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The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved the mayor’s $615 million budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal year, with significant funding increases for transportation, violence prevention programs and homeless outreach services.
“I want to thank the Birmingham City Council for their partnership in passing this budget. It represents our shared values and reflects our combined commitment to building a Birmingham where every neighborhood can thrive, every young person has the opportunity to succeed, and every resident feels safer and better served,” Mayor Randall L. Woodfin was quoted as saying in a release. “We’re continuing to make smart, responsible investments that strengthen our city today while positioning Birmingham for an even brighter future.”
The council passed the measure, approving the budget with no discussion and little deviation from the proposal the mayor brought to the body in May.
Birmingham’s mayor holds the budget power since passage of the 2016 Mayor-Council Act, which critics contend shifted that balance of power too heavily toward the executive.
Woodfin’s 2027 fiscal year budget anticipates an increase in overall revenue, up more than $20 million from the previous year. City officials also expect to spend more in FY2027, with the budget rising from $597 million this year to $615 million for next year.
The budget calls for a major funding increase to the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority, from $11 million to $11.5 million.
It also increases appropriations for the city’s homelessness reduction and community violence intervention programs by 50%, giving the initiatives $3 million each.
The budget also maintains this year’s funding level for neighborhood revitalization work, at $19 million. That includes:
- $12 million for street resurfacing.
- $3 million for weed abatement.
- $1.5 million for demolition and blight removal.
- $1.53 million for critical home repairs.
- $500,000 for traffic calming.
- $300,000 for recycling.
The budget passed Tuesday also maintains major investments for the city’s Cradle to Career program, including:
- $2 million for Birmingham Promise.
- $1 million for mental health support in Birmingham City Schools.
- $1 million for financial literacy curriculum in Birmingham City Schools.
- $1 million for Common Ground conflict resolution programming.
- $625,000 for the Safe Havens Initiative.
- $500,000 for the Birmingham Youth Sports League.
- $500,000 for the Black Male Initiative.
- $500,000 for Cradle to Career initiatives.
- $210,000 for Kids and Jobs programming.
