Racial and Economic Justice Questionnaire - Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidates

Social and Economic Justice Questionnaire Responses
2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidates
Kurt
FRIESE
Lisa
GREEN-DOUGLASS
Patricia
HEIDEN
Mike
HULL
Jason
LEWIS
Rod
SULLIVAN
QUESTION 1: The Johnson County minimum wage is set to rise to $10.10 an hour in January of 2017. A recent study by the Iowa
Policy Project concluded that in the state of Iowa, the survival wage without public assistance was $13.31 an hour for a 40-hour work
week. All across the country, states and cities are raising wages to $15 an hour. Would you support efforts in Johnson County to raise
the minimum wage to $15?
QUESTION 2: What do you think governments role should be when it comes to labor unions?
QUESTION 3: What can the Board of Supervisors do to reduce racial and ethnic disparitiesboth differences in experiences and
differences in outcomesin the criminal justice system?
QUESTION 4: As an employer, what should Johnson County and our Supervisors do to create a welcoming, inclusive, and raciallycompetent work environment for county employees and contractors?
QUESTION 5: Pick one: #BlackLivesMatter or #AllLivesMatter. Please explain your answer.
QUESTION 6: In past years, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors has directly allocated over $1 million each year to local
nonprofits and has overseen an additional $1 million through Decategorization, Juvenile Justice and Youth Development, and other
funding sources. How should the supervisors go about distributing and administering these funds? Specifically, what should you do to
make sure that newer organizationsespecially those that are created by and for people of colorreceive the support they need?
Wednesday, May 11 5:30-7:30 pm Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A

Learn more at our CANDIDATE FORUM
Hear in-person from all six Democratic candidates for Johnson County Board of Supervisors
Each candidate will answer three questions prepared by event organizers, followed by a Q&A from the audience
Hosted by Center for Worker Justice, Coalition for Racial Justice, and Iowa City Federation of Labor
QUESTION 1: The Johnson County minimum wage is set to rise to $10.10 an hour in January of 2017. A recent study by the
Iowa Policy Project concluded that in the state of Iowa, the survival wage without public assistance was $13.31 an hour for a
40-hour work week. All across the country, states and cities are raising wages to $15 an hour. Would you support efforts in
Johnson County to raise the minimum wage to $15?
FRIESE
Yes, I would. It would take significant work from all of us to go from $10.10 to
$15, and will likely take a few years. The research is there to show that in our
community the $10.10 minimum wage has many benefits and few if any
downsides. While I believe we must get to $15, and tie the minimum wage to
the CPI or some other index, we need more data, focused on communities our
size, in order to make the case politically.
I would also refer you to the guest opinion I wrote for the Press-Citizen on the
subject. (http://www.kurtfriese.com/blog/2016/3/23/why-i-support-theminimum-wage-hike)
HEIDEN
I absolutely support wages that will enable people to not only have the ability
to take care of themselves and their families but have a quality of life that we
all strive for and deserve. The Board of Supervisors should be commended
for its work on the new minimum wage ordinance and establishing a minimum
wage advisory committee whose charge is to study local economic conditions
and issues of poverty and seek community input regarding the opportunities
and challenges for both the workers and employers since the new minimum
wage increases.
HULL
GREEN-DOUGLASS
A recent study by the Iowa Policy Project concluded that in the state of Iowa,
the survival wage without public assistance was $13.31 an hour for a 40-hour
work week. All across the country, states and cities are raising wages to $15
an hour. Would you support efforts in Johnson County to raise the minimum
wage to $15?
I would support efforts in Johnson County to raise the minimum wage beyond
the $10.10 that is scheduled for January 1, 2017. After 2017, Johnson
County's minimum wage will see increases that will be tied to the Consumer
Price Index (CPI).
When I consider wages, the first thing I look at is if the wage is enough to
afford housing. The standard is that a person should pay no more than 30% of
income towards housing. As a realist, I think that utilities should also be
included in that 30%. Using that formula, a person making $10.10 an hour
should pay no more than $484.80 for rent and utilities per month; at $13.31,
rent and utilities should be no more than $638.88 a month; and at $15.00 an
hour, rent and utilities should be no more than $720.00 a month. When
January 1, 2017 comes, I will advocate for the County to consider that
$15.00/hour be the amount we use to begin increasing with the CPI. We need
to understand what a livable wage is and make sure that our minimum wage at
least meets that standard.
Wages can and are very personal. Except for government employees what a
person makes has always been a confidential matter. Employees have always
been forbidden to discuss what they make with other employees. Some
employers have been given authority to adjust starting wages based on
experience or education. But, when a person is hired for an entry level position
that has no education or experience they will be offered the minimum wage
until they have proven themselves either by their skills, dependability,
trustworthiness or quality of service.
The Iowa Policy Project released a study showing that minimum wages have
not been keeping up with the cost of living. Minimum wages in the US started
in 1938 at $0.25 per hour which is equivalent to around $4.20 in todays
money. When you look at the minimum wage vs. inflation adjusted wages the
equivalent amount seems to be around the $9 until 1979. Then the adjusted
amount has fallen steadily and even hit $6.61 in 2007. The US has not raised
the minimum wage since 2009.
There are a couple schools of thought on minimum wage and one is that it
needs to be raised. The cost of living has gone up and so must wages. Not
open for discussion.
Another thought is wages have to be earned and employers should be allowed
to pay what the job is worth to them as long as they meet the minimum.
2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire

Please join us for the Racial and Economic Justice Forum on
Wednesday, May 11, 5:30-7:30 pm; Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A https://www.facebook.com/events/1701850600081663/
HULL contd
A lot of people will argue that minimum wage is not enough to live on and a lot
more people will argue that minimum wage was not and is not a wage that you
are supposed to live on. It is a minimum wage for uneducated or unexperienced people get started in the work force. It gives them a place to learn
good work habits like showing up on time and learning how to work with others
and to follow instructions. Once a person has some experience they should be
getting a raise OR they should be looking for another job that pays better.
Another is that if an employer has enough job applications to keep their work
force full WHY should they be forced to increase the starting wages? On the
other hand if the employer CANT find enough willing workers then that
employer must increase wages to attract employees. This is the supply and
demand effect.
My stance- I believe minimum wage is not a wage you are supposed to be
making a living on. If you are lacking skills or education to make a decent living
then you need to get some. If you have no skills or education you should NOT
be trying to make a living on your own. You need to find roommates or you
need to live with family members to share expenses.
Our school system is designed to give anyone and everyone the tools to get
an education and to learn some basic skills to get started in the work force. If
you excel in academics you can earn a scholarship to pay for or help pay for
college. Education is the key.
One of the best things about America is the OPPORTUNITY everyone is given
to succeed. The argument for going to college is to get a good paying job. The
lifetime earnings for a college graduate or technical school is much higher than
a worker with just a high school diploma, thus the encouragement to get a
college degree. Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour equates to $31,000
per year if working full time. What message is that sending our kids? You just
have to show up and punch a time clock to make a living. That is not a
message I want to instill in my kids. For example, if a group of three kids move
in together and all three are making $15 per hour the combined income is
$90,000+. They have no education or skills and since they are sharing
expenses they can live very comfortably.
been too long since the Federal Government has raised wages. I would
support raising wages to a mid $9 range.
I have gone out and talked to several employers in Johnson County and very
few of them are paying the Federal minimum of $7.25 so when Johnson
County raised the wages the first time it had little effect. The supply and
demand effect is working. I recently saw a sign at an Iowa City grocery store
and they were seeking workers and their starting wage is $12.50 an hour. Why
is it $5 an hour more than the minimum wage? Supply and demand. There
are not enough workers willing to work for less so the store has no choice but
to raise their starting wages.
LEWIS
Yes I would. Its important that we make the distinction between the minimum
wage and a living wage. No one who works 40 hours a week should have to
have other job/s so they can support their family. The JC Supervisors have
taken a brave, bold stand with their minimum wage increase structure. It will be
up to the next board to take those initiatives further. To that end, Id like to see
increased partnership with the Center for Worker Justice and our labor unions
to create more training and apprenticeship programs to help low wage families
have a path away from minimum wage jobs.
SULLIVAN
Yes. I led the Countys effort to pass the existing wage increase, and I support
efforts to increase it further.
I hear and understand the other side of the argument where a single parent is
trying to make a living by raising a child on minimum wage. But I think its
important to understand how that person got into that position and whats the
best way to help them get out of that situation? I feel the best thing we can do
is to help them with their living expenses and to help them with child care so
they are free to get an education or skill so they can make a higher wage and
to adequately raise their family.
However, looking at the adjusted wages over the course of the last 40+ years
the average wage seems to be in the $9+ and hour range. I do feel like it has
QUESTION 2: What do you think governments role should be when it comes to labor unions?
SULLIVAN
I am a big believer in organized labor. Labor is a key component of every
social justice movement. I am a longtime member of AFT716, and a delegate
to the Iowa City Federation of Labor. I strongly agree with songwriter Steve
Earle, who says, If you have a boss, you need a union!
Johnson County employees that are covered by bargained contracts (around
300 individuals) belong to one of two unions (PPME or AFSCME), and one of
six distinct bargaining units. (Sheriffs Office, Secondary Roads, and
Administrative units under PPME; Social Services, SEATS, and Ambulance
under AFSCME.) As a County Supervisor, I have been an ally of these groups.
Employee unions are a very good thing for Johnson County. I believe Johnson
Countys role is to support the formation of unions, support the collective
bargaining process, and uphold the contracts that result.
Johnson County does have other relationships with organized labor notably
the two Project Labor Agreements we have had that guarantee certain
protections to the people who build our buildings
FRIESE
The labor movement built the largest middle class the world has ever
known. During my lifetime I have watched a systematic assault on unions that
got traction when Reagan fired the PATCO workers, and has worked
relentlessly right through to what we are seeing in Wisconsin and Michigan
today as they assail public employee unions. Government should fight for the
workers. Big corporations do not need the help.
When I was young I was a union member (of IATSE) until my career took a
different path. And immediate past president of the Iowa City Federation of
labor, in his Facebook post, called me a great guy, who would be a fine
supervisor.
GREEN-DOUGLASS
Government should strive to have a positive partnership with labor unions. I
believe government should abide by the standards and rules established by
labor unions. Because of labor unions, we understand the concept of a
"weekend". It was labor unions that established the 40-hour work week. Some
other things we owe to the efforts of labor unions are: breaks and lunch break,
paid vacation, Family and Medical Leave Act, sick leave, Social Security,
minimum wage, child labor laws, OSHA, unemployment insurance, workers'
compensation, pensions, and the Civil Rights Act prohibiting employers from
workplace discrimination.
HEIDEN
I think the government should neither encourage nor discourage the formation
of labor unions. It should not prohibit membership or activities and all workers
should have the right to form, join or not join a union.
HULL
Unions started in the 1700s by the shoemakers who fought against a wage
reduction. Unions became much more popular in the 1800s as the United
States became more of an industrialized nation. There were a lot of safety,
health and fair labor issues that needed to be addressed. Looking back at the
working conditions, hours worked and the pay it is appalling that it was even
allowed to happen in the first place. Luckily we have learned from those
mistakes and we now have a government entity that workers can report issues
to. OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration was formed and
signed in to law in 1970. OSHA's mission is to "assure safe and healthful
working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing
standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance". The
agency is also charged with enforcing a variety of whistleblower and
regulations.
Looking at the numbers, in 2015 there are approximately 14.8 million union
members in the US and 7.2 million union members working in government
jobs. Which means roughly half of all union members work for the government.
On the Federal side it is 27%, State is 30% and 41% on the local government
level are union members.

HULL contd
Overall, the private sector union labor rate is 11.2% of the workforce and its
35.2% of the public sector workforce. WHY is there such a stark difference in
those numbers? I do not know.
If the main purpose of a union is to collectively fight for the worker to get better
working conditions, fair wages and benefits and to protect pension plans they
have done their job. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the Sep
2015 report shows that employer costs for employee compensation for civilian
workers averaged $33.37 per hour. While State and Local government
employers spent an average of $44.66 per hour worked.
My stance, people have the right to form a union so that they have fair working
conditions and fair wages and benefits but they shouldnt be able to strong-arm
tax payers to get more than their fair share. The biggest problem our country
faces is what one person sees as Fair another person sees it as being taken
advantage of. Our government runs with taxpayer money. Everything the
government pays out or gives out is taken from people or corporations that
have paid it in as a tax.
I know some people that have been in a union and the Brotherhood and pride
of being in a union is very strong. When a union member has a problem they
can count on another union member or a group of union members to come to
their rescue. That should not be taken away.
Once again, it needs to be a compromise.
LEWIS
Its imperative government has a strong working relationship with labor unions.
For example, Im glad the county has begun to require PLAs on many of their
building projects. To rebuild a strong middle class we need strong labor
unions. For unions to have success they need partnership from every level of
government, but local government can play an especially active role. The
minimum wage increase is a great example of how the Board of Supervisors
can make a huge impact on the lives of workers and their families. As I said in
my previous answer, Id like to see increased partnership with the Eastern
Iowa Center for Worker Justice and our labor unions to create more training
and apprenticeship programs to help low wage families have a path away from
minimum wage jobs.

QUESTION 3: What can the Board of Supervisors do to reduce racial and ethnic disparitiesboth differences in
experiences and differences in outcomesin the criminal justice system?
LEWIS
First, we need to continually address the issue at point of contact. The criminal
justice system needs to reflect the community it serves and to that end we
should review our hiring and recruitment practices to ensure were finding all of
the best applicants and supporting growth from within. We need more cultural
competency. We need reinforce the basic tenants of law enforcement, to
protect and serve, and make sure were constantly reminding ourselves that
motto must extend to every citizen, regardless of race. The Crisis Intervention
Training thats now underway is a great step in the right direction, but we have
to continue to work toward an inclusive, fair, and just community for all
residents.
We need to continually assess our efforts and practices in the juvenile court
system as well. The danger of the school to prison pipeline is real and
disproportionately so for students of color. We need to be sure we hire JCOs
that can relate to and help our young people. Initiatives like the LADDERS
program have had a lot of success giving kids chances to learn from mistakes
and improve. As a Supervisor, I will do everything I can to research and seek
new and better programming to help everyone in our community have
comparable experiences with our justice system.
Another area where we could make progress is working with the county
attorneys office to reclassify marijuana charges as civil citations, which would
keep offenders out of jail, out of the judicial system for minor offenses, and
would have a reduced financial impact on the offenders and their families. This
would also present potential cost savings to the county with could be
redirected to new or improved programming.
SULLIVAN
seen improvements in terms of juvenile DMC results, and I believe that is

because of two primary reasons: A) a committed DMC Committee, and B) a
full-time expert staff person.
Because of these positive experiences, I am advocating for both of those
juvenile components to be replicated for adults. We need to both form an adult
DMC committee and hire an adult DMC staff person.
The poor DMC results that we experience here in Johnson County cannot be
fixed by Johnson County alone; it will require a commitment from cities,
schools, higher levels of government, businesses, NGOs, and many additional
players. In juvenile DMC cases, Johnson County has brought these groups
together. I think we can do that for adults as well.
FRIESE
We must make law enforcement a reflection of the community it
serves. People who identify with each other find easier roads to
empathy. Also the Crisis Intervention Training that area law enforcement is
now receiving will improve police-civilian contact across the board, including
with people of color. And I support the work of the DMC committee.
We also need better proportionality in regards to the enforcement of certain
laws. Just as one example: African-American and Caucasian communities
use marijuana at approximately the same rate, yet African-Americans are
prosecuted at a 3X higher rate relative to their population in our
community. But if citations for possession of small amounts of marijuana were
handled more like a traffic ticket than a jailable offense, it would reduce the
contacts between police and people of color while taking a portion of the
burden off law enforcement and the jail.
The question itself points out a key point: there are disparities in both
outcomes (higher conviction rates, longer sentences, etc.) and experiences
(being followed or stopped; being searched more often). Many of these issues
are not easily addressed by Johnson County alone; other law enforcement
agencies, attorneys, judges, etc. all play key roles. Because of that, Johnson
County needs to act as a convener and facilitator, bringing all parties to the
table.
It is true that Johnson County suffers from serious issues with Disproportionate
Minority Contact (DMC) so does almost every county in the US. We have
GREEN-DOUGLASS
The Board of Supervisors can support groups and programs that are culturally
sensitive, that focus on crime prevention, and whose leadership reflect
diversity. The Board can also cooperate with local law enforcement in
providing training that would reduce disproportionate minority incarceration.
Such training might start with law enforcement undergoing implicit bias testing.
It's important to acknowledge and recognize one's biases, then to adopt
practices that would encourage reflection of the situation rather than reactions
based on race and ethnicity.
HEIDEN
The Board of Supervisors must ensure that those involved in the work of the
criminal justice system are well trained in recognizing inherent biases and are
taught how to deal with them so that all people are treated fairly and equitably.
I am pleased that body cameras are now being used by the ICPD.
Every effort should be made to insure that all ethnic groups are proportionally
represented on police forces and in the criminal justice system.
I believe the Board of Supervisors must continue to promote alternatives to
incarceration programs, particularly the crisis intervention training for law
enforcement and look at how our county could support a restoration center
concept.
HULL
Fortunately, I do not have much experience on this subject, however I have
read where the percentage of arrests for people of color is always higher than
the percentage of the population. Is it a combination of racial bias on law
enforcement? Or is it a fact that more crimes are committed by people of
color? If it is a fact that people of color commit more crimes what can be done
about that? Is it a combination of their poor environment and poor influence of
adults while growing up? Is it the lack of opportunities in the work force as
adults or is it the lack of good jobs for people of color.
The most important thing we can do as a government is to continue to
increase opportunities for employment and education and to educate our law
enforcement to not have any racial prejudices. But in looking at the 2013
Racial Equity report it was noted that in 2009 Johnson County had the highest
disparity for black youths who were 9 times more likely to be arrested than
white youths. The report said the 2011 numbers were improving but still not
equal. Are the economic conditions in Johnson County much worse for black
youths or does law enforcement treat black youths differently?
One thought I have is how many crimes are committed by people of color that
were born and raised here in Johnson County versus the percentage of crimes
committed by people of color that have moved here? I like to think that
Johnson County Iowa is open to all people of all races and that the residents of
our county welcome anyone in to our neighborhoods. I think we have a strong
work ethic and we respect anyone that shares the same work ethic. I think we
have some of the best schools and teachers in the State if not in the country
and we instill the belief that we treat all people fairly and to be good citizens. If
someone moves here later in life or even in later childhood some of the basic
principles of life have already been laid down and its hard to change them.

QUESTION 4: As an employer, what should Johnson County and our Supervisors do to create a welcoming, inclusive, and
racially-competent work environment for county employees and contractors?
HULL
I was looking over the 2013 Racial Equity in Iowa City and Johnson County
report and some numbers that surprised me. Black or African American
people have a 12% unemployment rate and multiracial people have an even
higher unemployment rate of 19.6%. This was based on 2011 figures. I found
the 2014 Iowa Workforce Development numbers and they are even worse with
a 14.1% unemployment rate for Black or African American and the state
overall is around 2.6% for March 2016. According to Paulette Wiley, director
Education Brain Trust she thinks the problem is: Education is fundamental to
employment. Skills that include; work ethic, social skills, technical skills,
problem solving, and critical thinking; all are part of the educational process
that prepares a person for career advancement and employability. Our schools
have taken out the vocational trades that allow many students to learn
career skills that would provide a viable income; mechanics, carpentry,
plumbing, HVAC, construction. These are all worthwhile trades that offer
exceptional incomes with benefits.
But as far as our County goes we must continue to hire and welcome people of
all colors in to our work force. We must hire people based on skills and
education and not based on skin color. Maybe, the names of an applicant
should be coded so as not to reveal any bias on what the applicants race may
be. Something like on the TV show The Voice where the singers perform to
the backs of the judges as they are evaluated on their voice only. Once they
decide they want that person to be on their team they hit a button and turn
around and only then do they see what that person looks like. But their
decision is already made that they want that person.
The other fact that stood out to me was the really low number of Black/African
American Americans that own a business in Johnson County. That number
was only 1.8%. I would like to look into this further and see.
LEWIS
First, as I mentioned in the previous question, we need to review and renew
our commitment to inclusive hiring practices and cultural competency training.
Thats the bare minimum. We also need to ensure that the Supervisors lead by
example and provide an appropriate, civil environment for everyone. Overall,
the Supervisors should encourage an environment of acceptance and
exploration by bringing diverse groups into the workplace and extending into
the community, reaching out to and supporting people of all background by
attending events across the gamut of people and backgrounds. As I a
Supervisor I plan to attend at least one new event and reach out to new
constituents each week so I can learn as much about the entire county and its
residents as possible.
SULLIVAN
As a result of my advocacy, Johnson County has established a Diversity
Committee and mandated diversity training (both 101 and 102) for all County
employees. This is a good first step, but I know there is much more that needs
to be done. I am hopeful that we can draw upon some of the best practices
used by other governmental units across the US.
Another critical piece is hiring more people of color. The best way to achieve
the goals stated above is to simply employ and retain workers of color. I have
been actively talking with the Johnson County HR Department and Kingsley
Botchway at the ICCSD about best practices in hiring a more diverse
workforce.
FRIESE
Just as with law enforcement, the entire government ought to look like the
people it serves. Government needs an affirmative approach to diversity in
hiring. One good approach begins Thursday, when Diane Finnerty from the
University of Iowa s Chief Diversity Office will be hosting a workshop for local
government department managers titled Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse
Workforce-Strategies for Hiring Managers.
Beyond workshops, government officials and employees should make an effort
to reach out to social groups in our community other than our own. Engage
socially outside ones own comfort zone. Attend a different church from time
to time, go to a public event thats not the same one they always attend. Play
in a park across town. Organize a potluck and invite members of an immigrant
community. These steps may seem small, but I believe the best way to
understand and trust a person is to share food together, share experiences.

GREEN-DOUGLASS
Let's begin with what we are doing right. As a County, we provide Diversity
training to all employees, thus contributing to a more welcoming and inclusive
work environment. This training has been well-received. As supervisors, we
address diversity and cultural competence in our departmental evaluations. I
am a member of the Diversity Committee, which meets monthly. The Diversity
Committee hosts speakers and this summer we will begin a series of articles
for the Johnson County Weekly Newsletter addressing topics related to
diversity.
It's also necessary to address what we can improve upon. We can start by
acknowledging that we don't have much racial diversity in our county
workforce. In recent job searches, we have not had a diverse applicant pool.
While we welcome racially diverse applicants, I think we could do more to
encourage minorities to apply. I suggest that we widen job searches and
make sure that jobs are announced in a wider geographic radius that would
include big cities, which are typically more racially diverse. Until we attract a
more diverse pool of applicants, we won't be able to increase our hiring of
minorities.
We also need to consider what we can do to retain minority employees once
we have them. This is a community-wide concern and challenge. We can start
by allowing all cultures to flourish in our community, embracing and
encouraging our differences and the contributions we all bring.
HEIDEN
Increasing racial and ethnic diversity, through the countys hiring practices, at
all levels of county government will be a most important step in creating a
welcoming, inclusive and racially competent work environment.

QUESTION 5: Pick one: #BlackLivesMatter or #AllLivesMatter. Please explain your answer.
HEIDEN
There is no question that All Lives Matter but the relevance of
#BlackLivesMatter is that there are identified problems specific to the African
American community that other ethnic communities are not facing. These are
legitimate issues that must be addressed.
HULL
#BlackLivesMatter- The history of race divide in America is a long history and
I feel we have made some improvements but we still need to be made. I do
believe all lives matter but the problem facing America and our large and small
towns continue to be Black Lives. Law enforcement officers have an extremely
difficult job. They work 24/7 365 days per year. They are there to protect and
to serve the public. They patrol the streets of our neighborhoods looking for
people not abiding by the laws. They also are called in when a citizen sees
something that doesnt look right to them. More often than not it happens at
night when visibility
Is reduced and trying to figure out if the person they are looking for is
dangerous or if they are carrying a gun and if their own life is at risk. When
they confront a person there is usually a fraction of a second between deciding
the person is harmless or that person wants to kill them. Once in awhile they
make the wrong decision. What BlackLivesMatter is trying to do is to bring
awareness to racial targeting and not allow the law enforcement officer to
prejudge the person before they even show up. I agree with their purpose.
LEWIS
#BlackLivesMatter
The #BlackLivesMatter movement acknowledges our need to honor the lives
of African-Americans equally in the face of disproportionate police violence
and brutality. It doesnt attempt to value black lives over others, but instead
draw attention to the need for our country to value black lives as we would any
other.
SULLIVAN
#BlackLivesMatter. Anyone who responds All Lives Matter is simply pointing
out that she/he is ignorant of the realities blacks face every day. I heard a
great analogy once: It is like calling 911 and reporting your house is on fire,
and having the 911 dispatcher reply, Why does this have to be about your
house? Every house matters, not just yours. Just as the dispatcher willfully
ignores the house on fire, people who choose All Lives Matter willfully ignore
the realities of black life.
I actually replaced my nameplate with a sign that said #BlackLivesMatter for
about eight weeks in 2015. I received several racist letters as a result, but I felt
very strongly that I needed to make that statement.
FRIESE
#BlackLivesMatter. Because its the black lives that are under assault right
now. Yes, there are other lives that are also under assault in America, but it is
the black lives that are the most.
I have friends who would pick the other answer, and this is how I explain the
idea to them:
Bobs family is sitting at the dining room table. Mom serves food to
everyone but Bob. Bob says, Bob deserves food. His family shouts
back, Everyone deserves food! This is true, of course, but meanwhile,
Bob still has no food.
We all understand that all lives matter, but the point of the statement, and the
movement, is to point out that we still, as a society, regard some lives as
somehow lesser than others, and this needs urgent attention.
For more details on my thoughts on this and related matters of privilege, I
invite you to look at an essay I wrote in the wake of the Ferguson decision,
entitled I The Man: Pondering My Own Privilege.
(http://www.kurtfriese.com/blog/2016/4/27/i-am-the-man-pondering-my-ownprivilege)

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GREEN-DOUGLASS
I choose #BlackLivesMatter. On the surface it would seem as though
#AllLivesMatter includes #BlackLivesMatter, but there is more to it than that.
Certainly all lives matter, but black lives are the ones at risk.
On average, black men live five years less than white men. The infant mortality
rate of blacks is 11.5 %. One in three black men will be incarcerated. While
blacks constitute 12% of the population of this country, black men are 3.5
times more likely to be killed by police than white men. That statistic
skyrockets if you look at black males between 15 and 19 years old. In that age
group, black males are 21 times more likely to be killed by police than white
males! (Rosenthal, Andrew. "The Real Story of Race and Police Killings", 4
September 2015).
These statistics are what gave rise to the #BlackLivesMatter movement. It
doesn't mean that other lives don't matter. It means that in this country, a
person can expect to have a shorter life simply by virtue of their skin color.

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QUESTION 6: In past years, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors has directly allocated over $1 million each year to
local nonprofits and has overseen an additional $1 million through Decategorization, Juvenile Justice and Youth
Development, and other funding sources. How should the supervisors go about distributing and administering these funds?
Specifically, what should you do to make sure that newer organizationsespecially those that are created by and for people
of colorreceive the support they need?
GREEN-DOUGLASS
Many local nonprofits request and receive money through the aforementioned
funding sources. Two supervisors sit on the Decategorization Committee
(Decat). The decision on how those dollars are distributed is, therefore, not a
direct decision of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. Decat funding is
expected to go down in the coming year, making budgeting a challenge.
Like Decat, there are two supervisors who sit on the Juvenile Justice Youth
Development (JJYD) committee, so decisions are not directly attributable to
the Board of Supervisors. There has been a shift of focus in Juvenile Justice
Youth Development (JJYD) allocations. Fewer youth are in the juvenile justice
system, so allocations are now focused on preventive programming.
Last year 16 organizations requested funding and only 6 received it.
Approximately 80% of those served through these organizations are people of
color. While it would be nice to be able to fund every nonprofit, the dollars
available are finite. Allocations should be enough to make an impact and that
is why fewer groups are served. Contributing to all 16 organizations would
have meant smaller allocations that would therefore be spread too thin.
New organizations should be directed to the Social Services department to
learn about what kind of support is available to them and how to apply for
consideration of funds. By accessing Social Services, a new organization can
get direction on how and when to apply for funds.
HEIDEN
Newer non profit organizations often need a boost to initially get off the ground
especially when there is limited funding with many organizations with great
needs in the community vying for funds. I advocate some funds be allocated
only for specific purposes and would be in favor of setting aside a certain
amount each year specifically for new non profits. At the same time I think we
always need to look for ways to consolidate and coordinate our efforts in
providing services to people in need.
HULL
The role of government is to protect and serve its residents by providing
needed services. The budget the County works with comes from the taxes
paid by the people and businesses living, working and doing business in their
jurisdiction. The budget is formulated and combed over many times to find the
right mix and balance. I feel part of that balance is making sure nonprofit
organizations have the funds needed to operate and provide their service to
the people that need their help. When the budget has funds available to help
nonprofits anyone seeking help should put in a request for funding and a
diversified group of people should allocate those funds equitably and fairly. It
should be based on what the organization intends to do with those funds as
well. It needs to be used for the betterment of the community and or the
people of the community.
LEWIS
As with programs like Decategorization, there should be a focus on
preventative, family centered and community-based programs that focus on
inclusiveness and restorative efforts and not strictly punishment.
Its imperative that the county be sensitive to the challenges organizations
created by people of color create, especially new organizations, face in
comparison to organizations fostered by members of the traditional power
structure. For better or worse, there has been a tacit system of institutional
disenfranchisement that often biases the funding allocation process whether
this happens consciously or not. Much like the disproportionality black and
minorities experience in police contact in many communities, many
organizations struggle to find funding at a disproportionate rate compared to
others. Its imperative that anyone elected to the Board of Supervisors be
acutely aware of this and receive additional training and experience in working
with diverse groups of people.
Its imperative that the Board of Supervisors adopt a more flexible mindset and
not rely strictly on process. Especially when that process might disadvantage
some group more than others.

12
LEWIS contd
Just yesterday we had a situation that highlights this difficulty. As I understand
the situation, a local advocate and educator approached the county for
assistance in funding a trip for area students to visit Civil Rights landmarks and
historically black colleges and universities. The educator hadn't gone through
the appropriate process and went before the supervisors with a somewhat
emergent situation. There had been a long-term effort on the part of the
organizers of the trip to raise the funds through different means and with only a
few weeks left they found themselves falling short of their funding goal. So
they approached the Supervisors for help.
It's true that this request fell outside the timeframe and protocol set out for
such requests and 3 of the 5 supervisors voted to deny the request. These
Supervisors were following the letter of the law in their denial. But my
argument against denying the request, and the argument I would have made
as a sitting Supervisor, is this:
1. The requested amount, $1000, is a small amount of money relative to the
county budget and the amounts I understand to be typically requested.
2. The impact it would have made would have been tremendous. Without the
funds two students wouldn't be able to go on the trip.
3. Yes, granting this request could open the process up to a "slippery slope"
argument by others in the future or petitioners who had been denied funding in
the past, but I would have rather put the onus on myself as a Supervisor to
defend why we supported this project rather than defend why we didn't.
To my mind, leadership sometimes requires flexibility and creativity. I would
have done everything I could to find a way to say "yes" and provide an
explanation rather than say "no" and cite process.
In the end, I was able to help find the $1000 to fund the trip. I hope that this
kind of problem solving and positivity can be a part of these kinds of situations
in the future. Thanks to Iowa KidsNet for making up the difference utilizing
some of their community investment funds to support this program; Iowa
KidsNet engages communities through outreach and support to recruit foster
and adoptive parents for Iowa's children. I'm glad we could find the funds and
those two students will be able to make the trip. I hope the organizers are able
to reach their full funding goal and everyone can benefit from the experience.
This situation highlights the need to reassess our processes and implement
plans and processes that account for unforeseen and/or emergent situations,
as well as the assures that we balance the process to make sure groups
founded by people of color are showed equal deference and attention to other
groups. If elected, I'd love to tackle that issue.
SULLIVAN
First, please allow me to point out that Johnson County is one of only two
counties in Iowa that uses General Funds to support human services
providers. 97 counties do Decat and little else. Johnson County is also one of
only 4-5 counties that fund JJYD services. Approximately 95 counties do
nothing. I am extremely proud of Johnson Countys unparalleled record of
funding services.
As for distributing funds: Traditionally, there have been committees made up of
County staff, DHS and Juvenile Court personnel, and community members
who have made funding recommendations to the Board. I like the idea of
involving additional voices in this process. One way in which we could improve
this process is by endeavoring to include more recipients of services and more
people of color. I fully support this effort.
Obviously, with limited money available it has been difficult for new agencies to
obtain funding. One option might be to carve out a portion of the funding and
target it specifically to organizations serving people of color. I would support
such a move, provided it is done thoughtfully. Ideally, we could increase the
total amount of funding available so that no successful program loses out.
FRIESE
There was a very recent issue before the Board of Supervisors regarding
precisely this subject. As you may know, I lobbied hard for the ad hoc grant for
the HBCU tour. Some on the board argued that the request needed to have
gone through the proper process, and that since it did not, they could not
grant the request because they felt it would be unfair to the groups who
applied through that annual process, especially those who were denied.
I disagree.
The organizers of the tour could not have known, back when the process was
underway, that they would need the extra support. When it became clear that
their own private fundraising was not sufficient, they asked both the City and
the County for help. In fact they were invited to by a current member of the
Board of Supervisors. The City gave $1250. The county could have voted to
make a special exception to their process, could have amended the motion to
make it clear that it was a one-time thing and to emphasize a preference for
the process. It may even have served to help inform the community a little
better about how that process works. But instead they voted 3-2 (Carberry
and Sullivan in the minority) to deny a meager $1,000 to some young people
who just wanted to learn more about their history. Unfortunate.

13
FRIESE contd
Small organizations like this one find it very difficult to be as proactive as the
larger ones can often be. And newer organizations may find it very difficult to
get a foot in the door of the County grant process because established 501c3s
have established track records receiving these grants over several
years. Another way to look at it though is that the large established charities
and other programs might need to stand on their own a little more while the
government helps boost the smaller, newer ones.
One solution for the future may be a zero-baseline approach. In the coming
years block grant process, lets start everyone at zero. Their previous record
of receiving these grants should not be considered. The Board of Supervisors
should do more outreach to the new groups, and coach them on how the
process works it should be affirmative and inviting, not look like a barrier.
The only qualifications ought to be the quality of the work they do, their existing
and potential community support, and the benefits their work provides to make
Johnson County a more regenerative, resilient, sustainable and inclusive place
to live.

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Racial and Economic Justice Questionnaire - Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidates

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Social and Economic Justice Questionnaire Responses

2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidates

Wednesday, May 11 5:30-7:30 pm Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A

2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire

2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire

2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire

seen improvements in terms of juvenile DMC results, and I believe that is

2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire

2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire

2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire

QUESTION 5: Pick one: #BlackLivesMatter or #AllLivesMatter. Please explain your answer.

2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire

2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire

2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire

2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire

2016 Johnson County Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire

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