Mayor Randall Woodfin revealed his proposed budget for the 2024 fiscal year on Tuesday, highlighting its “laser focus commitment” on neighborhood revitalization and youth support services.

The proposed $554.8 million budget is significantly larger than last year’s $522.3 million budget, thanks in part to projected increases in business tax revenue (up $12.3 million from last year) and property tax revenue (up $2.8 million). But Woodfin’s proposed budget reflects few differences in priority from the previous year.

Neighborhood revitalization, a banner issue for Woodfin’s administration, will receive $13.5 million in appropriations this year, though with some tweaks from previous years. Once again, $15 million will be allocated to street resurfacing, though money for blight removal has been decreased from $2 million to $1 million. Some of that money will go instead to weed abatement, which will receive $2 million this year compared to last year’s $1.5 million. Woodfin told city councilors Tuesday that the city’s weed-cutting budget would prioritize city property, including rights-of-way and parks, with the remainder going to “leftover private lots that the city is not responsible for.”

Weed abatement already had received $1.25 million in extra funding earlier this year from the city’s budget surplus. Sidewalk repair, meanwhile, is budgeted for $200,000 this year in addition to the $600,000 in surplus funds approved in January.

The proposed budget also continues last year’s focus on youth services. Once again, $2 million will go toward Woodfin’s signature Birmingham Promise scholarship/apprenticeship program, while $1 million will again go toward placing mental health professionals in each of the city’s public schools.

Funding for a “safe haven” youth program, introduced last year to extend hours for recreation centers across the city, has been reduced from $1 million to $500,000, though recreation centers received $4.4 million in surplus funding earlier this year. Meanwhile, funding for a youth summer jobs program remains steady at $210,000. Line items for conflict resolution services and financial literacy classes will receive $1 million each, while a juvenile court reentry program will receive $225,000.

The city will also spend more money on public transportation this year as part of Woodfin’s proposed budget. The allocation for the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority will increase from $10 million to $11 million, while funding for the city’s new rapid transit program will increase from $1 million to $3 million. And despite complaints from some councilors that the program has failed to deliver on promises to expand, the city is doubling its commitment for the ridesharing service Via from $1.2 million to $2.5 million.

Since May of last year, city employees have received two 5% adjustments to their salaries. In this year’s budget, police and fire employees will receive another 5% increase, while 2,555 city employees will be eligible for a 5% merit pay increase. Longevity pay also will be available for 1,875 eligible employees.

Libraries will receive a slight budgetary increase, from $14.6 million last year to $15.5 million this year, while the parks and recreation department will receive $24.1 million this year compared to last year’s $21.6 million.

The Birmingham Police Department will be appropriated $115.3 million, $3.2 million less than last year, though it’s still much more than the $99 million the police received in the FY 2022 budget.

Woodfin’s proposed budget still has to be approved by the City Council before it would take effect. The council will hold a public budget hearing at the Boutwell Auditorium on June 5 at 5:30 p.m. It’s unlikely these deliberations will result in changes to Woodfin’s proposal, though — the council has approved his past three proposed budgets without any changes at all.

Woodfin’s full proposed FY 2024 budget can be found on the city’s website.

FY24 Mayors Proposed Operating Budget by Birmingham Watch on Scribd