Government

Birmingham Has $53.4 Million Surplus, Will Fund 5% Pay Raises and Upgraded Trash Collection

Due to conservative budgeting and higher-than-expected sales tax revenues, a recent audit revealed that the city of Birmingham had a $53.4 million surplus for the 2021 fiscal year. On Tuesday morning, the City Council voted to spend $39.5 million of that surplus on a variety of items — most significantly a 5% across-the-board raise for all city employees. The raise will cost the city $11.6 million this fiscal year and is pending approval from the Jefferson County Personnel Board, which is slated to meet in early April. Woodfin also said he would be recommending in his budget proposal for the year beginning July 1 that city employees get merit raises of up to 5% in the next budget year, which could mean a raise of up to 10% for some city workers within the next four months. Other spending will include buying new garbage trucks and dedicated trash bins, paving streets and spending on the World Games. Read more.

Birmingham Asks Public to Consider Proposed New Council and BOE District Lines

The Birmingham City Council is considering the approval of new City Council and Board of Education district lines, redrawn to take into account population shifts shown by the 2020 census. City law mandates that districts be redrawn after each census to make sure that Birmingham’s population is evenly distributed among them. Each district elects a member of the City Council and the school board. The proposed changes would be in effect for the next two municipal elections, in 2025 and 2029. The council held a public hearing March 29 to hear residents’ thoughts on the new district maps, and tweaks could be made based on those comments. The proposal would shift territory out of relatively overpopulated districts — Districts 1 and 2, for example — and into underpopulated districts — Districts 4, 6, 8 and 9. Read more and see the full proposal.

ICE Withdrawing Detainees From Etowah County Detention Center, Cites ‘Serious Deficiencies’

U.S. immigration officials announced Friday that they would stop using the Etowah County Detention Center, in Gadsden, to house detainees. The decision was based on the jail having “serious deficiencies,” according to a press release from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Etowah County Detention Center, which houses the county’s jail and the federal detention area, has come under a litany of complaints for decades. The complaints have included physical conditions at the jail, improper actions by personnel and inadequate health care. Etowah County Sheriff Jonathon Horton told the Gadsden Times that the news came as a shock to him. "It was just a bombshell," Horton told the Times. He also said ICE just this week notified him it would be sending 135 more detainees to the jail. The detention center, where the county has its jail as well as the federal detention area, has come under a litany of complaints for decades. The complaints have included physical conditions at the jail, improper actions by personnel and inadequate health care. Read more. BirminghamWatch’s Virginia MacDonald explored complaints about the Etowah County Detention Center in this 2019 report:

Alabama Site for Detained Immigrants Has History of Abuse Charges, Efforts to Close It.

Birmingham Dismisses Tickets Issued Before 2011

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has announced pardons for more than 756,000 outstanding traffic and parking violations that were issued before Jan. 1, 2011. Woodfin characterized the initiative, called Stop and Go — an acronym for Suspend Traffic Obligations Permanently & Grant Opportunities — as a “second chance” for residents living under the threat of fines or arrest. Read more.

Birmingham Mayor Promises Raise for Police in Next Budget

Mayor Randall Woodfin has promised Birmingham police officers a raise in the city’s next fiscal year. “Officers are feeling a considerable amount of pressure over not being appreciated,” Woodfin said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting, which was attended by several “concerned” off-duty police officers. Woodfin mentioned stressors on the police department, including smaller recruitment classes and growing retirement rates, as well as the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s not just our police,” he said. “Our fire department, public works and general service employees all feel the pinch. (But) what’s unique about these men and women that you see (here) is that they were not afforded the opportunity to take off over the last two years. They were not afforded some other things other employees received because they’re on the front line of public safety. As an administration, I know this council (agrees). We as an administration agree, they deserve a raise. They’re going to get a raise.” Read more.

Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court Nomination Sparks Black Girl Magic in Local Judges

Jackson is the first Black woman to be nominated to the high court. But in Jefferson County, Black women already hold many judgeships in the court system. Read more.

JeffCo Commission Again Stalls Food Assistance Funding for Questions

Sheila Tyson took another swing Thursday at getting federal funding to three organizations with sights set on feeding people. Once again, her swing came up empty as her fellow Jefferson County commissioners couldn’t agree unanimously to bring the matter up as new business during their morning meeting. Tyson admitted after the meeting that she held little hope that the matter would come up for discussion and possibly a vote. “No, I did not,” she said, recounting that she talked to her fellow commissioners before the meeting. Read more.

Food Program Funds Delayed by JeffCo Commission Questions

Jefferson County Commissioners on Tuesday put the brakes on doling out federal money to COVID-prompted food programs. The agenda for the commission’s committee meeting had three entities that were being considered for awards of American Rescue Plan Act funds. Some commissioners said they wanted more information on how and where each organization is distributing food and their policies for doing so. Sheila Tyson cast the lone “no” vote. “So let me get a full understanding,” Tyson said. “We're getting ready to pull these off of the agenda, these programs that will be feeding hungry senior citizens, for our lack of understanding?” Read more.

Alabama Lawmakers Roll the Dice on a New Lottery Bill

The constitutional amendment would authorize a state lottery, sports betting, eight full casinos and two smaller gambling operations. Read more.

Alabama’s ‘Ultimate School Choice’ Bill Gets Complicated When Considering Race and Poverty

Parents could get about $5,600 per kid in state money to use for other schooling options. The proposal is currently in a legislative study committee. But experts told WBHM school choice brings up concerns around equity. Read more.