A Hard Fought Campaign

Unofficial results from the Johnson County Auditor:

Candidate	Early Vote	Election Day	TOTAL
McGrath	145	141	286
Hopson	145	138	284
Leff	141	135	276
Haverkamp	94	179	273
Lane	97	171	268
Stewart	139	128	267
Yeggy	88	161	249
Whitmer	89	156	245

Speaking on behalf of Amanda, Jim and Pat we are gratified by the tremendous support we received while campaigning. It is a testament to the spirit and concern of our citizens  to have 60% turn out for the election.

Both Jim and I are humbled by your trust and will certainly work with everyone in city government to the best of our abilities.

Due to the one vote difference for the final seat on the council, a machine recount by the auditor's office is likely, before results of the election are certified.

Please Vote

U-H Polling Site:

St. Andrew Church
1300 Melrose Ave.

Polls open at 7:00 a.m.

Polls close at 8:00 p.m.

This is a request for you to participate in the greatest privilege in a democracy, and vote in our city election.

University Heights is at a crossroads and your vote is critical. In the 2009 election the margin of victory for the final seat on council was 2 VOTES. To say that your vote is important is not idle chatter.

One of the important things that makes University Heights great is that we participate in our local government to a degree unparalleled by our neighbors. A total election turnout of 60% of registered voters would not be surprising to any of us. Please do your part to contribute to our community.

And also remember that ALL NINE CANDIDATES for office in this election SUPPORT THE LIBRARY LEVY. VOTE YES TO SUPPORT LIBRARY SERVICES!

A "Right Sized" Campaign for U-Heights

Until the 2011 special election no candidate in University Heights had ever had to file a finance report with the Iowa Campaign and Ethics Board, because no one had ever had spent over the state regulated $750 limit.



In a report filed today, November 3, 2011, WeR4UH has raised $3,290.00 for the 2011 campaign and through October 19th had  spent $1,593.00. Their major expenditure was for 300 yard signs.

In addition to the above, four separate committees for Hopson, Leff, Stewart, and McGrath have also been created. These individual groups, will not have to report if they EACH stay under the $750 limit. 

To see all contributors and expenses so far, download the filed
We Are For UH Election Report

For the 2011 Special Election the Committee to Elect Rosanne Hopson raised $2,535 and spent $2,500

To see all contributors and expenses, download the filed Hopson Special Election Report

We believe that spending  $5,825 dollars for two elections, plus potentially up to $3,000 more ( from the 4 individual candidates) in a single year is too much.

As this blog shows, the candidates of "We Are University Heights Moving Forward" have tried to be informative and creative in explaining the complicated issues in this city election to members of our community.

What may not be quite so obvious is that we have also made a conscious effort to be frugal.

The decision for the five of us to work together in this election was not taken lightly. When it became apparent that we were faced with an organized, well funded campaign, we made a commitment to form a single group and not exceed the $750 expense limit that would require documenting expenditures and donations. We did this, not because we didn't want to disclose this information, but because our belief was that spending the equivalent of no more than 75 cents per resident was appropriate. We also consciously limited contributors to University Heights residents.

Our biggest expense has been 50 yard signs at $6 each.

However, the cornerstone of our campaign effort costs nothing. We have been going out door to door to residents and talking with them, as campaigns in a small town should. When demand for yard signs exceeded what was available, we took and re-made old signs left over from earlier elections. We have printed our own materials.  We have used "free" media such as this blog to express, expand and illuminate upon the ideas and facts behind the issues. Through these efforts we have tried to give as much detail as possible in order for U-H citizens to make informed decisions.

We have tried to campaign in a cost-conscious way. These skills should come in handy as we govern in the future, given the city's tight budget. We hope that you appreciate those efforts.

A Measured Endorsement

In what I thought was a well written summary of one of the major issues in the City Council campaign, the Iowa City Press Citizen endorsed the candidates of We are University Heights Moving Forward. Here is the text of today's editorial:


We usually avoid backing one-issue candidates in city council races, but in University Heights, the one issue on everyone’s mind seems to be developer Jeff Maxwell’s proposed One University Place.

If the members of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church decide to move from their property at 1300 Melrose Ave., Maxwell has proposed to build two buildings — one five stories and strictly residential, the other three stories and residential/commercial. The total

Candidate Profiles

Here are links to the our candidate profiles that were run in the 11/1/11 Iowa City Press Citizen.

Mike Haverkamp: Haverkamp running to finish what he started

Jim Lane: Lane calls for better understanding of the budget

Amanda Whitmer: Whitmer says she offers city financial expertise

Pat Yeggy: Yeggy wants to focus on independence

Candidate Forum Answers

1. Are you for or against the "One University Place" development project?

St Andrew has been an important part of University Heights for fifty years.  It’s fine with me if they decide not to move.  But in the event they do decide to move, the next use of this parcel needs to be a tax paying proposition.   There has been much discussion about what type of project should be supported here, but the city does not set the value of the property and the value of the property will drive the type of development.

We have all heard that Maxwell has offered the church $4 million dollars for this property.  The “One University Place” development is based on this value.   At the present time the final design is still not decided.  There have been many changes made to the original plan, many of them at the request of the community such as the height of the building, the setback, the number of units, the number of parking spaces.

When the plans for the “One University Place” development are agreed upon by the developer, the council and members of the public, I will be for this project.  I did not come to this decision lightly. I gave it a lot of thought.  Like it or not, our community is at a turning point.  I want the

Property Tax 101

While talking to people in town I get asked "Why can't we just raise taxes if the city  budget is tight?"

The largest portion of the city’s revenue comes from property taxes.  In Iowa, property tax is to be used only by government entities: schools, cities, counties.  Local assessments can also be made for hospitals, and taxing districts (water districts, fire districts, recreational lake districts, to name a few) can be formed to collect taxes that pay for the provided service.      

Government entities are permitted by state statute to impose a tax on real estate.  Residential and commercial real estate includes land and buildings.

    

A city is permitted to impose a property tax levy rate for its general fund not to exceed $8.10 per $1000 of assessed value.  Other supplemental levies are also permitted and the rates are specified by Iowa Code section 384.12.¹

Some levies must be authorized by ballot.  An example of this in University Heights is the library levy. 

A city can only impose those permissible levies to which it is entitled.  In University Heights these levies include the regular general levy ($8.10) and supplemental levies for transit, insurance, emergency levy, FICA and IPERS, and employee benefits.  I sometimes call these supplemental levies “stealth levies” because the city is able to impose them without voter approval. 

Until as recently as ten years ago, University Heights was able to meet its obligations using only the regular general levy ($8.10).  Today the regular general levy and every one of the supplemental levies that the city is qualified to receive are imposed.

This is why the city can’t “just raise taxes” when more money is needed.  We simply do not have the authority to assess any additional levies. 

Here is our city's budget sheet with notes that I've added to it. Click on the yellow boxes to find out more:

UH BUDGET SHEET

For further information about property tax in Iowa, see the “Legislative Guide to Local Property Tax”

Additional information can be found at the Iowa Auditors website.  

Time Machine: 1950 City Council Minutes

As city historian I was going through old minutes  and found these from the first two Council meetings in January, 1950. There are some striking similarities to our current situation, and it certainly makes interesting reading.

At the January 18th meeting there was discussion of a proposed apartment complex south of Marietta and west of George streets. This area was just outside of city limits. The minutes state that it was recognized that there were residents opposed to the project, and it was thought best to invite the developer, Mr. Crawford, to the next council meeting.

Mr Crawford came to the January 30th meeting and a representative of the Marietta neighbors spoke about their objections to the project. Mr Crawford then gave his rebuttal.

To quote the minutes, "After some further discussion Mr. Crawford left. The objectors suggested no course of action for the council to follow and the meeting adjourned."

This brief summary doesn't begin to tell the story as well as the full account (barely two pages long)                      READ IT ALL HERE

Why I'm Running- Pat

I’ve lived in University Heights for more than twenty years.  When I realized what a unique place University Heights is I wanted to do my part for the city.  My first “event” was the 60^th anniversary celebration in 1995, and I’ve been a contributor since then.  I was the city clerk for six years and previously served on City Council (2006-2007), so I have fifteen years of experiences with the city and first-hand experience with city government and administration. 

I’ve always helped with the Chautauqua.  I’ve been in the garden club for a long time.  I am our city’s representative to the JCCOG Community Climate Action Task Force.  I have great interest in the history of University Heights and I designed University Height’s posters for the Johnson County Historical Society’s Communities Stories exhibit.

My interest in our city's past and present helps me envision our city’s future.

Who ARE the Candidates?

EXPERIENCE EXPERTISE VISION

Louise From Mayor since 2006, council member from 1994-2005. Louise has served as president of the Johnson County Council of Governments and is active in county-wide governmental organizations




Mike Haverkamp on council since 2010. Chair of the eGovernment Department. Former president of Friends of Historic Preservation, Iowa City Arts Festival, Iowa Friends of Old Time Music, Iowa City Education Association.


 Jim Lane on council 2010. Former Plant manager at Proctor & Gamble, President of United Way of Johnson County Board, Chairman of Construction Consulting Committee of Iowa City School District.


Amanda F. Whitmer Licensed CPA, with 9 years experience in public accounting. Currently in Treasury Operations at UI. Treasurer of the Iowa City Downtown Association.



Pat Yeggy on council 2006-2007, and since 2010. Pat is chair of the Streets and Sidewalks Department. She served  formerly as the UH city clerk. Pat is also the city historian.