Coralville Courier

Johnson County 'leadership' hungry for more of your money

County government has gotten so desperate for tax dollars that they are taxing cemetery ground this year!

We zoned off about one acre in 1996 for a family cemetery and have not been assessed taxes on the half that is not fenced since - until this year! When I asked the county why we now had to pay taxes on ground that is just sitting there not being used for anything, waiting for a time when it would be needed, I was told:  "We have a new computer program that is capable of taxing small plots of ground and that ground falls under those guidlines."

I replied by saying the ground was ZONED off as CEMETARY and is NOT used for anything except to grow weeds and grass that has to be mowed. I was then told, "Well it isn't our fault you aren't using it for anything." 

I said again it is CEMETARY ground and was told that this would be reviewed this year as the plat map DOES show that the entire area IS zoned seperate from the rest of the acreage but we HAVE to pay the taxes for this year and any following years if it is not used as a cemetary or changed.

So.....now I need a family member or real good friend to pass away and then be buried in that area; that they might see it is a cemetary. Any one interested? There is no charge for the plot.  These guys are something else!
 
~ Cyndi Michel, Rural Johnson County

Sheriff Pulkrabek has some explaining to do

This letter is in response to Lonny Pulkrabek’s November 17, 2009 letter to The Daily Iowan “Special Election A Waste of Money”

I am one of those people that collected signatures to petition for a special election to fill the seat vacated when Larry Meyer passed away from cancer this last September.  I decided to get involved when Janelle Rettig was appointed to fill Larry Meyer’s seat. I found it concerning that Kim Painter, Johnson County Recorder was on Ms. Rettig’s election committee and also on the committee to appoint Larry Meyer’s replacement.  I found it disturbing that Tom Slockett, Johnson County Auditor, had endorsed Janelle Rettig and he also sat on the same committee to appoint Mr. Meyer’s replacement on the Board.  There has to be some integrity in our system for people to believe in it.  There were three people on the committee to appoint Mr. Meyer’s replacement—and two of those people had close political ties to Janelle Rettig.  And to no one’s surprise, they appointed Janelle Rettig.  That’s why we stood on the street, in parking lots—in a number of communities—and got the signatures for a special election. 

We didn’t misrepresent anything, and I don’t remember Sheriff Pulkrabek approaching us or asking us about our petition.  I would like Sheriff Pulkrabek to tell us what we said that was not true.

I find it rather incredible that our county sheriff has used his official office to come out against a grass roots effort that just wanted a voice in how our government conducts its business.  I don’t remember Sheriff Pulkrabek writing a letter to the editor about his budget and an extra needed deputy when Janelle Rettig co-chaired $20,000,000 conservation bond that passed last year that will raise all of our property taxes.  $75,000 seems like small change next to that bond—and that $75,000 figure for a special election is a subjective one—according to Tom Slockett, as he has not had a special election since 1997

Your right to vote should be, and is, a non-partisan issue.  This is about fairness in our government and our election process and not hand selecting the person you want on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors.

I would like Sheriff Pulkrabek to explain to me how we are apparently just short of criminals (because we are misrepresenting and taking deputies monies from him) for wanting to vote on who takes Larry Meyer’s place on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, but it was okay to spend $20,000,000 to buy land in Johnson County with taxpayers dollars?  He is also sending a political message to the community, which is unprecedented for a sheriff acting in an official capacity.

I encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote in this election.

~ Katherine Ryan Hogendorn, Solon

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No confidence in government

There are some in this country who support a government run heath care system. To those supporters I ask this simple question.

What has the government done that would give you confidence to believe it could run health care?

The funding of Social Security, the post office and the Med's, care and caid have been botched. What about Freddy Mac and Fanny Mae the real estate mortgage arm of the federal government who were the primary players in our economic collapse? All of these government agencies are on the fast track to bankruptcy but still some think more government is the answer?

I'm not from Missouri but you are going to have to show me how this is going to work because I just don't get it.

~ Tim Borchardt, Iowa City Iowa

County Sheriff out of line

Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek is certainly annoyed at thousands of his fellow citizens who signed petitions to elect their supervisor.  In his letter to the Gazette he didn't identify himself as sheriff as he did when he sent the identical letter to the Daily Iowan and the Press-Citizen.  And he's very annoyed at Lori Cardella  for having the impertinence to ask people to sign and consider being a candidate herself!
 
A sheriff has a lot of power.  He has the same rights to free speech as anyone, but is it really appropriate for someone with that power to get so angry at a citizen exercising her rights? If Lori is a candidate and I put one of her signs in my yard, am I going to get some heightened scrutiny from the sheriff's office? 
 
~ Kathy Deupree, Solon

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Leave Politics Out Of Law Enforcement

I was disgusted to see Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek writing chain letters to every newspaper in the area complaining about how a special election was a waste of money caused by those "tax-and-spend" Republicans.

Sheriff, your only job is to enforce the laws, not to pick and choose what laws you want to enforce based on your political affiliation.  Just because a group of people legally petitioned for a special election, it is not your duty to berate them or bully them into submission using your position.  This sets bad precedence and certainly makes your officers question your ethical and legal duties.  In addition, it makes people distrust law enforcement. People won’t vote for a new jail if they don’t trust your judgment.

An elected sheriff complaining about the cost of an election is sadly ironic as well.  You may be "The Law," but you do not create the laws.  Your job is to ENFORCE the law.  If you believe it is more important to play dirty politics than enforcing the law, then we will find a different sheriff to fulfill this duty.

And "those Republicans" in Johnson County had nothing to do with the explosion of new taxes or the insane spending spree the Johnson County democratic machine has enjoyed over the past few years.  You have your own party to blame for that.

~ Brad Franzwa, North Liberty

Pulkrabek questions Constitutional right to vote

It's funny that Sheriff Pulkrabek is accusing the Republicans and Lori Cardella of being "tax and spend" simply because we wish to exercise our Constitutional right to vote on elected positions, i.e the County Supervisor vacancy, and over 8,100 other Johnson County voters agree with us.  The County Assessor Tom Slockett has stated he doesn't know what it will cost to hold the election.  $75,000 is just a figure which is being used because it sounds bad.  However, Assessor Slockett determines the cost because he controls the number of early voting sights and staffing.  And Slockett (a Democrat) has shown no interest in holding election costs down.  The current Board of Supervisors, all Democrats, have increased the county budget by over 56 percent in just the last four years.  It has gone from $53.8 million in FY2007 to $84.08 million in FY2010.  Now, if my personal budget had gone up that much, I would be driving a 2009 Mercedes.  So who's "taxing and spending?"  Who's making it difficult for students to graduate with less than $30,000 in debt, and no job in sight?  Certainly not the Republicans, because there isn't a single Republican in an elected position in County or City government.  I think Sheriff Pulkrabek, who wants to increase your taxes even more with a new, super-duper, state-of-the-art, world-class Justice Center (which is just a fancy name for a jail), to put more college students in on weekends after football games, should be careful that he's not the pot calling the kettle names. Because he and his party (Johnson County Democrats - who by the way, just love all of the student votes, as long as they are voting straight ticket Democrat as they are told!) are clearly the responsible ones in this case.

~ Deborah Thornton, Iowa City

Response to Mr. Pulkrabek

It is a sad day indeed when a sheriff takes it upon himself to become a partisan.
 
I suppose Mr. Pulkrabek is used to getting his way on the playground by bullying people into submission. You are a sheriff now, sir, supposedly, a non-partisan position. Your disdain of the right of Johnson County citizens to have a fair voice is nothing short of embarrassing. How many $75,000’s has the Johnson County government and the sheriffs department wasted!

You whine about your new justice center; previous sheriffs somehow managed to keep us safe without one. How about some justice and protection for the south side! It is a war zone down there. I won’t even take my kids there anymore. Downtown after dark, forget about it. How many of those students who signed that petition are afraid to walk home after an evening out? We have more problems than parking down there thanks to your leadership, Mr. Pulkrabek! Murders are becoming more common, fear, thuggery, beatings, gangs, drugs, just a normal day for Iowa City. Maybe you should do something about that, rather than worry about law abiding citizens exercising their rights.

How many of the Johnson County Supervisors are Republican? That’s right, NONE! Apparently, Mr. Pulkrabek is a supporter of one party rule, sort of like a dictator, sounds like a good idea. Silence and ridicule the law abiding citizens who oppose you and ignore the degradation of a once great city. Good job, Mr. Sheriff!

Johnson County Citizen
Anonymous, from fear of reprisal from my own Sheriff. Sad days we are in.

Loebsack voted for atrocity

There have been numerous letters to the editor praising Rep. Loebsack’s support of the health care bill.  Courageous?  Does the public know that this bill:  cuts Medicare by $400 billion? That that there will be 35 million new patients with no new doctors or nurses?  That the bill fines the uninsured 2.5 percent of their income if they don't buy insurance? That there is a low level of subsidy available for the uninsured (only after they pay 8-12 percent of their incomes)? That there is a likelihood of a $1,700 increase in the average family's premiums? That there is a possibility of up to five years in prison for failing to buy insurance or pay the fine? That the bill includes taxation of medical devices like pacemakers, wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, hearing aids, etc.? That there will be unfunded mandates on the states due to the increase in Medicaid eligibility? That there is a 40 percent tax on health insurance premiums that will affect households earning more than $75,000 by year five of the plan?

Get the facts. Private sector reforms only. Tell Senator Tom Harkin to vote against this atrocity.

~ Cathy Grawe, Coralville

Voters favor Republicans over Democrats

After the 1994 Congressional elections, the late Peter Jennings infamously declared that the country had a "temper tantrum".  This was after 54 seats in the House of Representatives went from Democrat to Republican, and gave Republicans majority control for the first time in 40 years.

According to political strategist Charlie Cook, 84 seats in the House of Representatives are occupied by Democrats in districts that either President George W. Bush won in 2004 or Senator John McCain won in 2008 in their Presidential bids.

When you couple that statistic with today's announcement by Gallup that voters favor Republicans over Democrats on a generic ballot for the 2010 House races, and that Independents now lean Republican over Democrat by a margin of 52% to 30%, it looks like Democrats will be facing massive losses in the next Federal election cycle.

Gallup has been using the generic ballot poll question for nearly 60 years, and the only times in which Republicans have led Democrats were before the 1994 and 2002 elections, two years in which Republicans had significant gains.

Just how big of losses will Democrats have in 2010?  Republicans only need to pick up 40 Democrat seats in order to dethrone Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  Could 2010 be another 1994?  Or will it be even worse for Democrats?  Could the Democrats lose as many as 60, 70, or even 80 seats in the House?  It's possible.

I'm just trying to prepare the libs in advance, in case they need to stock up on any anti-depression medication, bullets, or need to buy a hose to run from their car's exhaust pipe.  Worst case scenario, they can always move to Europe like those Hollywood movie stars such as Woody Allen or Roman Polanski.  Although I hear the health care isn't as good there as in the United States.

"DM"

Veterans are special people

Thank you Veterans.  Veteran’s Day November 11, honors all who have served and are now serving in time of war and peace, living or deceased.   Each person is connected to the past and future when they raise their hand to swear the following oath.

 

The Enlisted Oath

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. That I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

 

Veterans are special people that have put their own lives on hold to protect freedom for the rest of us.  Many have given the ultimate sacrifice for us to enjoy the type of country that is like no other in the world.  Many never talk about their experience, tell the heroic actions that they are responsible for or the many lives that they effected by their service.  Those are the characteristics of a true hero. 

 

How to thank a Veteran?  Just say “Thanks.  We appreciate what you have done.”

 

We are saying “Thank you to all who have served.  We also thank the families who support all veterans in their decision to serve.  We appreciate what you have done for all of us.”

 

Keith & Trudy Caviness

Ottumwa, Iowa