If you’re eligible to vote in the city of Birmingham, do it! The weather is beautiful, the lines will likely be short (unfortunately), so get out and do your civic duty.
If you’re eligible to vote in the city of Birmingham, do it! The weather is beautiful, the lines will likely be short (unfortunately), so get out and do your civic duty.
…and done!
Go Tricia!
Man, I’ve been so busy watching the Mass debacle that I totally forgot about you guys. Off to check local sources…
And apparently the strategy of saying that your opponent wants to teach your kids about sodomy does in fact still work…
:::slow-motion-headdesk:::
This hasn’t been the best of days.
First Larry Langford, the Fairfield residing crook. Now William Bell, the raging homophobe. I can’t wait to see what Birmingham does next.
Builds a dome?
(Del ducks)
Thankfully, the dome is one project that Bell has at least said he’s willing to leave up to the county and state (which we know will kill it). I have several concerns:
1. Does my husband still have a job, and if he does, how badly will his paycheck be affected? He works for the city, and for some reason, employee paychecks (not unnecessary contractors) is the only place Bell has considered cutting back expenses, and somehow he thinks he’s going to find $40 million there. He might be able to eek out $2 million if he’s lucky. We’ve already done the math.
2. Are Frank Matthews and company going to be getting their jobs back?
3. Bell reminds me too much of Langford in that he doesn’t seem to understand city finances enough to do what needs to be done. He’s also known to be almost as corrupt and prone to cronyism. If the city wasn’t already in dire straights as a result of Langford, Bell would likely be less of a concern. But with the city already deeply in financial trouble, Birmingham needs someone who can pull them out of the hole (lest Birmingham suffer the same fate as Fairfield and JeffCo). Bell is not that person. I’m not saying he might not be that person. I’m saying that he’s not. Period.
4. Bell is also prone to secrecy regarding City Hall. Not good. That’s another one of Langford’s traits that got us into this mess. He’s done it before when he was interim mayor. He’ll do it again. Brace yourself.
Birmingham is not looking at a bright future, I hate to say. Thankfully, I don’t live there, but I can’t pretend that this won’t affect our entire family.
I will not forget that Del!
My only thoughts on Frank Matthews: (&%#!#!&^%*&^$%#$#!$@^$&%(*^)*^*^$^# DAMN IT!#%#$#$!#$^
Tricia, ditto. And I’m very disheartened by ALMod’s comment. I was hoping this might not be as bad as I thought, but it looks like it might be even worse.
Kathy, there are signs of growing civic interest and engagement. I was gratified by the emphasis on transit. One of Bell’s supporters is already working on a community wide gathering to meet with him.
He is the mayor of all of Birmingham now and so, we all have a right to expect good management with transparency and accountability.
Also, Bill, actually he’s not a homophobe–just channeling younger George Wallace. Neither he nor Cooper have ever been public gay-bashers.
I hope that Cooper will be engaged, especially around transit, schools, housing and the Northern Beltline. Bell must be educated quickly and know that supporting it is selling out the citizens of Birmingham.
Also, Bill, actually he’s not a homophobe–just channeling younger George Wallace. Neither he nor Cooper have ever been public gay-bashers.
I’m sorry, but I don’t think having Matthews do the dirty work lets Bell off the hook. And what does channeling “younger George W.” even mean?
Not it doesn’t let him off the hook. One plus, he won’t be going after the gay community the way Langford did.
The younger Wallace started out progressive, turned super segregationist to get elected. Same thing happening among too many of our elected officials in this state (both parties) around immigrants and immigration reform.`
One plus, he won’t be going after the gay community the way Langford did.
I’m not trying to be argumentative, but considering Bell’s campaign literature this really does not compute. He already has been attacking the gay community, and it worked. Why would he stop now?
Also, as far as I can tell Bell has never been progressive. He’s been a part of the “Arrington machine” basically my whole life.
Helen, I almost always defer to your knowledge and experience in matters of Birmingham government. But I do not accept that allowing supporters to call a fine public servant, and person, an “abomination” because of his sexual orientation means that he will not “go after the gay community.” He/his henchpersons have already done so. He absolutely does not deserve the benefit of the doubt on this one. The “abomination” in this deal is the Bell/Matthews campaign’s disgusting bigotry. William Bell can go straight to hell.
I’m sure Matthews and Langford will be keeping a seat warm for him there.
Tricia and Bill,
I do not believe Bell will go after the gay community; and if his surrogates do, there will be serious consequences. One of the things I will join others in pressing for quickly is addressing human rights in Birmingham through support for the Human Relations Commission, which was allowed to languish under the current administration.
Whoops, meant languished under the past three administrations (LL, CS, RR)