 in various locations throughout Iowa City.

Mission Creek Festival Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing fun artistic experiences in the Iowa City region. Our primary event is the five-day Mission Creek Festival, which takes place in downtown Iowa City every spring. The festival takes over the venues and downtown spaces of Iowa City creating an easily navigated nexus of live music, literary readings, and art events. There will be tons of bands, a lot of writers, and a host of other art happenings.

For the whole schedule of events, see: http://festival.missionfreak.com/index.html

*Sound of Friendship Concert
The 2011 Sound of Friendship Concert is 7 PM on Saturday, March 26 at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in University Heights. Tickets are $20 for music, desserts, and fun.

This concert is a fundraiser for Compeer, which matches people with mental illnesses with community volunteers. For more info, contact kfox@meimhc.org.

*Chamber Ag Series
Session 3 is March 25, and features GREEN ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE.

Panelists: Liz Christiansen, The University of Iowa Office of Sustainability; Steve Fugate, Iowa Renewable Energy Association (iRenew); Mike Ott, Iowa Biotechnology Association; and Sheila Samuelson, Bright Green Strategy.

For more info on the series, call the Chamber at 337-9637.

*DID YOU KNOW? In 2010, Johnson County only rezoned 11 acres from Agricultural to Residential.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

3-15-11

2011-03-12T13:32:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 3/15/11

In this edition:

*St. Patrick’s Day!
*Bob Sullivan
*Spring Break
*Sanctuary City
*War in Iraq
*A Good Joke! (Or is it?)
*Did You Know?

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

The tradition lives on… I almost always take St. Patrick’s Day off work. We have a Board meeting on March 17 this year, so I’ll be forced to put in a few hours this time.

Meanwhile, I hope each and every one of you is touched by a little luck o’ the Irish!

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

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

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

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

Happy birthday, Dad.

*Spring Break
Most Johnson County students are on Spring Break this week. I hope that those of you who are travelling have safe and enjoyable trips! Come back refreshed!

*Sanctuary City
I have followed Iowa City’s discussions on “Sanctuary City” status with interest. I understand the apprehension of councilors who think this could create problems; they are right to be concerned. Personally, I am even more concerned with the victimization our current laws create.

Think about it for a moment. A Mexican-owned business has a legal right to open up shop in Iowa City. If anyone attempted to stop them, national and international law would rush to their side. The right of the business to operate in the US MUST NOT be infringed!

Now, consider an actual human being of Mexican origin. She has no right to enter the US to work. As a matter of fact, if she tries, national and international law would rush to stop her. She has no rights.

The law favors corporations over people, capital over labor, and profits above all else. It would be nice to see government at any level put people ahead of money. This argument is simple and secular.

If you are a Christian, you should be glad the people on the Sanctuary City committee are reminding us of the teachings of Jesus. Greater worship of money is certainly not the answer.

*War in Iraq
I wish this edition of Salvos could be completely positive. Alas, there is a very unfortunate anniversary that needs to be acknowledged.

On March 19 we will have spent nine years of war in Iraq. What a travesty. How many lives have been ruined, and how much money has been wasted?

I have proudly displayed a “Support the Troops, End the War” sign since the start of the war. (It gets stolen periodically, but thanks to my friend Ed Flaherty, we always manage to get a replacement.)

When Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, etc. say that hindsight is 20/20? Well, I am an old Iowa farm boy. A basic schmuck. And I knew war with Iraq was wrong! So did millions of other Americans, including Barack Obama. I think that issue vaulted him to a win in the Iowa Caucuses, and ultimately the Presidency.

Problem is, President Obama has not done enough to remove American troops from Iraq. I say, get them ALL out, and get them out NOW. Then do the same thing in Afghanistan.

There is a local event to commemorate this unfortunate anniversary. The event begins on the Courthouse lawn. Music starts at 10:50 a.m., speakers & music until 11:30.

The group will then march to Iowa City Public Library for 3 scenes from Dreamwell Theatre's "Stuff Happens," a political (recent) history play exploring the often notorious events and decisions that led to the war in Iraq."

Sponsors: Veterans for Peace, Green Party of Johnson County,
PEACE Iowa, International Socialist Organization, Workers International League Eastern Iowa, Campaign for a Mass Party of Labor.

Meanwhile, my thoughts and prayers to all the people whose lives have been impacted by this pointless war.

*A Good Joke! (Or is it?)
A friend sent me this on Facebook a while ago. Since it has been on Facebook, the odds are good you have all seen it already. Still, I find it so simply poignant that it must be repeated here:

A CEO, a Tea Party activist, and a Union member sit down at a table. On the table are a dozen cookies. The CEO takes eleven cookies, turns to the Tea Partier, and says, "Watch that Union guy. He has his eye on your cookie!"

*DID YOU KNOW? In the US today, there are 33.7 million residents who claim Irish ancestry. This number is almost nine times the population of Ireland itself.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

3-8-11

2011-03-06T22:07:00.000-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 3/8/11

In this edition:

*Happy Mardis Gras!
*Income in Johnson County
*Income Tax Issues
*Night of 1,000 Dinners
*Did You Know?

*Happy Mardis Gras!
March 8 is Fat Tuesday, the 9th is Ash Wednesday, and Easter is 40 days away. Sounds like a reason to celebrate! Laissez les bons temps rouler!

*Income in Johnson County
As you may know, the United Way of Johnson County recently did a comprehensive Community Needs Assessment. While there is a lot of fascinating information in the study, one of the most interesting tidbits is the division of Johnson County households into income quintiles.

What does that mean? First, you take every person in Johnson County and divide them into households. A household can be a single adult, two roommates, or a family with two parents and 6 kids. The key is maintaining a separate household.

Then you take the households, and divide them into fifths based upon income. So you get the poorest 20%, the lower middle 20%, the middle 20%, the upper middle 20%, and the wealthiest 20%.

The numbers are as follows: The wealthiest 20% of households earn a mean of $171,000 annually. The next wealthiest 20% earns $82,000. The middle 20% earns $53,000. The lower middle 20% earns $31,000. Finally, the poorest 20% earns about $11,000.

So, let’s analyze the numbers. Obviously, the large number of students in Johnson County skews our lowest quintile down. But a person whose only income is Social Security often earns less than $11,000 per year. So this quintile includes some students, yes, but also many seniors and people with disabilities.

A fifth of the households average $31,000 in annual income. According to the United Way, a two adult, two child household needs to make $25/hour just to meet basic needs. (That could be one wage earner at $25/hour, or two at $12.50 each.)

Obviously, almost 40% of our residents are not making it! We need to reach the middle quintile, with an average income of $53,000, before families are living comfortably.

Keep this in mind when you hear people say we do not need affordable housing in this community. The statistics do not lie – we clearly have nearly 40% of our households who meet the definition of “housing burdened”.

Also keep this in mind when you hear people talking about being “middle class”. I frequently hear bankers, attorneys, and others talk about being “middle class”. They clearly are NOT middle class by Johnson County standards!

I am not middle class, either, for that matter. Melissa and I each make $50,000. Our household’s $100,000 income puts us in the second-wealthiest quintile. I imagine most Salvos readers are in the top two quintiles as well.

For the wealthiest 20%, the average income is $171,000 annually. That works out to over $80/hour. Not many union positions pay $80/hour.

Why do I bring this up? Because we are generally ignorant as to the facts on income distribution in our community. We are going to talk soon about income taxes. Who can and should pay? We are NOT all equal when it comes to finances. Clearly, a small portion of the public holds the vast majority of the wealth.

*Income Tax Issues
From the Iowa Fiscal Partnership: House File 194 provides a 20% cut in Iowa’s individual income tax rates. The issue is not just that the state of Iowa, recovering from a recession and major cuts to education and other public services, cannot afford such a tax cut and sustain essential public services — though that issue is very real. The Fiscal Note for HF194 puts the cost at $330 million for FY2012, $704.1 million for FY2013, $711.5 million for FY2014, and $750.6 million in FY2015. This comes when Iowans are told revenues are low.

The problem also is that such a tax cut is very much misdirected, taking Iowa tax policy further down the path of helping the wealthiest the most.

This is a trend building since the mid-1990s, starting with a 10 percent cut in income tax rates in 1997. Since then, Iowa lawmakers have passed more income-tax cuts, avoided equitable income-tax reform, and raised and encouraged local governments to raise sales and property taxes, which take a greater share of income of low-income and middle-income taxpayers than of high-income taxpayers.

HF194 provides yet another windfall for the wealthiest. According to an analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, the effect of the tax cut will average $18 for taxpayers in the lowest quintile of Iowa taxpayers (with incomes below $21,000) and $6,822 for taxpayers in the top 1 percent of Iowa taxpayers (with incomes of 358,000 or more).

While the bottom one-fifth of Iowa taxpayers see their overall taxes (sales, property and income combined) reduced by about 1.6 percent, the top 1 percent see their overall tax burden reduced by about 9.3 percent. Further, a disproportionate share of those in the top 1 percent of income are out-of-state tax filers who made profits in Iowa and they (and their home states) would be big beneficiaries of such cuts.

*Night of 1,000 Dinners
The Iowa United Nations Association (Iowa UNA) is holding its annual Night of 1,000 Dinners on Thursday, March 10 at 6PM at Old Brick. Tickets are $12 advance/$15 door.

In recognition of International Women's Month, the Iowa UNA will be holding the annual "Night of 1,000 Dinners" to fundraise for UN Women's missions in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Haiti. Formerly known as UNIFEM, UN Women seeks to aid and empower women in conflict zones, natural disaster areas, and socially repressive societies.

The event will feature: A silent art auction with all proceeds going to UN Women! Over $400 in door prizes! An international buffet! International music! Featured speaker Martine SongaSonga, a Chicago-based Congo human rights activist.

Ticket sales for the event will help Iowa UNA, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, continue its annual programs and fundraisers including "Night of 1,000 Dinners". To learn more about UN Women (formerly UNIFEM), please visit http://www.unwomen.org/ To learn more about Iowa UNA, please visit http://www.unaiowa.org

*DID YOU KNOW? The 2010 average cost of a new single family home in Johnson County was $344,307. That is up dramatically from the 2009 average of $258,668.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

3-1-11

2011-02-27T22:03:00.005-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 3/1/11

In this edition:

*RIP Charlie Duffy
*Prairie Preview
*Addressing the Financial Crisis
*Crisis Center Pancake Breakfast
*Arc Chili Supper
*Where Your Tax $ Goes!
*Did You Know?

*RIP Charlie Duffy
Longtime Supervisor Charlie Duffy died Tuesday morning following a long illness. Charlie was elected Supervisor in 1988 and served in office from 1989 through 2000. Charlie also served as Johnson County Farm Bureau President, and was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to a soil and water conservation committee with Bruce Babbitt.

Known as “Mr. Johnson County”, Charlie knew the Johnson County road system like the back of his hand. Charlie sometimes claimed to know everyone in Johnson County, and he was not too far off. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, and served many years as an usher at St. Wenceslaus Parish

*Prairie Preview
Another sure sign of spring… Prairie Preview XXVIII "Rain Gardens & Beyond... Time for ACTION!"

This year’s event is Tuesday, March 8 at 7:30 at Parkview Evangelical Free Church. Doors open to public to view exhibits at 6:30. Refreshments Provided.

The program includes Liz Maas, Restoration Ecologist; Judith Krieg, PWS-President, EarthView Environmental, LLC & President of Take a Kid Outdoors; Fred Meyer, Executive Director, Backyard Abundance; Chant Eicke, Senior Environmental Scientist, EarthView Environmental, LLC and Community Conservationist; Jason Grimm, Food Systems Planner, Iowa Valley RC&D.

This program is sponsored by the Johnson County Heritage Trust, Friends of Hickory Hill Park, Project GREEN, Four Seasons Garden Club Environmental Advocates, Johnson County Songbird Project, Johnson County Conservation Board, and the Department of Natural Resources. Funded in part by a grant from Iowa’s Living Roadway Trust.

For more information, call 319 338-7030.

*Addressing the Financial Crisis
The US is still suffering a financial crisis. Unemployment is about three times the ideal, houses are in foreclosure, and governmental revenues are falling short.

Who should fix things? Certainly not public employees – they had nothing to do with the crisis! How about Wall Street? They CAUSED it, after all! How about reinstituting the 90% top rate for the income tax that the US had in the 1940s and ‘50s?

Worried about those wealthy folks leaving the country? I say they are free to go – but their income earned in the US is still taxed at that rate. And if they leave, they should be required to renounce their citizenship. When trying to reenter, they should be stopped at the border the same way a poor Mexican worker would be.

State, county and municipal employees did not cause this. Let’s ask the folks who DID cause it to pay for the damages!

*Crisis Center Pancake Breakfast
The Crisis Center is holding its annual Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, March 5 from 7 AM to 12:45 PM at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Iowa City.

Tickets are $5 for adults, $2 for children under 10, and are available at the door.

*Arc Chili Supper
The Arc of Southeast Iowa is holding its annual Chili Supper Friday, March 4 from 4:30-7:30 at River Community Church in Iowa City.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under (age 3 and under eat free). All proceeds fund The Arc, providing services to people with disabilities so they can realize their goals relating to where and how they live, learn, work, and play.

*Where Your Tax $ Goes!
From Iowa Fiscal Partnership: At a time when unemployment in Iowa neared 7 percent and Iowans coped with steep cuts in critical state and local services, three corporations received over $30 million in corporate subsidy checks from the Iowa Treasury. They are among 133 corporations that paid no state income tax but still received checks from the state.

This and other disclosures come from today’s release of the annual report on Iowa’s Research Activities Credit (RAC) for 2010. They show the fiscal scandal that the RAC has become. Rockwell Collins, Deere and DuPont had the largest corporate claims — $14.2 million, $12.8 million and $5.9 million, respectively. Of that $32.9 million in claims, at least $30.7 million was paid out in checks, because it was above and beyond the amount of taxes those companies owed.

Overall, corporate RAC claims totaled $45.2 million — $43 million of it, or 95 percent, being paid out as so-called “refunds” for taxes never paid. When we are asking Iowa government to be efficient and frugal, and to not promote special interests, how can this be justified? It cannot.

There is some good news — and that is that we have any news at all. This report is the first to give Iowans a full year’s look at the biggest recipients of these corporate giveaways. It is a result of a law passed in 2009 to bring some transparency to this highly costly and clearly unaccountable program. Previously, RAC “refunds” were paid out as secret checks from the state treasury. The law now requires an annual review of RAC claims, information about “refunds” and the names of recipients and amounts for claims in excess of $500,000.

These industry giants make their profits from being on the cutting edge for research; they don’t need incentives for investing in research activities, they must do it anyway. What they need from Iowa are skilled, educated workers, good roads and infrastructure, and a good quality of life. Research and common sense tell us these would be better smart investments for Iowa’s economic prosperity, not subsidy checks to wealthy corporations.

The Iowa Fiscal Partnership has produced a number of reports on the research activities credit, including reviews of economic analyses that conclude such credits have very little impact upon business decisions.

* Rockwell Collins ($561 million in profits in 2010), Deere and Company ($1,865 million in profits in 2010), and El DuPont Nemours And Company, Inc. ($3,031 million in profits in 2009). (After-tax profits, figures from corporate statements.)

For more information about Iowa fiscal issues, visit the Iowa Fiscal Partnership at www.iowafiscal.org .

*DID YOU KNOW? Women make up only 15% of the US House of Representatives. There are only 2 Hispanic Senators, and no African American Senators.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

3-1-11

2011-02-27T22:03:00.004-06:00

3-1-11

2011-02-27T22:03:00.003-06:00

3-1-11

2011-02-27T22:03:00.001-06:00

2-22-11

2011-02-19T11:44:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 2/22/11

In this edition:

*Wisconsin Labor Woes
*Property Assessment Appeals Board
*News from IPP
*Bowl For Kids Sake
*Chamber Ag Series
*Did You Know?

*Wisconsin Labor Woes
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and others in the GOP want to divide the middle class. They cleverly pit nonunion households against union members in an effort to cause a rift in the middle class. But I think even mentioning the “haves” and the “have nots” is risky for the GOP.

Union members are not the “haves”. The wealthiest 2% are the haves! The folks in the middle class are scared, and many are hurting. But they aren’t stupid.

Unions are not the problem, and they have never been the problem. The problem is the ultra rich and the politicians who serve them. And the people are beginning to see it. Good luck to my brothers and sisters in Wisconsin!

*Property Assessment Appeals Board
State government is often guilty of “fixing” things that are not broken. One such example is the Property Assessment Appeals Board (PAAB).

A bit of background: local governments (county, city, school) operate primarily on property taxes. In order to know how much each property should be charged, the property must be periodically assessed.

Property taxes are assessed at the local level. Each county must have an Assessor; a few of the larger cities (including Iowa City) also have them.

Here in Johnson County, we are home to the very best Assessor’s Office in the state of Iowa! According to the Iowa Finance Authority, County Assessor Bill Greazel and his staff rank number one in Iowa in terms of the accuracy of their assessments. They finish in the top two every year.

Why does this matter? Because when it comes to taxes, fairness is paramount. People need to be assured that both they and their neighbors are paying their fair shares of taxes. In Johnson County, we can prove that statistically.

When a property owner disagrees with her assessment, she can appeal the assessment to the Board of Review. The Board of Review is a three-member panel of local experts who review the available data, hear both sides of the issue, and set the correct valuation.

Not many cases go to the Board of Review; out of the tens of thousands of properties that get assessed, only a couple dozen go to the Board of Review. If a property owner is not satisfied with the decision of the Board of Review, her final appeal was to District Court.

At least, that WAS the system, until two years ago, when the State of Iowa created a PAAB. The PAAB has been a fiasco for many reasons. Here are a few:

For starters, the PAAB consists of people who sit in Des Moines. They never visit the property, and they see the same info the local experts get to see. Doesn’t it make sense that realtor and banker from Johnson County would know Lone Tree better than a realtor and banker from Des Moines?

Similarly, the system allows the State to “give away” tax revenues that were intended for local governments. This is no big deal to the state, as the revenue was never headed their way in the first place. But it has an impact on local schools, cities, and counties.

Oh, but it gets worse! There is no cost (and therefore no risk) to folks who appeal. The cost of the PAAB is paid through our state taxes. This plays into the hands of the anti-government faction that will appeal no matter what.

The opposite is true for counties, who bear the burden of proof. There are considerable costs to the counties. Assessors need to spend countless hours preparing, as do County Attorney’s offices. Yet there is no reimbursement when they go to the PAAB and win.

This creates a situation where big corporations appeal every assessment. Several large corporations (Best Buy, for example) appeal EVERY assessment as a course of doing business. Many jurisdictions decide to settle rather than fight, so the PAAB in effect transfers tax dollars from local schools to out of state corporations!

The results thus far back this up; it is not the local farmer who appeals to the PAAB and wins – it is the big box. So, when tax revenues decline, who gets asked to pay more? The farmer, of course!

Finally, and most importantly, the previous system was not broken! District Court was the perfect way to decide such disputes – fairer and cheaper for all taxpayers.

I hope our Legislators will heed the advice of Assessor Greazel, and eliminate the PAAB.

*News From IPP
While much of the current discussion in Des Moines is focusing on yet another round of cutting taxes for businesses, research from the Iowa Policy Project shows better options for the state economy.

Check out the following IPP publications for more detail:

1). Whether one focuses only on the corporate income tax, or the whole range of taxes falling on business, Iowa’s state and local taxes are well below average, and have been for some time.

2). Proponents of business tax breaks claim that taxes are a significant factor in the location choices of businesses, and that a state can tax-cut its way to economic growth and generate tax revenue in the process. Several decades of research confirm that such claims are vastly overblown and sometimes completely misleading.

"Business tax breaks turn out to be an expensive and inefficient way to attempt to stimulate a state economy."
— Peter Fisher, in "Corporate Taxes and State Economic Growth"

For more info on this research or other work by IPP, visit: www.IowaPolicyProject.org

*Bowl For Kids’ Sake
Big Brothers Big Sisters is once again holding Bowl For Kids Sake! This is the single biggest fundraiser of the year for BBBS, supporting all their good work. The event this year is February 26 & 27 at Colonial Lanes.

Sullivan for Supervisor will once again be fielding a team, and we would LOVE you to sponsor us! You can let me know via E-mail, or visit Big Brothers Big Sisters online at http://www.bbbsjc.kintera.org

If you’d rather form your own team, there is still time! Call BBBS at 337-2145 to reserve your spot.

*Chamber Ag Series
Session 2 is February 25, and the topic is RECYCLING: WE AREN'T JUST TALKING TRASH.

Panelists: Jennifer Jordan, City of Iowa City; Andy Ockenfels, City Carton Recycling; Mark Patton, Habitat for Humanity ReStore; and Jennifer Ryan Fencl, Eastern Central Iowa Council of Governments.

For more info on the series, call the Chamber at 337-9637.

*DID YOU KNOW? Any month that starts on a Sunday will have a Friday the 13th in it.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

2-15-11

2011-02-12T09:59:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 2/15/11

In this edition:

*Weapons in County Buildings
*Pitchers and Catchers Report!
*The Warmth of Other Suns
*Sutliff Bridge Authority Fundraiser
*Local Food Summit
*Did You Know?

*Weapons in County Buildings
The Board recently discussed a ban on weapons in County buildings. Johnson County has long had an employment policy banning weapons in the workplace, but recent changes to State gun laws have called those rules into question.

According to County Attorney Janet Lyness, the County may ban weapons in county buildings. While this interpretation is open to a legal challenge, Janet feels certain a ban would hold up in court. This echoes the opinion put forth by the Iowa Attorney General.

Creating a single policy for Johnson County can be a challenge. For example, we often have armed law enforcement personnel in our buildings. They require an exception. Johnson County plays host to numerous controlled hunts on Conservation property. These too, require an exception. There may be other situations we have yet to encounter that will also require exceptions to policy.

I support limits on weapons in County buildings. I do not come to this decision lightly, as I acknowledge that an individual right to bear arms has become the widely accepted view of the Second Amendment. I keep a copy of the Constitution close at hand while I work. It means a great deal to me. We need to always be careful when we are discussing Constitutional Rights.

My decision is based in large part on the impact of a ban. Yes, an individual would have his or her right to carry limited while in the County buildings. Is that too great a limitation? I do not believe so. The same people can have guns at home, and on their person in most places. They will never need to be in a County building for long periods of time. While there, they may store their weapons in their vehicles. This single limitation is not unreasonable, in my mind.

My decision is also based upon our employees. I have heard several employees express their concerns with guns in the workplace; few employees seem to be on the other side. Employees are complaining about infringements of their own rights.

While this is an important Constitutional question, I am unimpressed by many of the gun advocates that have spoken to me on this issue. While some folks have made reasoned arguments, many people claim there should be no restrictions whatsoever on the Second Amendment.

This position is hard to argue. The legislatures and courts have been further defining the Constitution and the Bill of Rights since their creations. All of our rights have been interpreted as having some limits. This is generally accepted by all three branches of government, and widely accepted by the American people. We continue to argue over these limitations, as well we should. But some limitations are accepted by all but a few absolutists.

In my mind, an absolutist position is just stupid. The extremists claim 2 year olds should be allowed to have guns. They claim people who are seriously mentally ill should be allowed to have guns. They claim no background checks should be done, no training should be required, and no proficiency should be required. They claim that each of us has a right to nuclear weapons.

In my mind, these positions are extreme, and do not help the cause of the Second Amendment. There are good discussions to be had on this issue, but not at the fringes.

Thankfully, those who spoke at the Board meeting were largely thoughtful and reasonable folks. I appreciate their passion, but also their ability to present their case in a reasonable manner.

So, what is your opinion? Weapons in County buildings, or no?

*Pitchers and Catchers Report!
Need a sign of spring? Pitchers and catchers report on February 14! Even if you aren’t a baseball fan, ya’ gotta like this!

*The Warmth of Other Suns
A couple weeks ago, I mentioned that I would be reading something in honor of Black History Month. The book I chose was “The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson.

This is the story of the huge migration of African Americans from the south to the north between 1910 and 1970. It puts three real life stories in historical and cultural contexts.

This was the best book I have read in a long time. I cried several times. It is the story of a struggle against huge odds, and a story that lots of people in this county need to read.

The book is available at local libraries – please check it out!

*Sutliff Bridge Authority Fundraiser
Mark Saturday, February 26 in your planner for the SBA spring fundraiser at the Solon American Legion. Between Monsters will be playing. Music starts at 8 pm. $5 donation at the door.

Status on the Bridge: The County recently signed an agreement with VJ Engineering to do a design. It should be finalized by May. This will be followed by bids in August. Construction work will follow with the bridge being complete by end of 2012.

Other things to note: The SBA has established an endowment fund with the Community Foundation of Johnson County. You can make your own tax deductable donation!

*Local Food Summit
A local food summit for producers and purchasers will be held February 18 from 1-5 PM at the Coralville Public Library.

Among the sponsoring organizations are the Johnson County Local Food Alliance and Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development, both of which are supported by Johnson County.

For more info, including registration, see www.iacorridor-localfood.org/localfoodsummit.htm

*DID YOU KNOW? The shortest war on record was fought between Zanzibar and England in 1896. Zanzibar surrendered after 38 minutes.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

2-8-11

2011-02-05T16:01:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 2/8/11

In this edition:

*Happy Valentine’s Day!
*Snow!
*Zach Wahls
*Legislation on Mobile Homes
*Free Tax Help!
*Conservation Meetings
*Bowl for Kids Sake
*Did You Know?

*Happy Valentine’s Day!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you all. I know that I am lucky – I have a wonderful spouse that I love very much. I wish every Iowan was as lucky as me!

I am spending this Valentine’s Day thinking about how some Iowans want to deny these rights to other Iowans. I just don’t get it. It is just plain mean, and it is NOT Christian!

I hope each of you is able to love whomever you wish. Happy Valentine’s Day!

*Snow!
A big thank you to all the state, county, and municipal workers who served the public during the recent blizzard. Despite the awful conditions and long hours, these workers kept us safe.

A note – most of these workers are covered by a UNION. So when you hear unions being criticized, remember the storm! Union employees work hard every day; you just rarely hear about it.

While Johnson County closed the Administration Building on Wednesday, several county departments do not have the luxury of shutting down. Special thanks to the Secondary Roads, Facilities, Medical Examiner, SEATS, and Ambulance Departments, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Emergency Management Agency! Great job!

*Zach Wahls
I do not know Zach Wahls. I have read his stuff in the newspaper before, but we have never met.

I want to meet him. Like much of America, I was blown away by the testimony of the UI freshman (and West High grad). If you have not seen it, just type his name into You Tube. You’ll be floored.

Zach, you are my new idol. Thank you!

*Legislation on Mobile Homes
At the urging of Johnson County, the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) has listed mobile home reform as one of its top Legislative priorities for 2011. The Iowa Treasurer’s Association has suggested a series of reforms. Similarly, Senators Bolkcom and Dvorsky and Representatives Jacoby, Mascher, Lensing, and Willems have agreed to work on legislation that improves the laws surrounding mobile homes.

So, the ball is rolling. I am hopeful that we can get some needed changes made at the State level. Now, the onus is on those of us at the local level. It will require action at all levels of government to adequately address all the issues we face.

*Free Tax Help!
I know I wrote about this just a few weeks ago, but it is such a great opportunity – I decided to run it again.

Johnson County is proud to announce another year of free tax help! “You Earned It, Now Claim It” is a program that has done great things for taxpayers in Johnson County.

Don’t pay a fee to get your refund! The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program provides trained volunteers that will help you file your taxes. This service is available FOR FREE to people who earned less than $49,000 in 2010. E-filing is available, and translation is available at all sites.

The service is available almost every day in February and March, at sites throughout the county. Please spread the word, so even more of your friends and neighbors can avail themselves of this service!

For more information Call United Way Toll-Free by dialing: 2-1-1, or visit any of the following websites:
www.johnson-county.com • www.icpl.org • www.tippie.uiowa.edu/vita

*Conservation Meetings
The Johnson County Conservation Board (JCCB) will conduct two public meetings to present the proposed Johnson County Conservation, Recreation and Open Spaces Plan 2010-2015. Use of the $20 million Conservation Bond, approved by the voters in November 2008, will be addressed as part of the presentations. They will also include a recap of activities and accomplishments of the JCCB over the last two years.

The JCCB encourages all interested citizens to attend. Public comment and input will be solicited. Meetings will be held in Rooms 203 B & C of the Johnson County Heath & Human Services Building.

The first meeting is scheduled for 6:30 P.M. Tuesday, February 8. The second meeting will be conducted Wednesday, March 2 at 6:30 P.M, also in Rooms 203 B & C.

For additional information, contact Conservation Director Harry Graves at 319-645-2315.

*Bowl For Kids’ Sake
Big Brothers Big Sisters is once again holding Bowl For Kids Sake! This is the single biggest fundraiser of the year for BBBS, supporting all their good work. The event this year is February 26 & 27 at Colonial Lanes.

Sullivan for Supervisor will once again be fielding a team, and we would LOVE you to sponsor us! You can let me know via E-mail, or visit Big Brothers Big Sisters online at http://www.bbbsjc.kintera.org

If you’d rather form your own team, there is still time! Call BBBS at 337-2145 to reserve your spot.

*DID YOU KNOW? Repeal of the Affordable Healthcare Act (aka “Obamacare”) would add $145 billion to the national deficit. (Source: Congressional Budget Office.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

2-1-11

2011-02-05T16:00:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 2/1/11

In this edition:

*County Budget
*Black History Month
*DVIP Souper Bowl
*Whose Fault Was That, Again?
*Did You Know?

*County Budget
The Board of Supervisors is putting the finishing touches on the FY11 County budget. The process is not complete until a few more steps are concluded: our Budget Coordinator fills out the State form, the proposed budget is published, a public hearing is held, and a formal vote is taken. That whole process takes a little over one month.

A few of the details: The proposal is for taxes to go up 1.8% on residential property. That amounts to an annual increase of $6.00 per $100,000 valuation. In other words, if you have a mortgage on a $150,000 house, your taxes would go up 75 cents per month. (Disclaimer: individual taxes depend upon MANY individual factors! We are discussing averages.)

I made an analogy during the budgeting process that I feel is worth sharing, because it sums up my philosophy toward budgeting.

I compare it to buying a car. You don’t usually buy the very cheapest car you possibly can. If you spend, say, only $500 on a car, you will likely spend more in other ways. You’ll spend more on maintenance, fuel, repairs, and when it isn’t working, you’ll pay for the inconvenience. So the most inexpensive is not necessarily the cheapest.

Similarly, a BMW might be the most reliable vehicle you could purchase, but you may get 95% of that reliability from a car that costs half the price. So the most expensive is not necessarily the best investment.

I take this same approach toward the budget. I believe in doing things right, and I believe you get what you pay for. We could have raised taxes less, but we would be reducing our services and/or our reserves to a level that makes me uncomfortable. Along the same lines, we could have raised taxes more, but the things we would have been buying seemed to be wants as opposed to needs.

I will write more about some specific budget highlights in future editions of Salvos.

Personally, I am pretty happy with this budget. It maintains services and reserve balances while minimizing tax increases. I hope the budget will have the support of all 5 Supervisors.

Please feel free to E-mail me if you have budget questions, comments, or concerns.

*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 and Brown versus the Board of Education. What will you be doing?

*DVIP Souper Bowl
The Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) is holding its 14th annual Souper Bowl, a dinner to support services for victims of domestic violence. Area restaurants, antique dealers, and artisans are donating their best soup, bread and bowls.

Join us at the Clarion Highlander Hotel Thursday, 2/3/11 from 5:30-7:30 PM. Tickets are $20.00 at the door. Don’t forget—with the purchase of a ticket you get to take home the bowl of your choice! Kids eat free (unless they want to take home a bowl)!

Come enjoy wonderful music and a great meal with your friends, while supporting the good work of DVIP!

*Whose Fault Was That, Again?
A funny thing happened on the way to 2011…remember the financial crisis of 2008? Big banks and Wall Street almost collapsed, and government came to the rescue.

Fast-forward 3 years, and Wall Street barons are overburdened. Government spending (much of it bailing out business) is the problem du jour. Somehow, the failure of unregulated capitalism turned into a crisis for government.

Cops, firefighters, teachers, Medicare and Medicaid recipients, etc. did not cause the financial crisis. Wall Street excesses that went unregulated caused the financial crisis. So why is the GOP intent on making government pay the price for capitalism’s failures?

It is unbelievable that in order to get support for benefits for the unemployed, our government feels the need to bribe the people who laid them off. That is the bargain that was recently struck, showering the wealthiest Americans with tax breaks just so needy Americans could keep their homes.

Listen to some of the new GOP governors: “We can no longer live in a society where the public employees are the haves and taxpayers who foot the bills are the have-nots,” says Scott Walker of Wisconsin. Really? If Mr. Walker REALLY cares about the “haves and have-nots”, then by all means, go for it! Use actual data, and take your pound of flesh from the haves! Of course, actual data will show Walker that very few public employees are in the top 2% of earners.

Of all the new GOP governors, John Kasich of Ohio appears to be planning the most comprehensive assault against unions. Kasich proposes to take away the right of 14,000 state-financed childcare and home care workers to unionize. If these state-funded jobs are so cushy, and these workers are the “haves”, why would they be unionizing?

You are about to be subjected to two years of “concern” over the deficit and the economy. Do not believe it. There is but one concern: largess for the wealthy. Everything the federal government does is designed with largess for the wealthy as a key priority.

*DID YOU KNOW? During the US Civil war, 200,000 blacks served in the Union Army; 38,000 gave their lives; 22 won the Medal of Honor.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

1-25-11

2011-01-22T15:17:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 1/25/11

In this edition:

*County Tax Rates
*Illinois Raises Income Taxes
*Chamber Ag Breakfast Series
*Bowl For Kids’ Sake
*Did You Know?

*County Tax Rates
The Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) is out with county tax rankings for 2010. I think these may be of interest as we move forward in the budgeting process.

Ranking counties on tax rates can get complicated. There are really 3 separate rates to look at:

1.) General Fund Rate: All property owners (even those who live in the cities) pay this rate.

2.) Rural Fund Rate: Only rural property owners pay this rate.

3.) Overall Rate: The combination of the two rates.

So, how does Johnson County compare? Contrary to popular opinion, taxes in Johnson County are quite reasonable, perhaps even low.

1.) General Fund: 28 counties are higher than Johnson County’s $7.38 per thousand in valuation; 70 are lower.

2.) Rural Fund: 84 counties are higher than Johnson County’s $2.57 per thousand in valuation; 14 are lower.

3.) Overall Rate: 58 counties are higher than Johnson County’s $9.96 per thousand in valuation; 40 are lower.

I am very satisfied with our current rankings. I feel that Johnson County does an excellent job of balancing the needs and wants of county residents with the taxes we assess. What are your thoughts?

*Illinois Raises Income Taxes
Fortunately, Iowa has a balanced budget. Unfortunately, Iowa is one of only a handful of states in that situation. Immediately to our east, Illinois is facing a $15 billion budget shortfall.

While New York, California, and other states struggle to find politically acceptable ways to address their budgetary issues, Illinois simply did the courageous and correct thing.

Illinois increased state income taxes on top earners from 3-5%. This will generate about $7 billion dollars, thus halving the budget deficit.

Most economists (and most reasonable people) agree that there are only two ways to address a budget shortfall: increase revenues and decrease expenditures. Similarly, most economists (and most reasonable people) agree that the fairest way to address a budget shortfall is through a combination of both approaches.

That is precisely what Illinois plans to do. Half of the deficit is addressed through revenue; now the other half will need to be addressed through cuts. When politicians speak of “shared sacrifice”, well, that is precisely what Illinois is doing.

I can assure you, $7 billion in cuts will affect public services. The cuts that remain will hurt. The cuts they STILL need to make will affect elementary and secondary students, colleges and universities, poor children, people with disabilities, seniors, and many other vulnerable groups. To balance the budget only through cuts would have been draconian, and unfair to the poorest residents.

Additionally, Illinois raised the INCOME tax, meaning they chose the most progressive method available to them. Under this plan, those best able to pay more will do so.

It obviously took several years of bad choices to create the situation in Illinois; it will not likely be fixed quickly. Moving forward, it is great to see Illinois exhibiting such courage and correct thinking.

*Chamber Ag Breakfast Series
The 2011 Chamber Agribusiness/Bioscience Breakfast Series begins this Friday morning with the theme “It’s Easy Being Green!”

Breakfast programs are held from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. on the fourth Friday of the month, January – March at Hills Bank and Trust Company, Coralville Office. Cost is $10 for members/$12 for future members.

Session 1 is January 28, and features ORGANICS: A GREENER WAY TO GROW.

Panelists: Theresa Carbrey, New Pioneer Co-op; Jason Grimm, Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development; Joanna Mouming, Kalona Organics; and Marty Pitsulka, United Natural Foods, Inc.

Topics include: Kalona Organics recently launched brand, Kalona Supernatural, which features products that come largely from small, Amish / Mennonite family farms.

The Iowa Valley Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Regional Food Initiative, I-Food group, which supports organic farmers, access to organic food and access to resources and training for organic farm production.

United Natural Food, Inc.'s role in the organic industry as the leading U.S. independent national distributor of natural, organic and specialty foods and related products including nutritional supplements, personal care items and organic produce.

For more info on the series, call the Chamber at 337-9637.

*Bowl For Kids’ Sake
Big Brothers Big Sisters is once again holding Bowl For Kids Sake! This is the single biggest fundraiser of the year for BBBS, supporting all their good work. The event this year is February 26 & 27 at Colonial Lanes.

Sullivan for Supervisor will once again be fielding a team, and we would LOVE you to sponsor us! You can let me know via E-mail, or visit Big Brothers Big Sisters online at http://www.bbbsjc.kintera.org

If you’d rather form your own team, there is still time! Call BBBS at 337-2145 to reserve your spot.

*DID YOU KNOW? Mississippi is the state closest to Iowa in population. (Source: US Census Bureau.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

1-18-11

2011-01-15T10:34:00.000-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 1/18/11

In this edition:

*Tucson Tragedy
*Free Tax Help!
*Congratulations, John!
*Property Maintenance Ordinance
*Did You Know?

*Tucson Tragedy
I join other Americans in offering my sincere condolences to the victims of the recent shooting in Tucson. I hope and pray for the most positive outcomes possible.

I apologize if this comes across as selfish, but the combination of this and other tragic events plus the hatred that is often directed my way really has me thinking. I never used to consider my safety in my position as an elected official. That has changed.

I know there are people out there who hate me. They tell me so. The anti-government rhetoric is personal for them. I just hope they can limit themselves and choose not to act upon that hatred. And needless to say, I hope we never again have to hear reports of mindless killings.

*Free Tax Help!
Johnson County is proud to announce another year of free tax help! “You Earned It, Now Claim It” is a program that has done great things for taxpayers in Johnson County.

Don’t pay a fee to get your refund! The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program provides trained volunteers that will help you file your taxes. This service is available FOR FREE to people who earned less than $49,000 in 2010. E filing is available, and translation is available at all sites.

The service is available almost every day in February and March, at sites throughout the county. Please spread the word, so even more of your friends and neighbors can avail themselves of this service!

For more information Call United Way Toll-Free by dialing: 2-1-1, or visit any of the following websites:
www.johnson-county.com • www.icpl.org • www.tippie.uiowa.edu/vita

*Congratulations, John!
Congratulations to my good friend John Stimmel as he celebrates 30 years of living on his own after spending almost 30 years at Woodward State Hospital School.

Amazing story, amazing man. Happy anniversary, John!

*Property Maintenance Ordinance
The Board of Supervisors recently met to discuss the proposed Property Maintenance Ordinance. As you may know, this proposal met fierce resistance from the Farm Bureau. After a long public hearing, the Board decided to revisit the topic after the holidays.

Well, the revisiting has occurred. News headlines struck me as a bit misleading; the proposed ordinance was not so much “dropped” as amended. I do expect something to pass in upcoming months – whether or not what passes is adequate to address the issues we face remains to be seen.

I will attempt to spell out what happened; it is important to understand that no new proposed ordinance has been drafted, and there are still plenty of opportunities for individual Supervisors to change their minds.

1. The Board was unanimous in wanting to address abandoned homes. The definition of abandoned still needs to be determined, but this appears to be an area of strong agreement.

2. The Board was unanimous in wanting to create an ordinance that sets forth standards for rental homes.

3. I had hoped that the same ordinance would also cover owner occupied homes, but that failed on a 3-2 vote. My concern is that most mobile homes are owner occupied; I’m not sure a rental-only ordinance will address that issue.

4. The Board agreed to focus the ordinance on houses; all outbuildings will be exempt. I am glad we cleared this up, as it was a major concern for many farm families.

5. Several members of the Farm Bureau had lobbied for an exemption for farmhouses. The Board voted 3-2 to include all houses. I am glad this happened, too. It has always amazed me that we would exempt someone from an ordinance because of her/his occupation. If we tried to exempt bankers, the public would be furious – and it should be! I grew up on a farm, and I respect the farm life. But I see no compelling reason to exempt the homes of farmers.

6. Others had lobbied for an exemption when one family member rents to another. The Board decided against exempting family-to-family rentals. I can see some merit to this, and I might be persuaded, but I want to hear from other governmental units first.

7. The Board decided to enforce any ordinance on a “complaint only” basis. There are some tough choices here. By only investigating complaints, the implementation of the ordinance would cost virtually nothing. Existing inspectors (who now inspect only new construction) could easily deal with complaints as part of their current jobs.

On the other hand, only inspecting on a complaint basis may be useless. There may be lots of very substandard rentals that are never seen. But, inspecting every property would necessitate a registry and inspections every 2-3 years. This would likely lead to inspection fees, and potentially require additional staff.

Is that all as clear as mud? Staff in Planning and Zoning and the County Attorney’s Office will now be charged with putting these decisions into a draft ordinance. I’ll let you know once a draft is available for public viewing.

Another interesting development was that the Johnson County Republican Party passed a resolution opposing a property maintenance code. A half dozen local GOP activists showed up, and a couple voiced their disapproval.

I find this interesting, since most Johnson County residents live in a jurisdiction that already has such codes. I specifically asked if they would like to see the existing codes repealed in Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, etc. But no one really answered my question.

The Board had a public hearing, and over 200 people showed up. Many were angry. My guess is that some folks will attempt to capitalize upon that electorally, as is their right. So look for this to be an issue in future campaigns for Supervisor.

So – what are your thoughts? I would like to know!

*DID YOU KNOW? Armored knights raised their visors to identify themselves when they rode past their king. This custom has become the modern military salute.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod

1-11-11

2011-01-08T12:42:00.001-06:00

Sullivan’s Salvos 1/11/11

In this edition:

*MLK Day
*Some 2011 Punditry, Part II
*Did You Know?

*MLK Day
Next Monday 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.

We often hear about Christians who feel that Christmas has lost its meaning, and Veterans who feel the same about Veteran’s Day. I fear that this could be happening to MLK Day as well.

America has come a long way since the 60s, and overt racism is now typically (but certainly not always) frowned upon. We still have a long way to go, but we are definitely headed the right direction. I think many Americans see MLK as the embodiment of this change, and rightfully so.

But King was a radical. America grudgingly accepted racial reforms because they were less dangerous to the status quo than the other issues King championed. King took seriously the Biblical teachings that the love of money is a sin, and that rich men will not be welcomed into Heaven. He proposed seismic changes to the political and social structures that exist in America. In addition, King was adamantly anti-war. 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. And Happy MLK Day!

*Some 2011 Punditry, Part II
Last week I shared my opinion that Democrats hurt themselves politically by failing to do the right things on the policy front in a timely manner.

So, what can Democrats do now? I think there are several things the public needs:

1.) Stimulus II: The first stimulus was a blown opportunity. We needed a bigger program, less focused on tax cuts, which made significant strides toward creating new infrastructure. Look at all the great public assets we have that date to the 1930s. Now that was a stimulus!

According to the American Association of Engineers, the US is $2.3 TRILLION behind on infrastructure spending. I believe there is an opportunity to create some type of “infrastructure bank” that funds the replacement of our most critically degraded bridges. (Other infrastructure is equally if not more important, but people understand bridges. And the need is dramatic.) It is hard to imagine many Governors turning down this type of assistance. It will create jobs while improving our public assets.

Even if tremendous job growth is not achieved (and that is hard to imagine), at the worst, we are left with important public improvements. It really is a win-win.

2.) Temporarily Extend Medicare and full Social Security Benefits to Age 62: Most of us know a dozen or more people between 62 and 65 years of age who are working for two just reasons:

First, they are waiting for Medicaid to kick in, and second, they want to draw their full Social Security. If we were to extend these benefits just temporarily, millions of people would retire.

What happens when these millions of people, now secure, choose to retire? Millions of jobs open up for younger people who are struggling to find work.

3.) Address foreclosures: We need a full-fledged attack on the foreclosure crisis. I do not have all the solutions here. I just know that too many families are losing their homes. The current situation is bad for people, bad for banks, and bad for the economy. We can and must do more.

4.) REALLY Regulate Wall Street: After the crash of 2008, the American people were ready for REAL regulation of Wall Street. What we were given in 2009 was a joke. The party rages on for Wall Street. Americans know that unbridled capitalism has caused them problems galore. The middle class is ready for a clamp down on Wall Street that sees criminals punished and effective regulations put in place.

5.) Create REAL progressive taxation: As Warren Buffet has said, 95% of his success can be traced to being born in the US in the 20th Century. Our clean water, health care, immunizations, food safety, labor laws, military, laws, courts, police, infrastructure, schools, and the rest allowed Buffet to succeed. Had he been born the same year but born a woman in Bangladesh, it is doubtful Buffet would have succeeded the way he has.

How does this translate to progressive taxation? People like Buffet owe much of their success to the US. They should put some of their assets toward creating conditions that allow the next generation to be equally successful. (I think this applies to ALL of us, not just the wealthy. I just think the wealthy should contribute more.)

Can these 5 things be accomplished? Frankly, I doubt it. But I hope Congress will try. America desperately needs these things to happen!

Unfortunately, no matter what they accomplish, Dems will not get much credit, because any legislation will have to get through the GOP controlled House of Representatives. But they must not let getting credit stop them from doing the right thing.

*DID YOU KNOW? Martin Luther King Jr. ranked second in Gallup's List of the Most Admired People in the 20th century. (First place went to Mother Teresa.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.

"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 rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

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

---Rod