2009 State of the City address

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Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford's 2008 State of the City address was delivered to the Birmingham City Council on Tuesday January 27, 2009, at the beginning of Langford's 2nd year in office. The address, traditionally delivered to the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, was repeated for that group the following week.

As with many of his other presentations, Langford played a staff-produced video prior to giving his remarks. The 20-minute video highlighted the city's accomplishments during 2008, including the distribution of low-cost laptop computers to Birmingham City Schools students, construction of the Railroad Park downtown, successful negotiations to keep Trinity Medical Center inside the city limits, and Daniel Corporation's redevelopment of the former HealthSouth corporate campus.

In his address, Langford touted the city's stable revenues and low unemployment in a troubling period for the national economy. He proposed using $100 million in unspent capital approved over the past 13 years to jump-start economic development and capital projects over the coming year. He made sharp comments toward Birmingham's suburbs, saying"I will not defend another decision to do nothing in this city to people who don't even live in this city"1. and if her were mayor 25 years ago he would have cut off the water that made their development possible. He pledged to seek opportunities for regional cooperation, but only if they were beneficial to Birmingham.

He also directed pointed remarks to the City Council, claiming that he has the power to negate council decisions by refusing to act upon them and calling for an end to public fights. "You got a problem with me? Like a man or a woman, you bring it to me. I got a problem with you, I'm going to bring it to you."2.

Transcript

Notes

  1. Thomas-2009
  2. ibid.

References

  • DeButts, Jimmy (January 27, 2009) "Langford wants to spend $100M on projects." Birmingham Business Journal
  • Spencer, Thomas (January 28, 2009) "Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford gives highlights from past year in state of the city address to the council." Birmingham News

External link

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