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https://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/n...ml?ana=twt

Good article. Sooner the better, says I.

I wonder about this Woodfin guy who will be our new mayor. He seems to be using an us-against-them, downtown vs the 99 neighborhoods rhetoric.

(09-09-2017 08:17 AM)Bham Blazer Wrote:  I wonder about this Woodfin guy who will be our new mayor. He seems to be using an us-against-them, downtown vs the 99 neighborhoods rhetoric.

What did Bell do or not do to put himself in this position?

I think a lot of people just looking for a change. The business community likes Bell (for the most part).

(09-09-2017 09:41 AM)Blazing Saddles Wrote:  What did Bell do or not do to put himself in this position?

Bell is and has been mostly out for himself and his cronies. He's gotten a lot of deals done that spun off money to the city and offered investment opportunities, but he's not done all that much for the ordinary citizens and neighborhoods. At this point they're wondering when the city is going to send some of the largess their way.

Woodfin is saying that he'll be more responsive to the citizens than to the monied interests. That may or not turn out to be how things actually fall out, but that's his pitch.

Business types like Bell. He leans their way and he's fairly predictable. Woodfin leans more toward a Bernie Democrat, and they're not wild about that at all.

The BJCC deal seems to be much more likely to happen under Bell. If he wins it should move pretty quickly. If Woodfin wins, who knows?

Actually, a lot of Woodfin's support comes from some of the most heavily gentrifying neighborhoods: Avondale, Southside, Downtown (residents, not business interests), etc. Some of the more distant from downtown neighborhoods still voted Bell, he's plugged into the old guard political machine. Woodfin is very specifically tapping into the Bernie movement, and just being the not-Chamber of Commerce candidate is pulling all of those votes. It's kind of mind boggling that the areas that have benefited the most from the post-recession boom, which Bell was mayor the whole time, are the areas trying the most to throw him out. And, they will lose the most if Woodfin wins.

(09-10-2017 09:50 AM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  Actually, a lot of Woodfin's support comes from some of the most heavily gentrifying neighborhoods: Avondale, Southside, Downtown (residents, not business interests), etc. Some of the more distant from downtown neighborhoods still voted Bell, he's plugged into the old guard political machine. Woodfin is very specifically tapping into the Bernie movement, and just being the not-Chamber of Commerce candidate is pulling all of those votes. It's kind of mind boggling that the areas that have benefited the most from the post-recession boom, which Bell was mayor the whole time, are the areas trying the most to throw him out. And, they will lose the most if Woodfin wins.

So Who Won.

After the runoff election in October we'll be able to tell you.

Many of the most popular neighborhood projects are primarily expenses with little potential for tax revenue enhancement (road paving, fire stations, street & sanitation, etc) . Those that do have that revenue potential are often seen as not directly serving neighborhoods (Regions Field, Crossplex, Railroad Park, BJCC stadium / MPF, etc.) so are seen as serving "special interests". A city leader has to find a balance between the two so citizens feel they are served, and the city makes the money (tax revenue) needed to make all those other projects possible.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

(09-12-2017 02:59 PM)DragonClaw Wrote:  Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Really. I enjoy reading his posts. Sometimes it is a challenge.
But I prefer his posts to no posts or no content posts.

He actually made a great post and I don't disagree with it.

(09-11-2017 11:26 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  Many of the most popular neighborhood projects are primarily expenses with little potential for tax revenue enhancement (road paving, fire stations, street & sanitation, etc) . Those that do have that revenue potential are often seen as not directly serving neighborhoods (Regions Field, Crossplex, Railroad Park, BJCC stadium / MPF, etc.) so are seen as serving "special interests". A city leader has to find a balance between the two so citizens feel they are served, and the city makes the money (tax revenue) needed to make all those other projects possible.

Best post I've ever seen from you.

(09-12-2017 02:59 PM)DragonClaw Wrote:  Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

This wasn't a poke at BnBF, it was just fatigue at hearing stadium talk decade, after decade, after decade and seeing NOTHING actually happen.

At this rate, we'll be pushing up daisies before Bham builds a new football facility.

Good accurate post by BNBF.

(09-14-2017 11:09 AM)DragonClaw Wrote:  

(09-12-2017 02:59 PM)DragonClaw Wrote:  Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

This wasn't a poke at BnBF, it was just fatigue at hearing stadium talk decade, after decade, after decade and seeing NOTHING actually happen.

At this rate, we'll be pushing up daisies before Bham builds a new football facility.

B'HAM cannot ever build any stadium of any configuration under the present Alabama Constitution's limits on Home Rule. The city is forced to have both state and metro area cooperation to build ANYTHING of that size. This gives the anti B'ham growth faction a veto power over anything of major expense.

Had the city been able to make local decisions like other large cities in other states, the MPF might have been built by 2002 and UAB might be its recurring tenant. But that is not the way things work (usually DON'T WORK) under existing Alabama laws. Everything of substance has to go through the process in Montgomery.

(09-14-2017 01:32 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  

(09-14-2017 11:09 AM)DragonClaw Wrote:  

(09-12-2017 02:59 PM)DragonClaw Wrote:  Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

This wasn't a poke at BnBF, it was just fatigue at hearing stadium talk decade, after decade, after decade and seeing NOTHING actually happen.

At this rate, we'll be pushing up daisies before Bham builds a new football facility.

B'HAM cannot ever build any stadium of any configuration under the present Alabama Constitution's limits on Home Rule. The city is forced to have both state and metro area cooperation to build ANYTHING of that size. This gives the anti B'ham growth faction a veto power over anything of major expense.

Had the city been able to make local decisions like other large cities in other states, the MPF might have been built by 2002 and UAB might be its recurring tenant. But that is not the way things work (usually DON'T WORK) under existing Alabama laws. Everything of substance has to go through the process in Montgomery.

1) the state is not going to be involved in whatever the BJCC builds, which is why it's likely to be an open air stadium not a domed monstrosity
2) MAPS died at the ballot box in Jefferson County. It did not get killed in Montgomery

(09-14-2017 01:49 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  

(09-14-2017 01:32 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  

(09-14-2017 11:09 AM)DragonClaw Wrote:  

(09-12-2017 02:59 PM)DragonClaw Wrote:  Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

This wasn't a poke at BnBF, it was just fatigue at hearing stadium talk decade, after decade, after decade and seeing NOTHING actually happen.

At this rate, we'll be pushing up daisies before Bham builds a new football facility.

B'HAM cannot ever build any stadium of any configuration under the present Alabama Constitution's limits on Home Rule. The city is forced to have both state and metro area cooperation to build ANYTHING of that size. This gives the anti B'ham growth faction a veto power over anything of major expense.

Had the city been able to make local decisions like other large cities in other states, the MPF might have been built by 2002 and UAB might be its recurring tenant. But that is not the way things work (usually DON'T WORK) under existing Alabama laws. Everything of substance has to go through the process in Montgomery.

1) the state is not going to be involved in whatever the BJCC builds, which is why it's likely to be an open air stadium not a domed monstrosity
2) MAPS died at the ballot box in Jefferson County. It did not get killed in Montgomery

MAPS was successful inside B'ham but was killed by voters in suburban Jeffco. Gov. Bob Riley was then approached for state aid and replied that the city and its suburbs must agree to speak with "one voice" in talking to the state. This gave the (Republican) suburbs absolute veto power over the project.

The BJCC is itself a state legislatively authorized body and can build whatever it gets the money to pay for. B'ham may decide to think and dream smaller and less expensive and sacrifice the MPF dream for the seasonally useful open air (95% football only) stadium. UAB can and will be happy to use either one that is actually built.