Well, this predates me, but it used to be that the compensation board was made up of representatives of each of tax-levying bodies, i.e. cities, school districts, the community college -- like the county conference board, which sets the counth assessors's budget. That held salaries down. Of course, when the law changed and each elected official and/or the county board) has a representative to advocate for them, they typically would set salaries high. That annually caused a tizzy of controversy and coverage, maybe a righteous editorial in the paper condemning outlandish raises -- all setting the stage for the county supes to look like they were being fiscally responsible by lowering them at the county budget hearing. It was kind of a sham show, as Winston Churchill once put it. And of course, the raises not only affect the elected officials, but their "percentage deputies" whose salaries are at a percentate of the respective elected official under whom they serve. This could include the sheriff's entire command staff, as well as deputy auditors, recorders, etc.
I could see that the proposed legislation would allow county supervisors to retaliate against other elected officials they might have a vendetta against -- much in the same way county supervisors can battle against autonomous appointed boards like the board of health, conservation, veteran affairs, etc. However, there may be a hedge against that. I've noticed over the years that a large number of county supervisors like to run for re-election within the courthouse, i.e., get all the county employeees to like and vote for them. It works well when you're in a heavy working-class union county like
Black Hawk County, anyway.
I always thought county government had a structural flaw in that the supervisors peform both the executive and legislative functions of government and that maybe there should be an elected county manager or administrator, like a mayor in most Iowa city governements (except Iowa City). And I never really understood why all those county administrative posts are elected positions -- other than to provide the local political parties with a point of entry for political involvement by career office seekers. Remember, Gov. Reynolds and Sen. Ernst each started out in county govenment. And this one is absoutely true -- when our county Democratic Party chair, who was also the Black Hawk County recorder, endorsed then-Sen. Joe Biden for president prior to the 2008 caucuses, Mr. Biden got down on one knee and kissed her hand at a public event. These county officials can swing a big stick.
Thanks Bob —someone needs to keep score as on a spreadsheet of all of Reynolds and Republican ideas to eliminate public participation to cut out citizen input, and to build walls between the public and government. They have already neutered our state boards and Commissions. They’re putting a stop to citizen review boards; they’re making it harder to vote by absentee, or just simply vote. The problem is many Iowans are just tired of politics, and they don’t follow the erosion of a democracy. Reminds me when I grew up in Chicago under mayor , mayor Daley. People knew patronage was rampant as well as corruption, but the buses ran on time.
the larger issue is why we still maintain a horse and buggy geographic perspective (no more than a day's drive to the county seat, or something like that) to justify the existence of 99 counties in a state of three million people. If you want fewer county-level fiefdoms, reduce the number of counties. Increasing the number of voters in each county could also force supes to appeal to a wider range of voters and give a wider audience to the discoveries of rural journalists.
And the compensation board has made sure the entire R courthouse crew from top to bottom is really well paid - saves all their positions over and over!! Who’d vote NO for a regular raise? Sharing out to our PRO IA D24 group …. Thanks for keeping tabs on this!!!
In a county with 5 Supes and all Rs, 2 of whom have served so long together as chair and vice (sometimes reversing which is which) that they not only finish each other’s sentences but haven’t had an original thought in years - “we’ve always done it this way” is rampant!!
The Marion County Democrats have run some decent candidates but as long as people here fall victim to the Republican slander, none of these people have a chance to get elected. I do think a few we have now seem to be thoughtful. I could be wrong.
Excellent essay. I've spent a lot of time in a small town in western Iowa—and lately I've been pretty alarmed at well-educated folks who think that Mr. Trump is the answer to their prayers. Will the electoral college give us a dictator? That is my question for you ... Thanks for subscribing and I will return the gift, good sir. I read you in The New York Times.
Well, this predates me, but it used to be that the compensation board was made up of representatives of each of tax-levying bodies, i.e. cities, school districts, the community college -- like the county conference board, which sets the counth assessors's budget. That held salaries down. Of course, when the law changed and each elected official and/or the county board) has a representative to advocate for them, they typically would set salaries high. That annually caused a tizzy of controversy and coverage, maybe a righteous editorial in the paper condemning outlandish raises -- all setting the stage for the county supes to look like they were being fiscally responsible by lowering them at the county budget hearing. It was kind of a sham show, as Winston Churchill once put it. And of course, the raises not only affect the elected officials, but their "percentage deputies" whose salaries are at a percentate of the respective elected official under whom they serve. This could include the sheriff's entire command staff, as well as deputy auditors, recorders, etc.
I could see that the proposed legislation would allow county supervisors to retaliate against other elected officials they might have a vendetta against -- much in the same way county supervisors can battle against autonomous appointed boards like the board of health, conservation, veteran affairs, etc. However, there may be a hedge against that. I've noticed over the years that a large number of county supervisors like to run for re-election within the courthouse, i.e., get all the county employeees to like and vote for them. It works well when you're in a heavy working-class union county like
Black Hawk County, anyway.
I always thought county government had a structural flaw in that the supervisors peform both the executive and legislative functions of government and that maybe there should be an elected county manager or administrator, like a mayor in most Iowa city governements (except Iowa City). And I never really understood why all those county administrative posts are elected positions -- other than to provide the local political parties with a point of entry for political involvement by career office seekers. Remember, Gov. Reynolds and Sen. Ernst each started out in county govenment. And this one is absoutely true -- when our county Democratic Party chair, who was also the Black Hawk County recorder, endorsed then-Sen. Joe Biden for president prior to the 2008 caucuses, Mr. Biden got down on one knee and kissed her hand at a public event. These county officials can swing a big stick.
Do I understand that you're claiming that somebody would ever pressure an official to fiddle with an election result? But that seems--wait, uh-oh....
Thanks Bob —someone needs to keep score as on a spreadsheet of all of Reynolds and Republican ideas to eliminate public participation to cut out citizen input, and to build walls between the public and government. They have already neutered our state boards and Commissions. They’re putting a stop to citizen review boards; they’re making it harder to vote by absentee, or just simply vote. The problem is many Iowans are just tired of politics, and they don’t follow the erosion of a democracy. Reminds me when I grew up in Chicago under mayor , mayor Daley. People knew patronage was rampant as well as corruption, but the buses ran on time.
the larger issue is why we still maintain a horse and buggy geographic perspective (no more than a day's drive to the county seat, or something like that) to justify the existence of 99 counties in a state of three million people. If you want fewer county-level fiefdoms, reduce the number of counties. Increasing the number of voters in each county could also force supes to appeal to a wider range of voters and give a wider audience to the discoveries of rural journalists.
And the compensation board has made sure the entire R courthouse crew from top to bottom is really well paid - saves all their positions over and over!! Who’d vote NO for a regular raise? Sharing out to our PRO IA D24 group …. Thanks for keeping tabs on this!!!
In a county with 5 Supes and all Rs, 2 of whom have served so long together as chair and vice (sometimes reversing which is which) that they not only finish each other’s sentences but haven’t had an original thought in years - “we’ve always done it this way” is rampant!!
Thanks for the alert, Bob!
The Marion County Democrats have run some decent candidates but as long as people here fall victim to the Republican slander, none of these people have a chance to get elected. I do think a few we have now seem to be thoughtful. I could be wrong.
Bob on the job. Great work, Sir, as always.
Excellent essay. I've spent a lot of time in a small town in western Iowa—and lately I've been pretty alarmed at well-educated folks who think that Mr. Trump is the answer to their prayers. Will the electoral college give us a dictator? That is my question for you ... Thanks for subscribing and I will return the gift, good sir. I read you in The New York Times.
Yikes!!!