Category Archives: David Sher posts

Can Birmingham survive without Uber?

August 5, 2014 David Sher 6 Comments

I’ve never seen anything like this Uber thing.

People regularly challenge me to write about specific topics relating to Birmingham, but the interest in Uber is beyond insane.

I’ve been bombarded by e-mails from folks supporting Uber and describing Birmingham City Councilor Kim Rafferty as the Evil Witch of the West.

I believe many folks have determined the Uber decision will define the future of Birmingham.

Under great pressure, I write about Uber knowing that many of you may be unhappy with my perspective.

Continue reading Can Birmingham survive without Uber? →

Corporate community, David Sher posts, Government structure

WOW! The response took my breath away

July 29, 2014 David Sher 5 Comments

Lee Thuston, Managing Partner, Burr & Forman

I never could have predicted this would happen.

When we started talking about a better metropolitan Birmingham with an emphasis on government structure, no one took us seriously.

Now in a short 30 months, dialogue about government structure and particularly government consolidation has moved to the top of the list.

The Birmingham Business Journal (BBJ) recently unveiled its list of Birmingham’s most influential executives and ran the following poll, “Which issue should Birmingham’s Most Influential Executives address? Continue reading WOW! The response took my breath away →

David Sher posts, Government structure

The worst thing to happen to America and Birmingham

July 22, 2014 David Sher 2 Comments

Alabama's 6th Congressional District — Alabama’s 6th Congressional District

I attended Gary Palmer’s victory celebration at the Birmingham Marriott and I was blinded by the “white.” There may have been an African-American there, but I didn’t see one. This should not be a surprise since Alabama’s 6^th Congressional District is 88.8% white and 7.7% African-American. Continue reading The worst thing to happen to America and Birmingham →

David Sher posts, What's great about Birmingham

Birmingham: much richer than you think

July 15, 2014 David Sher 8 Comments

Have you ever heard someone say, “Birmingham’s limited because we don’t have the wealth of other cities?”

That’s just not true.

Many of us think of Birmingham as this impoverished town with low wages and a poor standard of living. But the facts and actions of our citizens tell another story.

I first got a hint of Birmingham’s wealth when the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) hired Market Street Services to prepare its strategic plan. One of the statistics presented was income per capita—a number I expected to be low–but I was wrong. Continue reading Birmingham: much richer than you think →

David Sher posts

Is David Sher a nincompoop?

July 8, 2014 David Sher 15 Comments

I don’t know if I was prepared for what was in store for me when I began publishing ComebackTown 2 1/2 years ago. I had a simple goal to provide a forum to begin a conversation about a better Birmingham.

Who could possibly be against a better Birmingham?

And why would strangers personally attack me and my guest bloggers for trying to make things better? It’s perfectly fine to disagree–but why the personal attacks?

I’ve had more than one guest blogger beg me to remove their blog because they were embarrassed by the comments posted on al.com. As I told them, you could find a cure for cancer and some folks on al.com would still call you the devil.

Continue reading Is David Sher a nincompoop? →

David Sher posts, Government structure

Gary Palmer has a novel idea

June 24, 2014 David Sher 6 Comments

I was talking with a good friend before the 6^th Congressional Runoff Debate at Regions Field between Paul DeMarco and Gary Palmer.

I told him Cliff Sims, the publisher of Yellowhammer and one of the panelists, had solicited questions for the debate on the Internet.

I suggested Cliff ask about the lack of economic development and job growth in metropolitan Birmingham.

My friend told me my question wasn’t appropriate since local job growth is not the concern of a Congressman.

I obviously disagreed and was pleased to get a quick response from Sims saying he would add my question to his list. Continue reading Gary Palmer has a novel idea →

David Sher posts, Government structure, Population

This number will scare the bejeebies out of you

June 3, 2014 David Sher 5 Comments

Do you have bejeebies?

If you do, your bejeebies will be obliterated when you see the one depressing statistic that best describes the economic health of metropolitan Birmingham.

Please note we’re not talking about just the City of Birmingham or Jefferson County. We’re talking about the Birmingham Hoover Metropolitan area—defined by our seven counties: Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, and Walker.

So the folks in our suburbs are impacted by this number just as much as our local residents.

What is that statistic?

Continue reading This number will scare the bejeebies out of you →

Corporate community, David Sher posts, Government structure, Race relations

Is Steven Hoyt evil?

May 13, 2014 David Sher 7 Comments

When you read some of the remarks by (I assume) white commenters on al.com, you almost have to come to the conclusion that Steven Hoyt is the devil—some kind of black racist. Councilor Hoyt is the City Council representative from Birmingham’s District 8.

Councilor Hoyt regularly seems to be in the headlines standing up for African-American inclusion when there are economic opportunities for individuals or businesses created by the City of Birmingham.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Continue reading Is Steven Hoyt evil? →

David Sher posts, Government structure

Our good friends in Homewood should fund Railroad Park

May 6, 2014 David Sher 6 Comments

The big controversy currently is whether the City of Birmingham should fund maintenance for Railroad Park.

I love Railroad Park as do many of you. Almost everyone agrees it has been the catalyst for just about everything good that has happened to Birmingham since it opened.

First there was Railroad Park, then Regions Field, the Rotary Trail, and a then an unending list of announced projects. When the modern history of Birmingham is written, it will be clear that Railroad Park changed everything. Continue reading Our good friends in Homewood should fund Railroad Park →

David Sher posts, What's great about Birmingham

Birmingham: Next David to slay Goliath

April 29, 2014 David Sher 3 Comments

When I picked up Malcom Gladwell’s most recent book, I never expected to be reading about Birmingham.

David and Goliath—underdogs, misfits, and the art of battling giants features Birmingham as one of its primary stories.

I enjoy reading Birmingham history, but I chose David and Goliath only because I liked some of Gladwell’s other books–The tipping point, Outliers, and Blink.

As we’ve come to expect, however, when outsiders talk about the history of Birmingham, they almost always focus on Bull Conner, fire hoses, and dogs.

Gladwell’s description of Birmingham and Bull Conner is no different…

“People told jokes about Birmingham…’A black man in Chicago wakes up one morning and tells his wife that Jesus had come to him in a dream and told him to go to Birmingham. She is horrified: Did Jesus say He’d go with you? The husband replies: ‘He said he would go as far as Memphis.’

Continue reading Birmingham: Next David to slay Goliath →

To begin a conversation about a better Birmingham