Pelham, Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook flimsy excuse to raise taxes

Pelham Civic Center
Pelham Civic Complex

By David Sher

I don’t get the logic.

I read the headlines and excuses, but they make no sense.

Read this recent headline.

Pelham raises sales tax for the first time since 2013 Continue reading Pelham, Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook flimsy excuse to raise taxes

Is Jefferson County about to lose #1 license plate?

Alabama License Plate
Jefferson County license plates begin with the number 1.

By David Sher

I’m going to talk about Alabama’s  license plate codes to  belly-ache about our Birmingham regions lack of growth.

When I was a child traveling out of state and I saw an Alabama license plate beginning with the number 1, I would proudly proclaim to my family that the folks in that car were from Birmingham, and I would think to myself: Birmingham, the #1 city in Alabama.
Continue reading Is Jefferson County about to lose #1 license plate?

You won’t believe what kind of games are coming to Birmingham

Bill Ryan
Bill Ryan

Today’s guest columnist is Bill Ryan.

Birmingham, you convinced me and my team!

Our group evaluated sites for our national games and Birmingham, in an 11th hour pitch, catapulted to the top of our list and joined renowned event cities like Houston, Salt Lake City, Indianapolis and Cleveland. Continue reading You won’t believe what kind of games are coming to Birmingham

We must not overlook Birmingham’s biggest blessing

Angel
Many angels in Birmingham

By David Sher

A couple of weeks ago my wife went on a long walk starting and ending in Crestline Village.

She and a friend walk every Sunday and have done so for years.

Unfortunately, on that particular day the temperature was 95º with 80% humidity. Continue reading We must not overlook Birmingham’s biggest blessing

Not best way to spend $5 Billion on Birmingham

John Northrop
John Northrop

Today’s guest columnist is John Northrop.

Everett Dirksen, the Senate floor leader in the’50’s and 60’s was once quoted, “A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money.”

We’re in the process of potentially investing $5 billion in our Birmingham region.

With that kind of money at stake we need to take a pause and consider a more transformative option. Continue reading Not best way to spend $5 Billion on Birmingham

Mr. Rogers would be proud of wonderful downtown Birmingham neighborhood

Michael Calvert
Michael Calvert

Today’s guest columnist is Michael Calvert.

A few years ago, there was no neighborhood other than public housing in downtown Birmingham.

Pioneering loft residents created a vibrant, social life to make “wonderful days” and wonderful nights, too, in Birmingham’s downtown neighborhood.

Like Mister Rogers, they said to each other, “Won’t you be my neighbor?” Continue reading Mr. Rogers would be proud of wonderful downtown Birmingham neighborhood

Birmingham doesn’t need Mtn. Brook, Vestavia, or Hoover to grow

Jeffrey Bayer
Jeffrey Bayer

Today’s guest columnist is Jeffrey Bayer.

Last week, after a successful annexation vote, Mayor Sandy Stimson of Mobile proudly proclaimed, “We’re bigger than Birmingham!”

Up until recently Birmingham was concerned about falling behind Huntsville.

Now we’ve fallen behind, not only Huntsville, but also Montgomery and Mobile. Continue reading Birmingham doesn’t need Mtn. Brook, Vestavia, or Hoover to grow

Birmingham, largest implementer of talk technology for babies as young as 4 months old

Ruth Ann Moss
Ruth Ann Moss

Today’s guest columnist is Ruth Ann Moss.

We all want our children—all Birmingham’s children—to have bright futures.

Yet, according to the Brookings Institute, “a child born poor in Birmingham has a 1 in 20 chance of making it to the top income distribution, lagging almost everywhere else in the country.” Continue reading Birmingham, largest implementer of talk technology for babies as young as 4 months old

To begin a conversation about a better Birmingham