People's Budget Birmingham: Difference between revisions

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==FY2021 Budget Controversy==  
==FY2021 Budget Controversy==  


On [[August 18]], 2020, the [[Mayor of Birmingham]] released his proposed budget that included furloughing hundreds of city employees, while increasing the line item for the [[Birmingham Police Department]] by $11.2 million.
On [[August 18]], 2020, the [[Mayor of Birmingham]] released his proposed FY21 budget that included furloughing hundreds of city employees, while increasing the line item for the [[Birmingham Police Department]] by $11.2 million.


During the [[Birmingham City Council]]'s public hearing on the FY21 budget on August 31, 2020, People's Budget Birmingham submitted the People's Priorities Report to the Birmingham City Council.
During the [[Birmingham City Council]]'s public hearing on the FY21 budget on August 31, 2020, People's Budget Birmingham submitted the People's Priorities Report to the Birmingham City Council.
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People's Budget Birmingham worked with BPL patrons and library employees from around [[Jefferson County]] to advocate for the City of Birmingham to amend the proposed FY21 budget to prevent the furloughs and library closures. Many Birmingham residents, which included clergy, librarians, [[neighborhood associations|neighborhood association]] officers, and other members of People's Budget Birmingham, were prevented from entering [[Birmingham City Hall]] when they tried to attend the weekly Birmingham City Council meeting.  
People's Budget Birmingham worked with BPL patrons and library employees from around [[Jefferson County]] to advocate for the City of Birmingham to amend the proposed FY21 budget to prevent the furloughs and library closures. Many Birmingham residents, which included clergy, librarians, [[neighborhood associations|neighborhood association]] officers, and other members of People's Budget Birmingham, were prevented from entering [[Birmingham City Hall]] when they tried to attend the weekly Birmingham City Council meeting.  


After being locked out of the previous City Council meeting, dozens of Birmingham residents showed up to the [[September 30]], 2020, City Council meeting to speak out in opposition to the proposed FY21 budget. The meeting ended up lasting about 5 hours. During the meeting the Birmingham City Council passed the Mayor's proposed budget 6-3, with zero amendments to the budget.
After being locked out of the previous City Council meeting, dozens of Birmingham residents showed up to the [[September 30]], 2020, City Council meeting to speak out in opposition to the proposed FY21 budget. The meeting ended up lasting about 5 hours. During the meeting the Birmingham City Council passed the Mayor's proposed [[2021 Birmingham budget|FY21 budget]] 6-3, with zero amendments to the budget.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 22:40, 21 February 2021

People's Budget Birmingham is a coalition focused on giving you a say in how the city spends your taxes, supporting budget transparency, and creating policies to implement a participatory budgeting process.

After the murder of George Floyd, and the actions that arose around the nation in June 2020, People's Budget Birmingham was founded by eight local organizations. Those organizations include Black Lives Matter Birmingham, Adelante Alabama, SWEET Alabama, Dynamite Hill-Smithfield Community Land Trust, Birmingham Earth Coalition, DSA - Birmingham, When We Fight, and Faith & Works.

People's Priorities Report

In August 2020 they created a survey to gather Birmingham residents budgetary priorities for the City of Birmingham's Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) budget. On August 31, 2020 they released a People's Priorities Report. The report included the results from 872 residents, which is 2.7 times more survey results than the City of Birmingham received for the Impediments to Fair Housing Choice study they released in May 2020.

The top four priorities listed in the report are 1) child and youth development, 2) food security, 3) alternative criminal justice models, 4) routine mental healthcare and wellness. The bottom four priorities listed in the report are 1) parking and traffic enforcement, 2) city attorney's office, 3) municipal court, 4) police department and law enforcement.

FY2021 Budget Controversy

On August 18, 2020, the Mayor of Birmingham released his proposed FY21 budget that included furloughing hundreds of city employees, while increasing the line item for the Birmingham Police Department by $11.2 million.

During the Birmingham City Council's public hearing on the FY21 budget on August 31, 2020, People's Budget Birmingham submitted the People's Priorities Report to the Birmingham City Council.

On September 16, 2020, in a discussion between the Mayor of Birmingham and the Board of Directors of the Birmingham Public Library (BPL), Mayor Randall Woodfin stated that the Birmingham Public Library would only receive $6.2 million during FY21 budget, significantly less than the $12.8 million listed in the Mayor of Birmingham's publicly released proposed FY21 budget. This resulted in the Birmingham Public Library furloughing 158 employees as a result of insufficient funding.

People's Budget Birmingham worked with BPL patrons and library employees from around Jefferson County to advocate for the City of Birmingham to amend the proposed FY21 budget to prevent the furloughs and library closures. Many Birmingham residents, which included clergy, librarians, neighborhood association officers, and other members of People's Budget Birmingham, were prevented from entering Birmingham City Hall when they tried to attend the weekly Birmingham City Council meeting.

After being locked out of the previous City Council meeting, dozens of Birmingham residents showed up to the September 30, 2020, City Council meeting to speak out in opposition to the proposed FY21 budget. The meeting ended up lasting about 5 hours. During the meeting the Birmingham City Council passed the Mayor's proposed FY21 budget 6-3, with zero amendments to the budget.

References


External Links

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