Category Archives: Government structure

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, 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, Government structure, Race relations

Birmingham: Why do we continue to embarrass ourselves?

March 18, 2014 David Sher Leave a comment

Some folks want me to take sides in the Birmingham Water Works Board (BWWB) squabble, but that’s not my role. My role as publisher of ComebackTown is to place a spotlight on why we continue to put ourselves in such embarrassing situations.

For those of you who don’t know about the controversy, some folks in our State Legislature have determined that the BWWB is broken. They want to increase the size of the board to bring about broader regional representation, implement term limits, cap board member compensation, and require public hearings before proposed rate increases. Continue reading Birmingham: Why do we continue to embarrass ourselves? →

David Sher posts, Government structure

I’ll do anything to help B’ham schools except send my kids there

March 4, 2014 David Sher 9 Comments

On March 1^st I attended a TEDxBirmingham event at the Alys Stephens Center. Fifteen speakers gave passionate speeches with the common theme to rediscover the magic of Birmingham. Quite frankly, it was an event I will never forget.

One of the speakers, Victoria Hollis, who’s the Program Manager at the Birmingham Education Foundation (ED), urged the audience to take ownership of Birmingham Schools. She gave the analogy of a small child falling down on the playground. She said even though the child wasn’t yours, you would still rush over and pick the child up. At the completion of her talk, the audience gave her an enthusiastic standing ovation.

A friend, who was sitting next to me, tapped me on the shoulder and implored me to go home and write a blog for ComebackTown about Victoria and her talk.

This is that blog. But it’s not the blog my friend thought I would write. Continue reading I’ll do anything to help B’ham schools except send my kids there →

David Sher posts, Government structure, UAB

What would Birmingham look like without UAB–Anniston?

February 18, 2014 David Sher 8 Comments

To compare Birmingham with no UAB to Anniston is an unfair exaggeration and I apologize to the good citizens of Anniston. I could have selected any mid-sized city, but I Googled “cities in Alabama” and Anniston came to the top alphabetically.

Visualize Birmingham without UAB. Exit the Red Mountain Expressway at University Avenue (without UAB–it would be 8th Avenue South) and drive west.

What would we see in place of the 86 square blocks occupied by UAB? Continue reading What would Birmingham look like without UAB–Anniston? →

David Sher posts, Government structure, What's great about Birmingham

Atlanta embarrassed–Birmingham soars

February 4, 2014 David Sher 2 Comments

“There was no coordination around school closings, because there are more than two-dozen city and county school systems in “__________.” There was little coordination between highway clearance and service to city streets because “_________” is comprised of dozens of municipalities connected by state and federal highway systems.”

Was this written about Birmingham? Nope, this was written about “Atlanta.” Continue reading Atlanta embarrassed–Birmingham soars →

To begin a conversation about a better Birmingham