2017 Birmingham budget

The 2016-2017 Birmingham budget includes the operating budget for the City of Birmingham for the fiscal year July 1, 2016–June 30, 2017 as well as a capital projects budget.

Mayor William Bell submitted a proposed FY2017 budget on May 10 which totaled $420,258,567.00, or $16.5 million more than the 2016 Birmingham budget, based on projected revenue increases. His proposal included a 5% merit raise for eligible city employees along with an across-the-board 1% cost of living adjustment. It also proposed increasing discretionary funding to Neighborhood Associations from $2,000 to $5,000. It provided $1.4 million for weed abatement and $1.3 million for demolition, along with $350,000 in operational funding for the Birmingham Land Bank Authority. The proposed capital budget included $840,000 to expand the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system and $1 million for police body cameras and video storage.

After weeks of discussion and compromise, the budget bill, totaling $425 million, was ultimately passed by the Birmingham City Council on August 30.

Among the provisions of the adopted operating budget were a 1% cost of living adjustment for city employees and increased funding for weed abatement and demolition of condemned structures. Educational programs from the Birmingham Board of Education and Birmingham Public Library were granted funding from the general budget, along with increases in operational funding for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the Indigent Defense Fund of the Birmingham Municipal Court. Another $600,000 in disbursements to non-profit organizations involved in economic development and social serves was included.

The capital projects budget allocated $19 million to street resurfacing, $10.4 million for Birmingham Fire & Rescue, Birmingham Police Department and Birmingham Public Works Department vehicle purchases, $4.3 million for renovations of the Carver Theatre and Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, $3 million to replace Birmingham Fire Station No. 8 in Kingston, $1.65 million for renovations at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, $750,000 for community storm shelters, and $600,000 for renovations to the Birmingham Police Department East Precinct headquarters.

References

• "Mayor Advances $420 Million Budget with Emphasis on Neighborhoods and Public Safety" (May 10, 2016) City of Birmingham press release
• Wright, Barnett (September 1, 2016) "Birmingham City Council, Mayor agree on $425M budget for fiscal 2017." The Birmingham Times

External links

• 2017 Birmingham budget at data.birminghamal.gov