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(10-06-2017 02:15 PM)Big Dee Wrote:  

(10-06-2017 01:25 PM)ICB Wrote:  Let me say this about Woodfin in comparison to Bell, you won’t get all the empty promises. On the stadium in particular, we have been talking about this for years, Bell has promised 3 times in the last 2 years that we would hear something soon, and still nothing. You won’t get that with Woodfin. We may not get the stadium, but we also won’t get empty promises. We will know soon after he’s in office what role Birmingham will play in the stadium if any. The stadium issue will be resolved one way or the other.

As far as businesses, his is not anti-business. He is anti, “line my pocket, get what you want” type business. He will deal with companies above board. When he said he will piss businesses off, read the next sentence, “I get to say no.” He is referring to the fact that certain businesses had the previous mayor in their back pockets and they got whatever they wanted, even at the expense of the overall good of the city. Because he is not bought, he has the leverage to work in best interest of city, even if that is telling them no on some things. Every mayor should be able to say no to businesses if it doesn’t benefit the city. I expect him to get behind bringing business to Birmingham, but certain businesses won’t get priveleges based on their past contributions to campaigns. There is more I could say, but I will stop there.

+1

Ready to see what MAYOR Woodfin has in his plans as a new era begins.

It is important when expressing expectations that one remembers that the Mayor acting alone cannot legally spend a single cent of city money on any project - including the BJCC renovation and stadium. If B'ham is going to financially support any building done at the BJCC, the City Council will have to vote for it to be done. The fact that not one iota of this article asks anyone now on the Council about their feelings about spending for anything on our plate plays to this ignorance of the law and the way it operates.

The Mayor can be gracious, helpful, supportive and positive about local business and be a cheerleader for it, but when policy is to meet financial performance, it is the Council who writes the checks.