I’ve been gobsmacked by this Birmingham statistic

Jeffrey Bayer, Bayer Properties
Jeffrey Bayer, President & CEO of Bayer Properties

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Jeffrey Bayer.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Birmingham’s experiencing a surge in local pride and national attention because of developments that are breathing new life into our region. We’ve got great communities, world-class medical facilities, enchanting parks, and a nationally recognized food scene.

I keep hoping—“This is Birmingham’s time.”

But then I get a dose of reality.

I just got a peek at the American City Business Journals Economic Index, which ranks economic performance among the nation’s 100 largest metro areas. *

My heart sank.

Birmingham’s seven county metro ranked 86th out of 100 – even though Sunbelt cities generally dominated.

Birmingham ranked 80th or below in seven of the 25 categories: (7 County Birmingham Hoover Metropolitan Area):

  • 5-year change in nonfarm employment: 85th
  • 5-year change in private-sector employment: 89th
  • 5-year change in construction employment: 90th
  • 1-year change in average weekly earnings: 81st
  • 5-year change in per capita income: 80th
  • 5-year change in total personal income: 94th
  • 1-year change in total personal income: 91st

Rank of some of our sister southern cities:

  • 2. Austin
  • 4.  Nashville
  • 7. Raleigh
  • 8. Orlando
  • 11. Dallas Fort Worth
  • 13. Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.
  • 16. Charlotte
  • 18. Atlanta
  • 21. Tampa-St. Petersburg
  • 24. Jacksonville

Incoming Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin isn’t going to save us unless…

Newly elected Mayor Woodfin is developing important and great ideas for Birmingham City, but the City of Birmingham represents less than 20% of our metro area and can’t do it alone. The only real chance he has to make a meaningful difference is to collaborate with the rest of our region.

The recent released Together we prosper Community Foundation study proves--“The most successful regions have found ways to work together.”

We need to study the four cities included in the report and find solutions for Birmingham.

It’s important to note that no option Birmingham may consider involves combining schools.

We want more jobs and prosperity. We want to provide opportunities for ourselves and our children.

We have identified the problem.

Let’s do something about it.

86th out of 100 is not acceptable.

*American City Business Journals is the parent organization of the Birmingham Business Journal

Jeffrey A. Bayer, President and CEO of Bayer Properties, has fostered his organization into a national commercial real estate leader.  Jeffrey’s a Birmingham native and an uncompromising Birmingham supporter.

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David Sher is Co-Founder of AmSher Compassionate Collections.  He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).

Invite David to speak to your group about a better Birmingham. dsher@amsher.com

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4 thoughts on “I’ve been gobsmacked by this Birmingham statistic”

  1. Why do we still have thirteen public school system in Jefferson County in 2017? Collaberation may lead to consolidation? Mostly like not,but market based economics and market base public education are on the same side for the coin ! Just know together we proper and together we learn. Just a thought.
    Thanks,George Munchus
    Professor at UAB

  2. Mr. Bayer and Mr. Sher:

    Why do you continue to trot out these employment statistics which are obviously bad, while never actually addressing or even mentioning the root cause – your buddies at the BBA, and especially Brian Hilson, do not give a damn about Birmingham or creating a single job in Birmingham?

    I don’t even have to use my MBA to look at a simple chart and realize that there is a direct correlation with Brian Hilson’s dictatorship beginning at the BBA and the job growth in Birmingham lagging all other peers. Remember the glory days of 2007 when Birmingham had the lowest unemployment rate in the nation? Since then we have seen nothing but sell outs from Johnny Johns and Golden Flake and crew and utter silence from the Birmingham Business Alliance (sic).

    When will you ask why the BBA is so secretive and silent? When will you ask why the BBA has a backbone weaker than a wet paper sack when it comes to standing up for Birmingham? When will you ask why the BBA continues to receive funding and has made zero personnel changes despite many years of total failure? When will you ask why the BBA receives so many complaints from entrepreneurs and start ups about the lack of support from the BBA?

    Mr Bayer, If an employee at your company missed every single project deadline and milestone(as the BBA already has), missed 50% of scheduled days worked, and never responded to a single piece of correspondence you sent his way, would you give him a raise and shout his praises? Quite unlikely. WHY DO YOU INSIST ON DEFENDING A CORRUPT, VILE ORGANIZATION SUCH AS THE BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS ALLIANCE (SIC)???? YOU SHOULD DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY FROM THEM!

  3. I am a resident of Shelby County but am hopeful the metro area can get its act together so there will opportunities for our children. I don’t want to have to go to one of the cities you listed to see them and my future grandchildren. I would like them to at least have the option to stay here and build a life here. They may not choose to but right now I am not sure they will have the option.

    I don’t know the new mayor but hopefully he will reach out to the other mayors of the metro area in a very public way to build bridges so they can work together for the good of the whole metro area. If he does this in a sincere and honest way then it is incumbent upon the residents of Birmingham’s neighboring cities to let their mayors know that they expect them to work together for the good of the metro area. This is everyone’s best interest. Everyone needs to choose cooperation and a chance to change our future for the better or we will be #100 on this list in the future.

  4. I am a resident of Shelby County but am hopeful the metro area can get its act together so there will opportunities for our children. I don’t want to have to go to one of the cities you listed to see them and my future grandchildren. I would like them to at least have the option to stay here and build a life here. They may not choose to but right now I am not sure they will have the option.

    I don’t know the new mayor but hopefully he will reach out to the other mayors of the metro area in a very public way to build bridges so they can work together for the good of the whole metro area. If he does this in a sincere and honest way then it is incumbent upon the residents of Birmingham’s neighboring cities to let their mayors know that they expect them to work together for the good of the metro area. This is everyone’s best interest. Everyone needs to choose cooperation and a chance to change our future for the better or we will be #100 on this list in the future.

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