Jefferson County Commission, District 2
Candidates for the Jefferson County Commission, District 2, in the June 5 primary
Government
Jefferson County Commission, District 1
Candidates for Jefferson County Commission, Place 1, in the June 5 primary
Gary Richardson
Office: Jefferson County Commission, District 1 Party: Democratic Age: 60 Residence: Midfield Political experience: Mayor of Midfield, 2004-present (fourth consecutive term); ran for Jefferson County Commission, District 2, in 2008. Professional experience: President, CEO and morning talk show host, WJLD AM1400/FM104.1/WIXI AM 1360 (Richardson Broadcasting Corp.), 1987-present;system technology coordinator, Bessemer City Schools, February 2005-present; teacher, Bessemer City
Eric Major
Office: Jefferson County Commission, District 1 Party: Democratic Age: 50 Residence: Fairfield Political experience: Alabama House of Representatives, District 55, 1998-2006; ran for Jefferson County Commission, 2007; executive committee member, National Conference of Black State Legislators, 2002; former executive committee member, National Conference of Mayors. Professional experience: Business development and government relations consultant with the Global Development
Alabama Secretary of State
Candidates for Secretary of State in the June 5 primary.
Michael Johnson
Office: Secretary of State Party: Republican Residence: Albertville Political experience: Marshall County Revenue Commissioner. Professional experience: Programmer and security analyst, Auburn University; contract information systems administrator for IBM, Lexington, Kentucky; systems analyst and programmer, North Slope Borough of Barrow, Alaska; director of senior services, City of Albertville. Civic experience: Whole BackstageTheatre, Guntersville. Education:B.S. in management, Auburn University;
Lula Albert
Office: Secretary of State Party: Democratic Residence: Mobile County Political experience: Ran for secretary of state, 2014; Democratic candidate for Congress (First District), 2013. Education: Albert did not respond to the Birmingham Watch candidate questionnaire. Main issues: Albert is making her second run for the secretary of state’s office. Running a low-key campaign, Albert advocates a simplified
‘That is Crazy:’ 17 Steps to Cutting Checks for Birmingham Neighborhood Projects
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin addressed concerns about his proposed FY 2018 budget’s funding for neighborhoods during a press conference Thursday, arguing that his administration was actively working to address neighborhood associations’ complaints about bureaucratic red tape. Earlier this month, Woodfin announced that he would be moving the $500,000 typically allocated to neighborhood associations “to directly invest in revitalization,” saying that neighborhoods already have unspent funds “sitting here” in their accounts. “We challenge the neighborhood associations to work with us with the existing funds they have to address weed abatement, demolition and other neighborhood improvements,” he said then. But during May 14’s budget hearing, neighborhood officers argued that they had been unable to spend their money for years due to a lengthy and often interminable approval process. “[Woodfin] never asked us why we have so much money in our accounts,” Central Park Neighborhood Association President Susan Palmer told a sympathetic city council. Read more.
Getting Past Bankruptcy: Jefferson County Credit Ratings Up, Cost of Borrowing Down
Jefferson County Commissioners took their latest step away from bankruptcy Thursday as they refinanced about $138 million in debt at lower interest rates, a move that saves the county $14.24 million over the next eight years. In requesting a resolution to refinance the general obligation warrants, Chief Financial Officer John Henry said the county has raised its credit rating with national finance agencies which translates to lower debt service on money it borrows. Commissioner David Carrington said that the warrants were refinanced without extending the length or amount of the debt. Not one single day was added to the debt,” he said. “… We’re paying off the debt in 2026. There will be no more general obligation debt of the county unless a future commission decides, for instance, that they want to build a jail, which is probably coming in the next decade or two.” Read more.
Alabama Pushes Back Against Child Traffickers Moving to Birmingham
Carrie Hill, a juvenile probation officer at Jefferson County Family Court, says that central Alabama may be supplanting Atlanta as a hub for child trafficking. Traffickers “are slowly starting to move to Birmingham,” Hill said. Against that backdrop, nearly 40 people gathered for the Child Trafficking Solutions Project Summit Tuesday at Family Court. “We have been trying to find solutions to the problem of human trafficking of our kids in this state,” said Hill. She said entities have come at the problem from different angles, “doing their own thing. We’re trying to get everybody together and corral everyone so we can have a single focus and mission.” Read more.