List of initiatives proposed by Larry Langford: Difference between revisions
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==[[Mayor of Fairfield]]== | ==[[Mayor of Fairfield]]== | ||
Langford is most remembered for his efforts to bring together 11 separate cities to form the [[West Jefferson Amusement and Public Park Authority]] that constructed the [[ | Langford is most remembered for his efforts to bring together 11 separate cities to form the [[West Jefferson Amusement and Public Park Authority]] that constructed the [[Visionland]] amusement park. The park was sold out of bankruptcy to a private operator five years after it opened. | ||
==[[Jefferson County Commission]]== | ==[[Jefferson County Commission]]== |
Revision as of 13:59, 9 December 2007
This is a List of initiatives proposed by Larry Langford.
Since entering politics, Larry Langford has earned a reputation as a fertile wellspring of bold proposals. Birmingham News Editor Tom Scarritt characterized him as "a Gatling gun of ideas."
Birmingham City Council
Mayor of Fairfield
Langford is most remembered for his efforts to bring together 11 separate cities to form the West Jefferson Amusement and Public Park Authority that constructed the Visionland amusement park. The park was sold out of bankruptcy to a private operator five years after it opened.
Jefferson County Commission
The Birmingham News credited Langford with 69 public initiatives during his first four years on the Jefferson County Commission (2002 - 2006). Among them were:
- Selling the county sewer system to private investors
- Instituting a four day work week for county employees
- Bringing Giuseppe Moretti's "Bust of Christ" to Vulcan Park
- Putting magician's top hats on downtown light poles
- Hiring a public relations firm to promote Jefferson County in the state
- Engineering interest-saving bond swaps
- Starting a literacy center for public school students
- Reviving street trolleys
- Board certification for teachers
- 1 cent sales tax to support school construction
Mayor of Birmingham
During his campaign for the 2007 Birmingham mayoral election Langford used the slogan "Let's Do Something, and promised that a broad range of major projects would be underway within his first month in office. Many of these were incorporated into his proposal for the Birmingham Economic and Community Revitalization Ordinance which he delivered to the Birmingham City Council two days after he was sworn in. The measure, which was approved on December 4, provides new revenues for the following:
- Increased city funding for transit improvements.
- City funding for a domed stadium, (to be located either downtown adjacent to the BJCC, at Fair Park, near the Birmingham Turf Club, or elsewhere.)
- Funding college or trade school scholarships for Birmingham City Schools students with a "C" average or above.
- contributing $10 million per year into an economic development fund
- spending $15 million per year on streets and sidewalks, of which $9 million would be divided between the 9 council districts as "discretionary" funds.
In addition to the ordinance, Langford has made numerous other proposals since taking office:
- Sending Birmingham Department of Public Works crews out on a continuous 23 in 23 initiative to clean up neighborhood rights-of-way and remove trash, abandoned vehicles and overgrowth.
- Buying 15,000 XO laptops from the One Laptop Per Child foundation for Birmingham City Schools students in 1st through 8th grade.
- Demolishing Boutwell Auditorium and giving the site to the Birmingham Museum of Art for expansion.
- Demolishing Legion Field
- Demolishing the Birmingham Board of Education Building at Linn Park for redevelopment.
- Building an aquarium, perhaps as part of a major shopping mall.
- Providing $5 million toward construction of an amphitheater at the Railroad Reservation Park.
- Lobbying for a lottery or bingo game to support health care.
References
- Bryant, Joseph D. (December 9, 2007) "Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford has gotten major projects under way in first month in office." Birmingham News.
- Bryant, Joseph D. (December 4, 2007) "Birmingham City Council approves sales tax, business license fee increases." Birmingham News.
- Wright, Barnett (April 23, 2006) "Langford's full of ideas, both big and small." Birmingham News.