Government

Willine Body

Willine Body Birmingham City Council, District 6 Age: 73 Residence: Birmingham (Graymont) Political Experience: President, Graymont Neighborhood Association, 2012-present; Applicant, Birmingham City Council District 6, 2018; Vice President, Graymont Neighborhood Association, 2002-12 Professional Experience: Self-Employed, Home Quality Inspection Services Civic Experience: Minister, Greater Temple Missionary Baptist Church Main Issues: Economic development, rehabilitation and restoration of

by Sam Prickett

Haki Jamaal Muhammad

Birmingham City Council, District 1 No information was available for Muhammad and he did not respond to requests for information from BirminghamWatch.org. Top Contributors: None filed  

by Sam Prickett

Poll Hours, Polling Sites and Absentee Ballots

The polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 8. You can verify your polling place on the AlabamaVotes.gov site. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Trump Inquiry Dominates Congressional Conversation

WASHINGTON — All of Alabama’s U.S. House of Representatives members voted to call for the release of a whistleblower complaint alleging misconduct by President Trump centered on his interactions this year with the Ukrainian government. That action (H Res 576) passed, but by that time, the administration already had sent Congress the complaint, which it had refused to release for more than a month. The Senate adopted an identical resolution on a non-record vote. However, the vote split along party lines on a measure (H Res 590) to force floor debate on a Republican resolution disapproving of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to start a formal impeachment inquiry against Trump. The measure was quashed on a technicality, and the House voted 232-193 to uphold that ruling, meaning the measure could not be debated U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-7, was the only Alabama representative who voted not to debate H Res 590. Supporting the resolution were Republican Reps. Bradley Byrne, R-1, Martha Roby, R-2, Mike Rogers, R-3, Robert Aderholt, R-4, Mo Brooks, R-5, and Gary Palmer, R-6. Read more.

by Voterama in Congress

Jones: Take a Deep Breath and Let the Constitution, Not Politics, Guide Impeachment Decisions

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones said in a press conference and in remarks on the Senate floor Thursday that it's crucial that the constitutional process in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump be allowed to play out. Asking the media to “take a deep breath,” Jones said it was important to understand that the impeachment process is just beginning. Jones said that to rush to any judgment on either side of the political fence without knowing all of the facts is irresponsible. “Allegations in a complaint are simply that,” he said. “They are allegations made, but they have to be proven.” Read more.

by Cheryl Slocum

Ammons Fails in Move for More Discussion of Jeffco Budget

Commissioner Steve Ammons took one last shot Thusday at conducting more discussion concerning adjustments to the recently passed the budget for fiscal year 2020. Ammons moved that the resolution approving amendments to the budget be set aside from the other 51 resolutions for separate consideration. Commissioner Lashunda Scales offered a counter motion that all of the resolutions be considered as presented. The counter motion was passed on a 3-2 vote with Scales, Sheila Tyson and Joe Knight voting in favor; Ammons and Commission President Jimmie Stephens voted no. Speaking later, Ammons repeated his concern that budget adjustments are coming a very short time after the budget was adopted in early August. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Birmingham Launching Pilot Ridesharing Service

Starting in December, residents of some Birmingham neighborhoods will have a new transit option. The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to approve a six-month transportation pilot program with ridesharing company Via, funded in part by the city and in part by the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. The program will provide on-demand transportation using marked Mercedes Metris vans, which can be summoned online, through an 800 number or on a smartphone app. Each trip will have a flat fee of $1.50 per rider; the vans can accommodate six riders at one. The pilot program will cover a 6.7-mile area that includes parts of downtown Birmingham, along with western neighborhoods such as Smithfield, Graymont and College Hills. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Jefferson County Commissioners Quarrel Over Making Changes to New Budget

The recently passed fiscal 2020 budget was the subject of some terse discussion during the Jefferson County Commission’s committee meeting Tuesday. Commissioner Joe Knight offered a resolution to move $250,000 from demolition to reserves and another $250,000 that had been listed in the public service fund to a project fund for transit. Knight said there was no new money. The transit money was already there, he said. The proposal prompted a lengthy discussion that addressed the lack of demolitions of derelict house and the prospect of 15 being torn done this year. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Birmingham Partnering With Bloomberg Philanthropies on Early Childhood Learning Program

Birmingham in October will be launching an early childhood program designed to increase interactive talk with children as a way to foster early brain development. The Birmingham Talks program will serve 2,500 children, birth to 3 years old, across Jefferson County over the next three years. The city of Birmingham is among five cities selected to replicate the Providence Talks program, which is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies through its What Works Cities initiative. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

House Sends Bill Designed to Avert Government Shutdown to Senate

Key Votes Ahead The House in the week of Sept. 23 will take up bills dealing with banking rules, the Border Patrol and medical care for migrant children. The Senate will debate fiscal 2020 appropriations and executive-branch nominations. WASHINGTON — The House last week passed a continuing funding resolution (HR 4378) in an attempt to avert a government shutdown. The resolution, which is expected to be taken up this week by the Senate, provides stopgap appropriations for the first seven weeks of fiscal 2020, which starts Oct. 1. It would fund agencies at 2019 levels while giving negotiators time to reach agreement on regular appropriations bills for the 2020 budget year. Alabama’s representatives split on the vote, with Reps. Martha Roby, Mike Rogers, Robert Aderholt and Terri Sewell voting for it. Voting against it were Reps. Bradley Byrne, Mo Brooks and Gary Palmer. Read more.

by Voterama in Congress