ATTALLABLAZE
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
I can only speak for what I am familiar with in regards to funds for education projects. The City of Birmingham has spent $554 million on new schools or renovating existing schools and wall as many smaller connected protects like sewer systems (For one example) that not only help some new schools but adjacent neighborhoods. Etc. That's a damn good return on the investment and will help teach a kid to fish. BTW I worked on five of them over the last 8 years. ;-)
It's easy to sit back and throw darts and say nothing positive ever happens but we have witnessed a hell of a lot of positive happening the last several years from new schools, to roads, to parks, revitalizing downtown, Uptown, stadium, Football Facilities, soccer stadium, etc. and hopefully it not only continues, it ramps up a notch. Is it where we want it to be? heck no. I want more.
(This post was last modified: 08-23-2017 01:16 PM by ATTALLABLAZE.)
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08-23-2017 01:12 PM |
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mixduptransistor
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
If there's anything this election has demonstrated it's that UAB supporters cannot sit back and just depend on the city to fill in where UAB can't or won't. There still needs to be a push to get rid of Ray Watts and to make changes at the Board
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08-23-2017 01:25 PM |
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UABslant
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
Woodfin spent time going door-to-door in B'ham communities that actually vote. Bell glad-handed corporate interests (& UAB) that, for a large percentage, have employees that don't even live in the city limits.
B'ham politics are an embarrassment for the city. I think Woodfin is a smart guy and might be able to curtail some of the shenanigans. But I also think Bell is a better ally for UAB and its interests. Maybe Woodfin can prove me wrong.
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08-23-2017 02:03 PM |
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imjustafatkid
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
(08-23-2017 02:03 PM)UABslant Wrote: B'ham politics are an embarrassment for the city. I think Woodfin is a smart guy and might be able to curtail some of the shenanigans. But I also think Bell is a better ally for UAB and its interests. Maybe Woodfin can prove me wrong.
He was one of the better board members on the Board of Education when I worked there. Giattina was the other one, so I was sad to see he wasn't seeking reelection. The rest micromanaged to an unreal level, which was sad because that's the same behavior that caused the recent state takeover.
(This post was last modified: 08-23-2017 02:58 PM by imjustafatkid.)
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08-23-2017 02:57 PM |
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UABFRENCHY
Heisman
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Location: Vestavia
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
(08-23-2017 01:25 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: If there's anything this election has demonstrated it's that UAB supporters cannot sit back and just depend on the city to fill in where UAB can't or won't. There still needs to be a push to get rid of Ray Watts and to make changes at the Board
agree 100 % ...Walter Maddox :)
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08-23-2017 05:43 PM |
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BAMANBLAZERFAN
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
EDIT:
The city government runoff election (October 3rd) is one week after the Republican Party runoff for US Senator (between Roy Moore and Luther Strange) on September 25th .
The turnout will probably be VERY light since the Senate race is likely to wear everyone out on political issues.
Except for a dozen or so suburban enclaves, local and state tax support for public education (the SETF) is still far below the 2007-2008 school year by about $1/2 BILLION. Under the state's 1901 Constitution, a local school district can only raise local taxes (other than local sales taxes) with the permission of a vote in the state legislature and perhaps a statewide vote for an amendment. Walker County just voted down a local tax increase last week.
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08-23-2017 11:34 PM |
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hooverblazer
Promoter of UAB
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
(08-23-2017 11:34 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: The city government runoff election (September 5th) is one week after the Republican Party runoff for US Senator (between Roy Moore and Luther Strange) on August 29th .
The turnout will probably be VERY light since the Senate race is likely to wear everyone out on political issues. Besides that, the runoff election is the day after Labor Day.
Except for a dozen or so suburban enclaves, local and state tax support for public education (the SETF) is still far below the 2007-2008 school year by about $1/2 BILLION. Under the state's 1901 Constitution, a local school district can only raise local taxes (other than local sales taxes) with the permission of a vote in the state legislature and perhaps a statewide vote for an amendment. Walker County just voted down a local tax increase last week.
City runoff is Oct 3rd.
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08-23-2017 11:38 PM |
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imjustafatkid
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
(08-23-2017 11:34 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: Except for a dozen or so suburban enclaves, local and state tax support for public education (the SETF) is still far below the 2007-2008 school year by about $1/2 BILLION. Under the state's 1901 Constitution, a local school district can only raise local taxes (other than local sales taxes) with the permission of a vote in the state legislature and perhaps a statewide vote for an amendment. Walker County just voted down a local tax increase last week.
The "throwing money at it will fix it" argument. Were we seeing better results in 2007-2008? Just because funding levels have been higher at some point in the past is not an argument for increasing funding levels.
Edit: It is also telling that you are discussing funding for education for the state as a whole when this thread is about Birmingham. Birmingham is one of the most well-funded school systems in the state.
(This post was last modified: 08-24-2017 07:53 AM by imjustafatkid.)
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08-24-2017 07:49 AM |
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BAMANBLAZERFAN
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
(08-24-2017 07:49 AM)imjustafatkid Wrote: (08-23-2017 11:34 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: Except for a dozen or so suburban enclaves, local and state tax support for public education (the SETF) is still far below the 2007-2008 school year by about $1/2 BILLION. Under the state's 1901 Constitution, a local school district can only raise local taxes (other than local sales taxes) with the permission of a vote in the state legislature and perhaps a statewide vote for an amendment. Walker County just voted down a local tax increase last week.
The "throwing money at it will fix it" argument. Were we seeing better results in 2007-2008? Just because funding levels have been higher at some point in the past is not an argument for increasing funding levels.
Edit: It is also telling that you are discussing funding for education for the state as a whole when this thread is about Birmingham. Birmingham is one of the most well-funded school systems in the state.
For the first time in its history, UAB football is about to find out if "throwing money at a program" will yield improved results. It had never been tried before since the origins of the program.
The state's SETF is still the primary source of K-12 funding in Alabama (and for many of the 135 districts, the ONLY funding) with only a few districts (those suburban enclaves I mentioned) being able to get state permission to raise local property taxes for their local districts. Mountain Brook was reported to have the highest local property taxes in Alabama for only its own schools and seems to be quite happy with their results. The last media coverage of school funding by district placed B'ham in a middle bracket with some local funding, but far from the top.
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08-26-2017 12:32 AM |
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imjustafatkid
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
(08-26-2017 12:32 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: For the first time in its history, UAB football is about to find out if "throwing money at a program" will yield improved results. It had never been tried before since the origins of the program.
The state's SETF is still the primary source of K-12 funding in Alabama (and for many of the 135 districts, the ONLY funding) with only a few districts (those suburban enclaves I mentioned) being able to get state permission to raise local property taxes for their local districts. Mountain Brook was reported to have the highest local property taxes in Alabama for only its own schools and seems to be quite happy with their results. The last media coverage of school funding by district placed B'ham in a middle bracket with some local funding, but far from the top.
Property taxes are assessed by individual counties in Alabama. Local districts actually do not need permission from the state to hold property tax referendums for tax increases. What gave you the idea that they did?
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08-26-2017 05:10 PM |
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linus
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
40 years ago we passed the Lid Bill that capped property tax increases and limited the power of municipalities to impose them. My Father-In-Law wrote the bill and ran Gulf States Paper/Farm Bureau/Alfa's campaign to pass it. As far as I know it hasn't been repealed
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08-26-2017 05:39 PM |
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mixduptransistor
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
(08-26-2017 05:10 PM)imjustafatkid Wrote: (08-26-2017 12:32 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: For the first time in its history, UAB football is about to find out if "throwing money at a program" will yield improved results. It had never been tried before since the origins of the program.
The state's SETF is still the primary source of K-12 funding in Alabama (and for many of the 135 districts, the ONLY funding) with only a few districts (those suburban enclaves I mentioned) being able to get state permission to raise local property taxes for their local districts. Mountain Brook was reported to have the highest local property taxes in Alabama for only its own schools and seems to be quite happy with their results. The last media coverage of school funding by district placed B'ham in a middle bracket with some local funding, but far from the top.
Property taxes are assessed by individual counties in Alabama. Local districts actually do not need permission from the state to hold property tax referendums for tax increases. What gave you the idea that they did?
Alabama counties do not have home rule unless a specific constitutional amendment has been passed giving a specific power to that county.
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08-26-2017 07:35 PM |
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imjustafatkid
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
(08-26-2017 07:35 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: (08-26-2017 05:10 PM)imjustafatkid Wrote: (08-26-2017 12:32 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: For the first time in its history, UAB football is about to find out if "throwing money at a program" will yield improved results. It had never been tried before since the origins of the program.
The state's SETF is still the primary source of K-12 funding in Alabama (and for many of the 135 districts, the ONLY funding) with only a few districts (those suburban enclaves I mentioned) being able to get state permission to raise local property taxes for their local districts. Mountain Brook was reported to have the highest local property taxes in Alabama for only its own schools and seems to be quite happy with their results. The last media coverage of school funding by district placed B'ham in a middle bracket with some local funding, but far from the top.
Property taxes are assessed by individual counties in Alabama. Local districts actually do not need permission from the state to hold property tax referendums for tax increases. What gave you the idea that they did?
Alabama counties do not have home rule unless a specific constitutional amendment has been passed giving a specific power to that county.
Okay? Property taxes are assessed by the individual counties in Alabama. It's a fact. You do not need state permission to hold a property tax referendum. Just because we don't have complete home rule (which is not unique to our state) does not mean local municipalities can't do anything.
(This post was last modified: 08-26-2017 11:21 PM by imjustafatkid.)
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08-26-2017 11:18 PM |
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imjustafatkid
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RE: Municipal Elections and effects on stadium
(08-26-2017 05:39 PM)linus Wrote: 40 years ago we passed the Lid Bill that capped property tax increases and limited the power of municipalities to impose them. My Father-In-Law wrote the bill and ran Gulf States Paper/Farm Bureau/Alfa's campaign to pass it. As far as I know it hasn't been repealed
Yes, there is a cap. Birmingham was not at the cap when they passed their most recent tax referendum for arts and pre-k funding.
(This post was last modified: 08-26-2017 11:25 PM by imjustafatkid.)
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08-26-2017 11:23 PM |
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