Mayor Woodfin’s Budget Proposal Prioritizes Neighborhood Revitalization, Youth and Public Transportation

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Mayor Randall L. Woodfin's Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget proposal continues to prioritize neighborhood revitalization, investments in youth, and public transportation. The Woodfin administration presented the $554 million spending plan to the Birmingham City Council Tuesday, May 14, 2024.

The budget proposal is the same spending plan approved by the Birmingham City Council for Fiscal Year 2024. It includes:

• Street resurfacing: $14.5 million
• Weed abatement: $2 million
• Demolition: $1 million
• Land Bank: $500,000
• Traffic calming: $250,000 (traffic calming includes physical measures to reduce vehicle speeds and increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists)
• Sidewalks: $200,000

The budget invests in multiple youth initiatives. The Birmingham Promise will receive $2 million to support juniors and seniors in Birmingham City Schools through apprenticeships and tuition support for higher education. An additional $1 million will go to Birmingham City Schools for mental health support. In addition, $1 million each will continue for financial literacy and conflict resolution curriculums provided through a partnership with Birmingham City Schools.

Public transportation in the proposed budget includes $11 million for the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority's fixed route service, $3 million for the Birmingham Xpress bus rapid transit system, and $2.5 million for the Birmingham On-Demand shared mobility service powered by VIA.

The budget funds merit and longevity pay for eligible employees. Employees will see no out-of-pocket increases in healthcare costs.

Each year, the budget process begins in January to ensure an effective and efficient effort to address the basic budget needs and fund the shared priorities of the city.

On March 6, 2024, the City of Birmingham observed unexpected activity within the network that disrupted the operability of certain computer systems, including those used by the finance department to administer the budget process. The disruption affected seven weeks and eleven dates within the budget schedule. At this time, there's no sign of suspicious activity in the city's systems. The city is working to bring all city systems online; however, full operability of certain systems may continue to be an ongoing process.

Due to the missed target dates within the budget process, the city moved to submit the budget from the current fiscal year to ensure a seamless transition. Once the budget process is completed, the mayor will move to amend the Fiscal Year 2025 budget to reflect adjustments based on shared priorities. This will include considerations from neighborhoods, employees, departments, and boards and agencies.

The new fiscal year begins July 1, 2024.

Mayor Woodfin's proposed budget under consideration by the Birmingham City Council can be viewed online at www.birminghamal.gov/budget2025.