Jefferson county

[Pell City Tiger]

Any of you locals keeping track of the Birmingham county commission mess? Hilarious shit! I've never seen a bigger collection of incompetent boobs mismanaging shit like these people. Comedy at its finest.

[Saniflush]

Any of you locals keeping track of the Birmingham county commission mess? Hilarious shit! I've never seen a bigger collection of incompetent boobs mismanaging shit like these people. Comedy at its finest.

Synopsis please sir.  I would like to see if they are more incompetent than the ATL boobs?

[Tarheel]

Any of you locals keeping track of the Birmingham county commission mess? Hilarious shit! I've never seen a bigger collection of incompetent boobs mismanaging shit like these people. Comedy at its finest.

So do tell, PCT.  I can always appreciate the comical antics of local politicians...Lord knows we've got enough of them in teh ATL as Sani says.

[Pell City Tiger]

There's a lot of shit going on that leaves anyone with the ability to accurately balance a checkbook scratching their heads. First and foremost, the county is in the hole to the tune of roughly $3.9 billion thanks to the shitty financial deal (interest rate swapping) they agreed to for the county sewer system. They can't pay the bill and the bondholders holding the debt are wanting to get paid. The commission had filed extension after extension and it's past the point where declaring bankruptcy is the only viable option out.

They banked their financial future on an occupational tax that was ruled unconstitutional. They need roughly $245 million a year to just make the interest payment. Cutting services to the bare minimum leave them approximately $145 million short of the required money. Instead of coming together to seriously consider the few options available to them, they have done nothing but argue and fight amongst themselves as the debt increased.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/metro.ssf?/base/news/123675931663870.xml&coll=2

They asked for a new ruling on the occupational tax, and that request was shot down. Instead of seeing the writing on the wall that this was not going to happen, they rolled the dice to see if the Alabama legislature would approve a bill that would reinstate the tax, and have the burden of paying the sewer bond debt passed along to non-users. That move was met with backlash, and the bill was never introduced at the capitol.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/06/jefferson_county_alabama_to_be.html

There's a ton more, but I'm too worn out to type. I'll add to this as I can. Maybe Buzz, Chizad, or some of the other can chime in and address some of the shit going down.

[Catphish Tilly]

a couple of beluga whales downtown would solve all this you know...

[Tarheel]

PCT sounds like the Jefferson County electorate need to have a recall election for the entire county commission!  $3.9 Billion!  That's staggering for a county!

[Buzz Killington]

I might know a little about it...

Here's one of the latest "answers."
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/06/jefferson_co_satellite_courtho.html

[Buzz Killington]

Of course, while the Commissioners are brainstorming to find ways to cut costs...

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/06/jefferson_county_commissioner_6.html

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/06/the_jefferson_county_alabama_s.html

http://www.al.com/opinion/birmingham/index.ssf/2009/06/post_1.html

[Pell City Tiger]

You know what really pisses me off? I pay a fucking occupational tax to both Jefferson County AND the city of Leeds. I live in St Clair county. Why am I being forced to pay a tax that is supposed to fund services I do not use? Why do I have to pay a tax simply because I am employed? Do they charge welfare riders and bums a "sit on their ass and do nothing for society" tax? Fuck no!

[Saniflush]

You know what really pisses me off? I pay a fucking occupational tax to both Jefferson County AND the city of Leeds. I live in St Clair county. Why am I being forced to pay a tax that is supposed to fund services I do not use? Why do I have to pay a tax simply because I am employed? Do they charge welfare riders and bums a "sit on their ass and do nothing for society" tax? Fuck no!

That whole thing was getting ram rodded through about the time I was leaving the area.    What a joke.

[Buzz Killington]

We're BROKE.  BROKE, I tell ya!

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/06/jefferson_county_seeks_lifelin.html

[Pell City Tiger]

Now Shelia Smoot is launching her congressional campaign. She wants to take her brand of ineptitude to the national level. For you out of towners; she's one of the Jefferson county commissioners that is helping to bumfuckle this entire mess. Once she gets elected and Artur Davis becomes our next governor, this state will officially cease to exist.

[Jumbo]

Now Shelia Smoot is launching her congressional campaign. She wants to take her brand of ineptitude to the national level. For you out of towners; she's one of the Jefferson county commissioners that is helping to bumfuckle this entire mess. Once she gets elected and Artur Davis becomes our next governor, this state will officially cease to exist.

Smoot is a fucking joke, Fox 6 on your side what a joke bitch!

[Buzz Killington]

Smoot is a fucking joke, Fox 6 on your side what a joke bitch!

Smoot is on Your Side!  Haters.

[Buzz Killington]

Now...the final solution.  At least until tomorrow.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/06/jefferson_county_commissioners_3.html

Instead of cutting jobs from people who are doing nothing now...let's cut everybody at least 20%.

What is not mentioned on here is that besides the 1 day a week/20% cuts for the hourly personnel, they plan to put the salaried employees on a work 4 weeks, off 1 week plan and a 20% cut also.

Fuck yeah!

[Pell City Tiger]

It's not hard to figure out how the surrounding counties saw the incredible growth they did. After Richard Arrington took over as mayor of the city of Birmingham and Larry Langford became county commissioner, one could literally hear the air come out of the balloon.

Speaking of Langford, he started giving laptop computers to all the school chirrens in the city of Birmingham this past school year. Granted, they are cheap assed things but, given the dire financial situation in Jefferson county, that money could have been used a little more wisely. He recently (within the last month) gave each of the city council members a laptop on the taxpayers dime.

Bettye Fine Collins (the county commissioner) has 5 personal assistants on her staff. From what I hear, none of them are in jeopardy of losing their job.

[Buzz Killington]

It's not hard to figure out how the surrounding counties saw the incredible growth they did. After Richard Arrington took over as mayor of the city of Birmingham and Larry Langford became county commissioner, one could literally hear the air come out of the balloon.

Speaking of Langford, he started giving laptop computers to all the school chirrens in the city of Birmingham this past school year. Granted, they are cheap assed things but, given the dire financial situation in Jefferson county, that money could have been used a little more wisely. He recently (within the last month) gave each of the city council members a laptop on the taxpayers dime.

Bettye Fine Collins (the county commissioner) has 5 personal assistants on her staff. From what I hear, none of them are in jeopardy of losing their job.

One of them and her husband just secured a low interest 2 year loan for $325,000 from Langford's pet project Operation New Birmingham, so they can open up a metrosexual hair salon.  Maybe Bettye Fine should start begging him for some of that money he keeps printing.