Alabama State House Representative Merika Coleman of Birmingham drafted a bill that would synchronize municipal council and mayoral elections in Birmingham to all on the same day. The bill passed the House committee on Monday and will go to the full Jefferson County delegation to debate the bill. However, the bill would extend the term of the jackal from 2011 to 2013 (hmmm...). It sounds like to me Coleman is allowing that jackal more time to prove how much of a jackass he is to the people rather than who potent he is to the city. The Birmingham City Council agree with me (to certain extent) and that is not giving Bell an additional 2 years in office. The election should be held next year in 2011 rather than 2013.
Also State House Rep. John Rogers of Birmingham also has drafted a bill that would realign the City Council representation from 9 districts to 8 districts and on at-large seat for the City Council President (not a bad idea). However, why don't they just go back to all at-large voting for all seats which would allow the possibility of a more progressive city council? I mean it would remove the existence of fiefdom ideology from the City Council elections where people think they can talk shit about one side of the city and its demographic of citizenry without being held accountable to all the citizens at the ballot. The more accountability, the better because Birmingham needs to force those idiots "who want to have their cake and eat it to" to be gone if they decide to run for mayor instead of going back to being a vindictive city councilor. My advice to Merika Coleman is, rewrite the bill and move the election to 2011 if you want to gain more support and likelihood of your legislation's passage.
Showing posts with label Carole Smitherman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carole Smitherman. Show all posts
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The current electronic bingo bill failed in the Alabama Senate
DISCLAIMER: Honestly, I feel like it was a flawed bill from the beginning because Alabama should do like neighboring Mississippi and just legalize class III gambling which is casino-style gaming including slot machines and table games rather than this crap.
The bill in the Alabama State Legislature that would allowed electronic bingo gaming at only 7 sites in state stalled in the Senate after the vote didn't yield enough for its passage. The "Sweet Home Alabama" bill would have allowed electronic bingo games, what they call "casino", at 10 establishments in Jefferson, Mobile, Hale, Macon, Houston, and Lowndes counties. The vote was 18-16, 3 short of what is needed for a 2/3rd majority for its passage. The main opponents of it were Republicans from all over the state, particularly the ones from Greater Birmingham like Hank Erwin from Alabaster, Jabo Waggoner from Vestavia Hill, and Steve French of Birmingham. The bill was drafted and sponsored by the controversial pork-barreling Rodger Bedford of Hamilton (Democrat) and pushed by Alabama Senate President Pro-Tem Rodger Smitherman (and also husband of Birmingham District 6 City Councilor, Froglady aka Carole Smitherman).
Like I said go for the full fledged thing of casino-style gambling rather than select locations of this bullshit when you know you can go the full 100 yards rather than 45-50 yards with retarded results.
The bill in the Alabama State Legislature that would allowed electronic bingo gaming at only 7 sites in state stalled in the Senate after the vote didn't yield enough for its passage. The "Sweet Home Alabama" bill would have allowed electronic bingo games, what they call "casino", at 10 establishments in Jefferson, Mobile, Hale, Macon, Houston, and Lowndes counties. The vote was 18-16, 3 short of what is needed for a 2/3rd majority for its passage. The main opponents of it were Republicans from all over the state, particularly the ones from Greater Birmingham like Hank Erwin from Alabaster, Jabo Waggoner from Vestavia Hill, and Steve French of Birmingham. The bill was drafted and sponsored by the controversial pork-barreling Rodger Bedford of Hamilton (Democrat) and pushed by Alabama Senate President Pro-Tem Rodger Smitherman (and also husband of Birmingham District 6 City Councilor, Froglady aka Carole Smitherman).
Like I said go for the full fledged thing of casino-style gambling rather than select locations of this bullshit when you know you can go the full 100 yards rather than 45-50 yards with retarded results.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Cooper called it, and that splaboo Bell did say it and Langford endorses the splab as well!
SMH, I knew it! Oh boy, I knew this would happen! Patrick Cooper has called out the racebaiters in the race calling him a "slave trader from Mobile who will bring back plantation politics to the city". Yeah, that so-of-a-bitch William Bell did it because I can't stand Lay Low Brown for a heap of horseshit. Cooper called him out on WJLD 1400AM and WATV 900AM this morning for these remarks that splaboo said at the Sunday prayer breakfast in November. Bell didn't deny those allegations either, saying he didn't name his opponents in particular, but Cooper is the only Mobile native on the ballot. Let's not forget how Carole Smitherman called Shelia Tyson a "pawn for the over-the-mountain" because she used to be the campaign manager for the 2007 mayoral campaign for Patrick Cooper. It's so interesting how he is willing this time to call them out because it is imperative for his campaign to do so. If you want to win politically bodyslam them Lay Low Brown or Smitherman if you have to...
Then late last night, word is that Larry Langford has formally endorsed that splaboo Lay Low Brown like it will help him win (which it won't). This fool is actually believing that him endorsing anybody will bring good things to their name politically speaking? Langford, I guess you are a bigger fool than I ever thought you were for the nearly decade I have known you. This going to be LONG ASS WEEK from next Tuesday because this shit is about to hit the fan because some are so deseperate for any attention.
Then late last night, word is that Larry Langford has formally endorsed that splaboo Lay Low Brown like it will help him win (which it won't). This fool is actually believing that him endorsing anybody will bring good things to their name politically speaking? Langford, I guess you are a bigger fool than I ever thought you were for the nearly decade I have known you. This going to be LONG ASS WEEK from next Tuesday because this shit is about to hit the fan because some are so deseperate for any attention.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
HUH?
Today's events are dumbfounding and ignorant if you ask me. OK, this morning the new councilors were swore in and immediate the went into conference to appoint the new Council President and President Pro-Tem.
Prior to this apparentl political deals went down between Steven Hoyt and Carole Smitherman that he would get to keep his appointment as head of the Economic Development committee and he would give his vote to Smitherman to remain Council President. However, Hoyt heard from someone that apparently Smitherman told an incoming councilor that they were getting it instead of him, now who that incoming councilor could be anybody's guess. However, my guess is not so incoming but appointee and now elected Johnathn Austin who voted for Smitherman to remain. Anyways, Hoyt changed his vote at literally the last minute and voted for Roderick Royal as the new council president and interim mayor of Birmingham.
Now word is that Royal had supposely been vying for this for awhile with practically all the incoming councilors voting for him: Kim Rafferty, LaShaunda Scales, and Jay Roberson along with Steven Hoyt as the swing vote aside from himself.
However, around 5:30 pm this evening Smitherman held a press junket where she claimed to be have been "played" by Hoyt after he suppose to have as late as last night promised a vote for her instead. Her claims says that the 3 mayors within a month is showing instability of the city's leadership. UGH, LIKE YOU BEING MAYOR DOESN'T EITHER? She goes on a pout and "crying foul" fest, but says that she is a "Christian" and will let it go after this announcement. Kyle Whitmire of the Birmingham Weekly points out the "what-ifs" of the Mayor-Council Act of 1962 that states that the interim mayor couldn't have voted in the appointment of the President Pro Tempore. However, Royal didn't there would have been a 4-4 tie in the vote thus defeating the purpose of the appointment. It just seems like there is a "dust up" for the controversial effects of this already quasi-bizarre, complicated mess with the elected leadership of Birmingham.
The thing that took the cake-and-ice cream was how she claimed during the junket that Patrick Cooper called councilors pursuading them to vote for Royal over her. Now that is puridy-stupid if you ask me because if he did some backdoor campaigning didn't she do the exact same thing when she was promising Hoyt the position on the Economic Development committee. Oh so it's a "do-as-I-say-but-not-do-as-I-do" call, huh Councilor Smitherman? WOW, WOW, WOW!
Also she chose not to attend the event planned by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute welcoming the new councilors. She said, "I'm sleepy. I have been working 16 hours a day for four weeks, and I am going home to clean my house and prepare for Thanksgiving dinner with my family.”
Hmmm, I warned that Smitherman would get what she put out and get smacked dead in the face for her political grandstanding along with it backfiring on her sooner than later. She is one stupid and hypocritical person that wants others to bow to her trivialized wishes, but if one does what is beneficiary to themselves, i.e., self-preservation, then it is backstabbing. She is a piece of work and tries to attack Cooper and play the sympathy card to the gullible and pro-establishment black voters and that one special assoicate that I know that believe everything she says. All I have to say is: HEIFER, SIT YOU AND YOUR 3 CHINS DOWN SOMEWHERE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT I SAID! SMDH
After this and the antics of Bell and Smitherman, both of whom I said look out for I say "GO COOPER!" AND "GO ANTHONY!". I would rather see an election of Cooper outright or a run-off between these 2 because those other 2 jokes known as Smitherman and Bell as mayor.
Prior to this apparentl political deals went down between Steven Hoyt and Carole Smitherman that he would get to keep his appointment as head of the Economic Development committee and he would give his vote to Smitherman to remain Council President. However, Hoyt heard from someone that apparently Smitherman told an incoming councilor that they were getting it instead of him, now who that incoming councilor could be anybody's guess. However, my guess is not so incoming but appointee and now elected Johnathn Austin who voted for Smitherman to remain. Anyways, Hoyt changed his vote at literally the last minute and voted for Roderick Royal as the new council president and interim mayor of Birmingham.
Now word is that Royal had supposely been vying for this for awhile with practically all the incoming councilors voting for him: Kim Rafferty, LaShaunda Scales, and Jay Roberson along with Steven Hoyt as the swing vote aside from himself.
However, around 5:30 pm this evening Smitherman held a press junket where she claimed to be have been "played" by Hoyt after he suppose to have as late as last night promised a vote for her instead. Her claims says that the 3 mayors within a month is showing instability of the city's leadership. UGH, LIKE YOU BEING MAYOR DOESN'T EITHER? She goes on a pout and "crying foul" fest, but says that she is a "Christian" and will let it go after this announcement. Kyle Whitmire of the Birmingham Weekly points out the "what-ifs" of the Mayor-Council Act of 1962 that states that the interim mayor couldn't have voted in the appointment of the President Pro Tempore. However, Royal didn't there would have been a 4-4 tie in the vote thus defeating the purpose of the appointment. It just seems like there is a "dust up" for the controversial effects of this already quasi-bizarre, complicated mess with the elected leadership of Birmingham.
The thing that took the cake-and-ice cream was how she claimed during the junket that Patrick Cooper called councilors pursuading them to vote for Royal over her. Now that is puridy-stupid if you ask me because if he did some backdoor campaigning didn't she do the exact same thing when she was promising Hoyt the position on the Economic Development committee. Oh so it's a "do-as-I-say-but-not-do-as-I-do" call, huh Councilor Smitherman? WOW, WOW, WOW!
Also she chose not to attend the event planned by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute welcoming the new councilors. She said, "I'm sleepy. I have been working 16 hours a day for four weeks, and I am going home to clean my house and prepare for Thanksgiving dinner with my family.”
Hmmm, I warned that Smitherman would get what she put out and get smacked dead in the face for her political grandstanding along with it backfiring on her sooner than later. She is one stupid and hypocritical person that wants others to bow to her trivialized wishes, but if one does what is beneficiary to themselves, i.e., self-preservation, then it is backstabbing. She is a piece of work and tries to attack Cooper and play the sympathy card to the gullible and pro-establishment black voters and that one special assoicate that I know that believe everything she says. All I have to say is: HEIFER, SIT YOU AND YOUR 3 CHINS DOWN SOMEWHERE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT I SAID! SMDH
After this and the antics of Bell and Smitherman, both of whom I said look out for I say "GO COOPER!" AND "GO ANTHONY!". I would rather see an election of Cooper outright or a run-off between these 2 because those other 2 jokes known as Smitherman and Bell as mayor.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
More political grandstanding and bizarre things occuring
According to the news reports on Tuesday, the Birmingham City Council has unstalled the project known as Birmingham Intermodal hub. The Intermodal Hub is going to be the future home of the Birmingham Amtrak station, the Greyhound terminal, and the central station for the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) Metro Area Express (MAX) bus system. There are also plans in place to make this a central hub of the In-Town Transit Partnership (ITP).
The federal funding in place wasn't signed off because the former mayor Larry Langford couldn't do anything sign he was indicted by the feds. Now interim mayor Smitherman has signed off on this project so it can begin next year. Smitherman is hoping to get some brownie points from us transit advocates come December 8th. Sorry, sister girl but it's not going to work because we still stuck on how you cosigned on Langford's bullshit.
IN OTHER NEWS: An unknown state legislature in the Alabama House of Representatives named DuWayne Bridges (R-Valley) has pre-filed a state amendment that would ban any public funded agency from allowing domestic benefits of its employees including those with same-sex partners. Yeah, this asshole is trying to force UAB, and the other schools in the University of Alabama system to drop their new policy or plans to allow benefits for same-sex couples. This douchebag is doing the regular ol' political grandstanding, but yet his district is extreme east Alabama including Chambers and portions of Lee counties. In other words, he has more to do with Auburn University than the University of Alabama at Birmingham. This another reason why I get so pissed at rural white Southerners and Alabamians because a number of them doesn't want to mind their own business and let Birmingham do what it do. Instead, they want to ensure UAB doesn't recruit top talent regardless of what their sexual orientation. When it comes down to it every little thing counts to these people since they can go to any other major research university in the nation and they already have their suspicious about Alabama, but thanks to an ass like Bridges it will just reaffirm them rather than defy them. UGH!
The federal funding in place wasn't signed off because the former mayor Larry Langford couldn't do anything sign he was indicted by the feds. Now interim mayor Smitherman has signed off on this project so it can begin next year. Smitherman is hoping to get some brownie points from us transit advocates come December 8th. Sorry, sister girl but it's not going to work because we still stuck on how you cosigned on Langford's bullshit.
IN OTHER NEWS: An unknown state legislature in the Alabama House of Representatives named DuWayne Bridges (R-Valley) has pre-filed a state amendment that would ban any public funded agency from allowing domestic benefits of its employees including those with same-sex partners. Yeah, this asshole is trying to force UAB, and the other schools in the University of Alabama system to drop their new policy or plans to allow benefits for same-sex couples. This douchebag is doing the regular ol' political grandstanding, but yet his district is extreme east Alabama including Chambers and portions of Lee counties. In other words, he has more to do with Auburn University than the University of Alabama at Birmingham. This another reason why I get so pissed at rural white Southerners and Alabamians because a number of them doesn't want to mind their own business and let Birmingham do what it do. Instead, they want to ensure UAB doesn't recruit top talent regardless of what their sexual orientation. When it comes down to it every little thing counts to these people since they can go to any other major research university in the nation and they already have their suspicious about Alabama, but thanks to an ass like Bridges it will just reaffirm them rather than defy them. UGH!
"Lay-low Brown" and Carole Smitherman announces their run for Mayor
Neither "Lay-Low Brown" AKA William Bell or Carole Smitherman could resist the urge to fail at running for Birmingham's mayor again (Bell-4th and Smitherman-3rd). Now I haven't forgot that this is also Emory Anthony's third attempt as well, but he has more of a chance compared to Smitherman and Bell.
Smitherman pulled her stunt during the regular Tuesday City Council meeting announcing her candidacy for the mayor of Birmingham. Her speech was so vague and uninteresting (as she is) that honestly I couldn't tell anybody what her platform is aside from fulfilling her dream as a life-long Birmingham resident to be mayor...
Meanwhile Lay-Low aka Bell did it Wednesday afternoon after he had his triumph of helping restore the workers of Jefferson County back to 40-hour work weeks after spending the past 4 months on 32-work schedules due to budget cuts. Of course he has no real platform either because he is more useless than Smitherman other than being a mouthpiece and liar. BACKSTORY: in the 1990's when he was Birmingham City Council district 5 seat-filler he lied on his residency since he actually lived in District 8 or 9. Letting the people of the district that holds Downtown, Southside, Glen Iris, and the City Center that their voices didn't matter. Since I'm a registered voter of that residency lies in this district, I'm pissed. That's another reason why I don't care for that Lay-Low Brown because he doesn't stand for anything other than being "get-along" like Smitherman but she is slightly more electable.When will these 2 get the memo that the majority of Birmingham doesn't want to be our mayor. I know I don't. The only good thing that can come from this is Smitherman will have to relinquish her council seat while campaigning for mayor, so if she loses then BYE-BYE, BIRDY!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
RANT: Smoke and Mirrors
Now this is a little time has passed since the former mayor of Birmingham has been convicted and the acting/interim mayor Carole Smitherman received the helm to lead Birmingham (a week), but who's counting... It's time to talk about the "smoke and mirrors" that has been occurring here for nearly 2 years with the city's government.
The facts are the city of Birmingham is $20.8 million in the hole because of the shuffling and shifting of funds by formerly Langford-appointed Finance Director Steve Saylers, and this didn't include the expenses such as utilities bills, phone bills, and maintenance of street draining. Also the City Council was of purvey of this with the new financial software similar to Quick Books that kept up with the city's reserves and expenditures. However, after all the grappling and arguing all summer over the Fiscal Year 2010 budget was passed. Although now acting/interim mayor Carole Smitherman knew the numbers were fuzzy after the software said the city was $28 million in the hole, but allowed it to occur.
Now on to the smoke and mirrors: Langford was fraudulently elected the mayor of Birmingham after he claimed that his official resident was a loft on 3rd Avenue South in the City Center. This is although he is mail and bills and personal vehicle of choice his 2007 black Cadillac Escalade was regularly seen at his home with his wife, Melva, in Fairfield. In other words, he got that loft to claim residency, but wasn't living there no more than I own a home in Bermuda.
On the other hand, the use suspects who are the black "leaders" of Birmingham were standing behind his candidacy such as Alabama State Representative John Rogers, community activity/full-time race-baiter/radio personality on WATV Frank Matthews, and the president of the Birmingham chapter of the SCLC Calvin Woods. All of them claiming his platform of toughness on black-on-black crime, demanding more parental physical discipline of their children, and slogan "Let's Do Something" was more than enough to get Birmingham were it needs to be.
Oh yeah, the inauguration day for Larry Langford was full of familiar faces of the business community including UAB President Carol Garrison, Regions Financial CEO Dowd Ritter, Protective Life CEO John Johns, and Alabama Power CEO Charles McCrary. However, they knew he was a fraud and all, but stood by him because they wanted to keep their place at the proverbial table so they will have a say in the decisions. SMH. Now, I understand you have to swallow your pride and bite the bullet, but why would you show up at the inauguration if you knew or had a hint of all this? You keep the relationship cordial and professional, but don't act like all is right. Then again, where were these people during the trial over the 2 weeks it was occurring? Oh yeah, they were ducking and covering or distancing themselves from Langford for the sake of their professional reputation. Actually, most of them were at the Birmingham Business Alliance conference compiling the new plan I mentioned, but they were doing that "ducking and cover".
Carole Smitherman and most of the City Council wasn't any better. Council President Smitherman was too busy trying to play both sides of the proverbial "battle" between the City Council and the Mayor, so she wouldn't be caught in the crossfire. However, it didn't really help because then Mayor Langford would still snap at her like the rest of the Council over the details of any plans he would have. The usual whiny Roderick Royal, Valerie Abbot, and along with outgoing Councilman Joel Montgomery would question him over the details and specifics, but none of them would ever step up to the plate and forge a political coalition with the majority of the Council to really stop the Mayor. This brings me back to Carole Smitherman, who has stood by the actions of the Mayor without a doubt and now as acting/interim mayor herself didn't even try to condemn Langford for his actions or his appointed staffers like Sayler.
The overview: Now that all this has come to fruition that all this crap was going down, now Smitherman wants to say the city could have been in financial ruins. Too little, too late, lady. You saw what was going on and when you had your chances you never condemned the former mayor and now you are trying to save face. Likely story...
Sayler resigned on Monday, former Langford-appointed chief-of-staff Deborah Vance-Bowie was fired today, and more likely on the way. Now the real question, why didn't you fire all of them on day one, Friday? Also when are you going announce you're going to recluse yourself from the special election? I say this because after the tactics of race-baiting during her campaign against Shelia Tyson during the District 6 council seat race and the fact that you used the same firm as Langford did during his campaign, Maxim, you shouldn't even dare try to go there Council President Smitherman. You better keep doing what you should do while you are acting/interim mayor, but you burnt your bridge with a lot of progressives like me with that bull...
The facts are the city of Birmingham is $20.8 million in the hole because of the shuffling and shifting of funds by formerly Langford-appointed Finance Director Steve Saylers, and this didn't include the expenses such as utilities bills, phone bills, and maintenance of street draining. Also the City Council was of purvey of this with the new financial software similar to Quick Books that kept up with the city's reserves and expenditures. However, after all the grappling and arguing all summer over the Fiscal Year 2010 budget was passed. Although now acting/interim mayor Carole Smitherman knew the numbers were fuzzy after the software said the city was $28 million in the hole, but allowed it to occur.
Now on to the smoke and mirrors: Langford was fraudulently elected the mayor of Birmingham after he claimed that his official resident was a loft on 3rd Avenue South in the City Center. This is although he is mail and bills and personal vehicle of choice his 2007 black Cadillac Escalade was regularly seen at his home with his wife, Melva, in Fairfield. In other words, he got that loft to claim residency, but wasn't living there no more than I own a home in Bermuda.
On the other hand, the use suspects who are the black "leaders" of Birmingham were standing behind his candidacy such as Alabama State Representative John Rogers, community activity/full-time race-baiter/radio personality on WATV Frank Matthews, and the president of the Birmingham chapter of the SCLC Calvin Woods. All of them claiming his platform of toughness on black-on-black crime, demanding more parental physical discipline of their children, and slogan "Let's Do Something" was more than enough to get Birmingham were it needs to be.
Oh yeah, the inauguration day for Larry Langford was full of familiar faces of the business community including UAB President Carol Garrison, Regions Financial CEO Dowd Ritter, Protective Life CEO John Johns, and Alabama Power CEO Charles McCrary. However, they knew he was a fraud and all, but stood by him because they wanted to keep their place at the proverbial table so they will have a say in the decisions. SMH. Now, I understand you have to swallow your pride and bite the bullet, but why would you show up at the inauguration if you knew or had a hint of all this? You keep the relationship cordial and professional, but don't act like all is right. Then again, where were these people during the trial over the 2 weeks it was occurring? Oh yeah, they were ducking and covering or distancing themselves from Langford for the sake of their professional reputation. Actually, most of them were at the Birmingham Business Alliance conference compiling the new plan I mentioned, but they were doing that "ducking and cover".
Carole Smitherman and most of the City Council wasn't any better. Council President Smitherman was too busy trying to play both sides of the proverbial "battle" between the City Council and the Mayor, so she wouldn't be caught in the crossfire. However, it didn't really help because then Mayor Langford would still snap at her like the rest of the Council over the details of any plans he would have. The usual whiny Roderick Royal, Valerie Abbot, and along with outgoing Councilman Joel Montgomery would question him over the details and specifics, but none of them would ever step up to the plate and forge a political coalition with the majority of the Council to really stop the Mayor. This brings me back to Carole Smitherman, who has stood by the actions of the Mayor without a doubt and now as acting/interim mayor herself didn't even try to condemn Langford for his actions or his appointed staffers like Sayler.
The overview: Now that all this has come to fruition that all this crap was going down, now Smitherman wants to say the city could have been in financial ruins. Too little, too late, lady. You saw what was going on and when you had your chances you never condemned the former mayor and now you are trying to save face. Likely story...
Sayler resigned on Monday, former Langford-appointed chief-of-staff Deborah Vance-Bowie was fired today, and more likely on the way. Now the real question, why didn't you fire all of them on day one, Friday? Also when are you going announce you're going to recluse yourself from the special election? I say this because after the tactics of race-baiting during her campaign against Shelia Tyson during the District 6 council seat race and the fact that you used the same firm as Langford did during his campaign, Maxim, you shouldn't even dare try to go there Council President Smitherman. You better keep doing what you should do while you are acting/interim mayor, but you burnt your bridge with a lot of progressives like me with that bull...
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Birmingham will have its special mayoral election on December 8th
Tuesday, December 8th, will be the day of reckoning for the city of Birmingham. It's going to be a long month and 5 days...
Here's the list of candidates from what I know and heard are seriously considering:
Carole Smitherman
Patrick Cooper
Emory Anthony
Robert Kelly
Steven Hoyt
Cedric Sparks
Birmingham is in the hole thanks to Steve Sayler and Larry Langford...
Well, not a surprise to me, it turns out that Birmingham is $20M in the red although Steve Sayler's, former mayor Langford's handpicked finance director, after the budget report was released yesterday.
It's gets even better, Sayler stepped down as finance director yesterday morning after acting mayor Carole Smitherman noticed that there were conflicts between the data the City Council received and Sayler's data. Then Smitherman has spent the better part of the last 24 hours trying to save face by saying she will do everything in her power not to eliminate any jobs to get the city out of the red. Oh what a web we weave...
Now, I don't directly blame Smitherman for Langford's fools because she can't control what the mayor did when she was Council President. However, it has been known amongst us in the know that Sayler was involved with the bond swaps at Jefferson County, so when he crept to the City of Birmingham with Langford most smelt trouble.
Smitherman and the City Council will have to figure out what needs to be done because the Fiscal Year 2010 budget was stuffed with numbers from the Fiscal Year 2009, so everybody is in the dark on this. Now according to media reports, Smitherman, the City Council, and a number of business leaders will be apart of a task force to figure out how Birmingham can fill this $20M hole without laying anyone off.
I say heads should roll including Deborah Vance-Bowie since she was over Sayler and requested the reports over the summer when the budget was up for debate. Also Sayler should be prosecuted for placing fuzzy numbers in the place of real numbers to make this look good to Langford who was swearing Birmingham had a $28M surplus. As much as I want to see things funded, repaired, and constructed, but you can't put the city in the hole to get what you want. You gotta pay the bills and fund the already existing things first then explore what else you can do afterwards with the final balance.
It's gets even better, Sayler stepped down as finance director yesterday morning after acting mayor Carole Smitherman noticed that there were conflicts between the data the City Council received and Sayler's data. Then Smitherman has spent the better part of the last 24 hours trying to save face by saying she will do everything in her power not to eliminate any jobs to get the city out of the red. Oh what a web we weave...
Now, I don't directly blame Smitherman for Langford's fools because she can't control what the mayor did when she was Council President. However, it has been known amongst us in the know that Sayler was involved with the bond swaps at Jefferson County, so when he crept to the City of Birmingham with Langford most smelt trouble.
Smitherman and the City Council will have to figure out what needs to be done because the Fiscal Year 2010 budget was stuffed with numbers from the Fiscal Year 2009, so everybody is in the dark on this. Now according to media reports, Smitherman, the City Council, and a number of business leaders will be apart of a task force to figure out how Birmingham can fill this $20M hole without laying anyone off.
I say heads should roll including Deborah Vance-Bowie since she was over Sayler and requested the reports over the summer when the budget was up for debate. Also Sayler should be prosecuted for placing fuzzy numbers in the place of real numbers to make this look good to Langford who was swearing Birmingham had a $28M surplus. As much as I want to see things funded, repaired, and constructed, but you can't put the city in the hole to get what you want. You gotta pay the bills and fund the already existing things first then explore what else you can do afterwards with the final balance.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
RANT: Birmingham, there is nothing to cheer about yesterday's verdict
I have to give it up to John Archibald, Birmingham News columnist, because he said it best, there is sadness. I'm saddened that Birmingham has come to this point because there is so much anger, confusion, and sadness.
In 2007, the city had a chance to elect somebody different and that person was Patrick Cooper, but chose to elect somebody with name recognition and a group of attack dogs like Frank Matthews among others. I know Langford, via my late paternal grandmother who was a major socialite in Birmingham, and he has always been a man that was troubled and a beacon of controversy even back then. When he was elected Birmingham's mayor in 2007 I said these exact words, "Lord, this is going to be a circus", and low and behold it has been a circus for the past 2 years (to the day). Langford was a leader of much promise and great ideas, but he let his own ego and greed get the best of him thus the verdict. I'm the last person to cheer about that verdict because it says Langford and the citizens of Birmingham failed Birmingham by letting this happen again.
Nobody in their right mind could speculate that Birmingham would be as lost as it is right now, where people like Carole Smitherman is interim mayor (only a month at the most because she can't be reappointed City Council President since she is now mayor and Council President becomes interim mayor). Smitherman's platform is just as faulty as Langford's since she campaigned against her District 6 opponent with the same tactics that Langford via Matthews did by calling them "not black enough" or "friends with those over-the-mountain". Those type of politics is what keeps Birmingham from moving forward on a social perspective where politics of divide and conquer rather than politics of ideas to fix the city is pushed forward aren't given a valid chance. I don't like the most of the "over-the-mountain" elected officials anymore than most socially progressive citizen of these region, but you can't continuously push this divide because you think it's politically expedient to your election.
Black folks need to get it together in Birmingham, particularly those in the western portion where politicos like Arrington (who faced similar charges to Langford back in the 1990s but was acquitted), Langford, Smitherman, etc. have major traction because the color and demographic composition of the area (90% black, lower-income, low education attainment, and very alienated from the political process due to the history of Birmingham). There you have so many people who are so angry at the system per say that they will vote for anybody that sounds like them rather than seeing that somebody doesn't have to talk or think like them to understand their issues and problems associate them. The issues that have brought down Birmingham is more racial than anything else on all sides, so there is your problem. However, unlike our peers in other Southern cities, Birmingham majority black electorate has made its decisions based on name recognition and "blackness" rather than platform and ideas. This has to cease and desist immediately, and those who were Langford fans shouldn't use this anger to further divide the city by trying to work to elect another socially regressive black politician.
My description to those white folks that seem to hate everything black and Birmingham, screw you. If you can't be open-minded and see that Birmingham is for everybody and that it matters to you just like those blacks then you are a part of the problem like them. Too many white citizens want to either have a racially bias perspective on things then they would rather trash talk anybody that doesn't stand with them on their ideology. Also the majority of them are the ones electing officials in suburban areas that have this "fiefdom" mentality where they have no foresight on how their decisions could affect all of the region if they don't try to work in united front. You guys are just as guilty as the black folks when it comes to his screwed up political equation where you feel as those somebody disenfranchised you when you chose to run to the suburbs and let the city falter. You have your chance to get involved by voting out of office idiots like Tony Petelos and replace them with more regionally minded officials that wants to see a united Birmingham.
Now I'm not giving Cooper a pass because he decided to purchase the $12,000 Rolex watch that Langford had received as a "gift", but quickly sold it. Also Cooper is very buddy, buddy with a number of individuals in the business community that makes me give him the side-eye. However, at least he would have been somebody that attempted to bridge the racial and ideological divide that has persisted in the city for decades. The man tries to reach across the table to those other elected officials of the suburban and exurban municipal governments since we all need one another for Greater Birmingham or simply Birmingham to get somewhere.
Now if those officials don't want to work cohesively with the Birmingham mayor then call them out (like Obama said with health care reform) and show them how idiotic and shortsighted their stance to not work together.
OH YEAH, the swap by local NBC affiliate, WVTM "NBC 13", reporter John Paepcke is a textbook example of what I call the media bias of the area's media outlets. That EXTRA garbage he thought was poignant just shows why I don't care for any of the area's media because too many want to be funny and push their agenda instead of being non-bias, objective journalists.
In 2007, the city had a chance to elect somebody different and that person was Patrick Cooper, but chose to elect somebody with name recognition and a group of attack dogs like Frank Matthews among others. I know Langford, via my late paternal grandmother who was a major socialite in Birmingham, and he has always been a man that was troubled and a beacon of controversy even back then. When he was elected Birmingham's mayor in 2007 I said these exact words, "Lord, this is going to be a circus", and low and behold it has been a circus for the past 2 years (to the day). Langford was a leader of much promise and great ideas, but he let his own ego and greed get the best of him thus the verdict. I'm the last person to cheer about that verdict because it says Langford and the citizens of Birmingham failed Birmingham by letting this happen again.
Nobody in their right mind could speculate that Birmingham would be as lost as it is right now, where people like Carole Smitherman is interim mayor (only a month at the most because she can't be reappointed City Council President since she is now mayor and Council President becomes interim mayor). Smitherman's platform is just as faulty as Langford's since she campaigned against her District 6 opponent with the same tactics that Langford via Matthews did by calling them "not black enough" or "friends with those over-the-mountain". Those type of politics is what keeps Birmingham from moving forward on a social perspective where politics of divide and conquer rather than politics of ideas to fix the city is pushed forward aren't given a valid chance. I don't like the most of the "over-the-mountain" elected officials anymore than most socially progressive citizen of these region, but you can't continuously push this divide because you think it's politically expedient to your election.
Black folks need to get it together in Birmingham, particularly those in the western portion where politicos like Arrington (who faced similar charges to Langford back in the 1990s but was acquitted), Langford, Smitherman, etc. have major traction because the color and demographic composition of the area (90% black, lower-income, low education attainment, and very alienated from the political process due to the history of Birmingham). There you have so many people who are so angry at the system per say that they will vote for anybody that sounds like them rather than seeing that somebody doesn't have to talk or think like them to understand their issues and problems associate them. The issues that have brought down Birmingham is more racial than anything else on all sides, so there is your problem. However, unlike our peers in other Southern cities, Birmingham majority black electorate has made its decisions based on name recognition and "blackness" rather than platform and ideas. This has to cease and desist immediately, and those who were Langford fans shouldn't use this anger to further divide the city by trying to work to elect another socially regressive black politician.
My description to those white folks that seem to hate everything black and Birmingham, screw you. If you can't be open-minded and see that Birmingham is for everybody and that it matters to you just like those blacks then you are a part of the problem like them. Too many white citizens want to either have a racially bias perspective on things then they would rather trash talk anybody that doesn't stand with them on their ideology. Also the majority of them are the ones electing officials in suburban areas that have this "fiefdom" mentality where they have no foresight on how their decisions could affect all of the region if they don't try to work in united front. You guys are just as guilty as the black folks when it comes to his screwed up political equation where you feel as those somebody disenfranchised you when you chose to run to the suburbs and let the city falter. You have your chance to get involved by voting out of office idiots like Tony Petelos and replace them with more regionally minded officials that wants to see a united Birmingham.
Now I'm not giving Cooper a pass because he decided to purchase the $12,000 Rolex watch that Langford had received as a "gift", but quickly sold it. Also Cooper is very buddy, buddy with a number of individuals in the business community that makes me give him the side-eye. However, at least he would have been somebody that attempted to bridge the racial and ideological divide that has persisted in the city for decades. The man tries to reach across the table to those other elected officials of the suburban and exurban municipal governments since we all need one another for Greater Birmingham or simply Birmingham to get somewhere.
Now if those officials don't want to work cohesively with the Birmingham mayor then call them out (like Obama said with health care reform) and show them how idiotic and shortsighted their stance to not work together.
OH YEAH, the swap by local NBC affiliate, WVTM "NBC 13", reporter John Paepcke is a textbook example of what I call the media bias of the area's media outlets. That EXTRA garbage he thought was poignant just shows why I don't care for any of the area's media because too many want to be funny and push their agenda instead of being non-bias, objective journalists.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Let's be a little objective about the whole Langford federal trial and its coverage...
OK, it's time for another objective analysis of the situation involving Birmingham and some portions of its media convicting Birmingham mayor's Langford before the trial has even began. After reading the so-called analysis of the "Life and Times of Larry Langford" by Birmingham Weekly editor and staff reporter, Kyle Whitmire. Honestly, it left more of a bad taste in my mouth towards Whitmire more than Langford because he seems to lack the ability to do his job as a reporter objectively give a non-bias perspective of the story.
The line that clearly shows the bias in my opinion was this one: "A series of scandals seemed to prove suburban suspicions about black control of government." Uh, excuse me Mr. Whitmire, but the mayor of Trussville has been giving more paying the Trussville school district superintendent than the most supertintendents across the state has been receiving for districts nearly twice its size. However, he is cutting back on everything else in the city's services? Yeah, you should never write a line such in any publication (unless it is strictly funded by somebody or an organization with an agenda) because white suburban people elect corrupt white politicians that control government making non-whites suspicious of them as well...
I DIGRESS:
I've personally known Langford's corrupt self since I was a child because my paternal grandmother was in the same social circle as Langford's wife, Melva. Personally, I can't stand Langford as a politician because of the foolishness he peddled during the 2008 Central Alabama Pride controversy, and truly wished Patrick Cooper or even Carole Smitherman had won the mayoral election then. However, he deserves a non-bias perspective on this trial. That's the least Birmingham media could do on this rather than convicting the man before the trial has begin in the eyes of the public.
I just wish the media outlets in this region would be more objective and fair along with stop being so damn racially bias at times. At times they seem to ignore the corruption of Hoover, Trussville, etc. which are both cities with majority white populous, but always looking at the corruption of Birmingham which is "black power structure". You should be fair and non-racialized in reporting, and nobody aside from the now-defunct Birmingham Post-Herald did that on the controversy and corruption. There seems to be a message of catharsis of "let's makes sure all the black politicians that aren't on our side or handpicked by us are out of office".
I'm not down with that underhanded crap at all no matter how egalitarian or socially progressive I am personally. There are some good, socially progressive and accountable, black politicians in this region that are ignored or overlooked because of the ignorant, controversial, an corrupt ones.
After thinking about this crap it remains me why so few people without agendas doesn't get involved in civil activities in Birmingham because the obvious divides that exist in this region along racial, partisan, and geographical lines. We are one city with 1.2 million inhabitants, but act as if we are 30+ municipal governments that have their own agendas and goals regardless of how it will affect this region. Those who doesn't want to be told "choose a side" in the conflicts simply avoid the fray of foolishness.
The line that clearly shows the bias in my opinion was this one: "A series of scandals seemed to prove suburban suspicions about black control of government." Uh, excuse me Mr. Whitmire, but the mayor of Trussville has been giving more paying the Trussville school district superintendent than the most supertintendents across the state has been receiving for districts nearly twice its size. However, he is cutting back on everything else in the city's services? Yeah, you should never write a line such in any publication (unless it is strictly funded by somebody or an organization with an agenda) because white suburban people elect corrupt white politicians that control government making non-whites suspicious of them as well...
I DIGRESS:
I've personally known Langford's corrupt self since I was a child because my paternal grandmother was in the same social circle as Langford's wife, Melva. Personally, I can't stand Langford as a politician because of the foolishness he peddled during the 2008 Central Alabama Pride controversy, and truly wished Patrick Cooper or even Carole Smitherman had won the mayoral election then. However, he deserves a non-bias perspective on this trial. That's the least Birmingham media could do on this rather than convicting the man before the trial has begin in the eyes of the public.
I just wish the media outlets in this region would be more objective and fair along with stop being so damn racially bias at times. At times they seem to ignore the corruption of Hoover, Trussville, etc. which are both cities with majority white populous, but always looking at the corruption of Birmingham which is "black power structure". You should be fair and non-racialized in reporting, and nobody aside from the now-defunct Birmingham Post-Herald did that on the controversy and corruption. There seems to be a message of catharsis of "let's makes sure all the black politicians that aren't on our side or handpicked by us are out of office".
I'm not down with that underhanded crap at all no matter how egalitarian or socially progressive I am personally. There are some good, socially progressive and accountable, black politicians in this region that are ignored or overlooked because of the ignorant, controversial, an corrupt ones.
After thinking about this crap it remains me why so few people without agendas doesn't get involved in civil activities in Birmingham because the obvious divides that exist in this region along racial, partisan, and geographical lines. We are one city with 1.2 million inhabitants, but act as if we are 30+ municipal governments that have their own agendas and goals regardless of how it will affect this region. Those who doesn't want to be told "choose a side" in the conflicts simply avoid the fray of foolishness.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
State Representative John Rogers is contesting the validity of the Birmingham City Council District 6 race
John Rogers, House Representative and cousin of council contender Shelia Tyson, is contesting the results of the October 6th run-off between his cousin and Carole Smitherman. He claims that there were 1,400 provisional ballots, ballots are given to voters when there are questions about their eligibility to vote, cast during the election last Tuesday. He wants them to be counted in the final vote totals for District 6 race.
Tyson said:
Rogers said even if he is unsuccessful in the recount he will write a bill mandating an automatic recount on all election results in which the winner wins by 1 percent or less, and banning split boxes in which a precinct is used for more than one district.
Well, do I blame him? no On the other hand, he knows that is pointless because we all know some elections as close as this one is too close to call and will likely result in the same winner. It's always that way when you have this slim margin victories where political agendas of the election officials comes into play and "lose" or allege there aren't such ballots. Don't worry, Smitherman has slim chance in hell next election cycle unless she step up on her A-game on serving all of the district (half of the 15% of eligible voters voted against her and the rest didn't even feel like voting at all), which I doubt because she has become way too comfortable.
Tyson said:
It's a civil right to be able to vote, and if they feel like someone was not given their right then they need to look into it.Whereas Smitherman is rest assured that she is the winner saying:
"I haven't gotten any kind of notice about a contest, and until I receive notice, I'll just stand still as the winner in District 6... "I'm going to be reserved and cautious in my comments."However, Birmingham City Clerk's office says there were only 73 cast during the election last Tuesday. On the other hand the only people who can officiate the election results the Jefferson County Board of Registrars.
Rogers said even if he is unsuccessful in the recount he will write a bill mandating an automatic recount on all election results in which the winner wins by 1 percent or less, and banning split boxes in which a precinct is used for more than one district.
Well, do I blame him? no On the other hand, he knows that is pointless because we all know some elections as close as this one is too close to call and will likely result in the same winner. It's always that way when you have this slim margin victories where political agendas of the election officials comes into play and "lose" or allege there aren't such ballots. Don't worry, Smitherman has slim chance in hell next election cycle unless she step up on her A-game on serving all of the district (half of the 15% of eligible voters voted against her and the rest didn't even feel like voting at all), which I doubt because she has become way too comfortable.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Oh, it's about to get real interesting
Some people around Birmingham are saying Carole Smitherman was reelected because of the people in District 6 rejected former mayor Richard Arrington and mayoral hopeful Patrick Cooper's endorsement of Shelia Tyson, West End Neighborhood Assoication President/President of the Committee of Neighborhood Associations. However, they only have half of the truth, Arrington's endorsements were all rejected hands down from LeRoy Bandy in District 9 and Shelia Tyson in District 6, but interestingly Tyson only lost to Smitherman by only 98 votes. So that says that Cooper's endorsement actually helped Tyson because he didn't endorse or campaign for any other candidates in the run-offs beside Tyson. The District 6 run-off was a 51-49 percent breakdown, so Smitherman is apparently by nearly half of her constituency not being satisfied with her representing them. That is a sign of trouble regardless of how you spin it because if you only have a slight majority of voters in your corner, i.e. 98 more voters then you are screwing up on the job.
Yeah, she will likely become interim mayor for the city when Mayor Langford is convicted and removed for office, but I doubt she will win the mayoral election. She can't even get half of her own constiuency to vote for her in the Council races. That is the truth because only 15% of the eligible voters came out to vote for the Council races, so uninspired constiuency doesn't bode well for her in the mayoral race because she isn't the incumbent persay. She's already lost twice before. The evidence shows that the vote in the mayoral race likely to bode well for her opponent (because we know she will run) since more people vote in mayoral races versus council races.
Well, it's truly about to get REAL interesting because numbers don't lie but people do. Council woman Smitherman have fun being interim/acting mayor because your time is likely going to be very short-lived in the position.
Yeah, she will likely become interim mayor for the city when Mayor Langford is convicted and removed for office, but I doubt she will win the mayoral election. She can't even get half of her own constiuency to vote for her in the Council races. That is the truth because only 15% of the eligible voters came out to vote for the Council races, so uninspired constiuency doesn't bode well for her in the mayoral race because she isn't the incumbent persay. She's already lost twice before. The evidence shows that the vote in the mayoral race likely to bode well for her opponent (because we know she will run) since more people vote in mayoral races versus council races.
Well, it's truly about to get REAL interesting because numbers don't lie but people do. Council woman Smitherman have fun being interim/acting mayor because your time is likely going to be very short-lived in the position.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Hmmm.... I think Shelia Tyson should win the Birmingham City Council District 6 run-off
Well, after reading the Birmingham News article in today's paper talking about the future of the helm of mayor is pending upon the run-offs. For starters, Mayor Larry Langford is pretty much going to get convicted willing some catastrophic screw-up were to occur in the federal prosecutions case. Now the District 6 race is heated for sure because 1) current Council woman Carole Smitherman is also City Council President, 2) when Mayor Langford is convicted he will be removed from office and the Council President would become interim mayor, and 3) this could set the playing field for the next mayoral election which will likely occur 45 days after the interim mayor been in office.
Now after reading the article saying how former Birmingham mayor Richard Arrington has endorsed Shelia Tyson, I gave her the side-eye for his endorsement. Tyson is current West End Neighborhood Association President and President of the Community Neighborhood Associations of Birmingham along with former campaign manager of 2007 mayoral candidate Patrick Cooper. However, Tyson seems to not even acknowledge Arrington in her responses to the newspaper. On the other hand, Tyson does respond direct t to Smitherman's attempt to call her "Patrick Cooper and the over-the-mountain elite's puppet" by saying that "Smitherman is trying to run for mayor via this race".
Tyson has been endorsed by current Alabama House Delegate John Rogers. He is also a distant cousin of Shelia Tyson as well. That's not what I care about rather the accusation that a Smitherman supporter told Tyson to run against Rogers for re-election. Normally, I don't take any sides on these things, but that is really BOLD of the Smitherman campaign to do some mess like that. I'm one of those people that thinks Rogers is a joke, but I'm more aggravated by the attempt by the Smitherman campaign to tell somebody to go for the "easier route" instead of "messing up" Councilwoman Smitherman's path to being mayor (for awhile). Sorry, I just don't cosign on bull***t and that is bull***t. Smitherman has ran for mayor 3 times already and lost every single time, so I mean REALLY Councilwoman Smitherman.
I do know somebody personally that has been lobbying for Smitherman to become mayor now, but IMO, Tyson should win on principal. Honestly, I would much rather Cooper be mayor than Smitherman or Arrington. Sometimes it better to shake up things a little and see what happens because at the end of the day, we all know who got more votes between Smitherman and Cooper. Arrington doesn't stand a chance in hell of winning because all his endorsements the first go-around with the council races where rejected and they all lost. To sum it up, Smitherman has done nothing by using any of her leverage since her husband is State Senator to get anything major accomplished from the state level or the local level. When was the last time Smitherman has tried to propose on her own something progressive or substantial to fix Birmingham? Also when was the last time that Smitherman has tried to work to form any time of coalition with the more socially progressive young professional voters (both black and white) in the city or a candidate or official that stands for that effort? Last time I remember, not once.
Time for someone new and out with the old and the same-ol', same-ol'.
We have enough issues with political dynasties around here and this one with some many old heads gots to go..
Now after reading the article saying how former Birmingham mayor Richard Arrington has endorsed Shelia Tyson, I gave her the side-eye for his endorsement. Tyson is current West End Neighborhood Association President and President of the Community Neighborhood Associations of Birmingham along with former campaign manager of 2007 mayoral candidate Patrick Cooper. However, Tyson seems to not even acknowledge Arrington in her responses to the newspaper. On the other hand, Tyson does respond direct t to Smitherman's attempt to call her "Patrick Cooper and the over-the-mountain elite's puppet" by saying that "Smitherman is trying to run for mayor via this race".
Tyson has been endorsed by current Alabama House Delegate John Rogers. He is also a distant cousin of Shelia Tyson as well. That's not what I care about rather the accusation that a Smitherman supporter told Tyson to run against Rogers for re-election. Normally, I don't take any sides on these things, but that is really BOLD of the Smitherman campaign to do some mess like that. I'm one of those people that thinks Rogers is a joke, but I'm more aggravated by the attempt by the Smitherman campaign to tell somebody to go for the "easier route" instead of "messing up" Councilwoman Smitherman's path to being mayor (for awhile). Sorry, I just don't cosign on bull***t and that is bull***t. Smitherman has ran for mayor 3 times already and lost every single time, so I mean REALLY Councilwoman Smitherman.
I do know somebody personally that has been lobbying for Smitherman to become mayor now, but IMO, Tyson should win on principal. Honestly, I would much rather Cooper be mayor than Smitherman or Arrington. Sometimes it better to shake up things a little and see what happens because at the end of the day, we all know who got more votes between Smitherman and Cooper. Arrington doesn't stand a chance in hell of winning because all his endorsements the first go-around with the council races where rejected and they all lost. To sum it up, Smitherman has done nothing by using any of her leverage since her husband is State Senator to get anything major accomplished from the state level or the local level. When was the last time Smitherman has tried to propose on her own something progressive or substantial to fix Birmingham? Also when was the last time that Smitherman has tried to work to form any time of coalition with the more socially progressive young professional voters (both black and white) in the city or a candidate or official that stands for that effort? Last time I remember, not once.
Time for someone new and out with the old and the same-ol', same-ol'.
We have enough issues with political dynasties around here and this one with some many old heads gots to go..
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