Here he goes again.
Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford on Thursday proposed raising the sales tax in the city by 1 cent on the dollar and doubling business license fees to pay for his plans to build a domed stadium, improve mass transit, support economic development, improve the police and fire departments, and other programs.
This guy is so above board that he tell the City Counsel to say nothing to the media.
The plan was sealed in 24-by-14-inch envelopes marked "Personal and Confidential Not for Distribution. Only Mayor May Comment on Contents." Langford said he would make his plan public Monday, giving the council enough time to read it.
"You don't need to read this in the paper," Langford said. "Once we get all on the same page, then we make it public."
There's a name for this. It's called a "back room deal"
Here's the link to the B'ham News:
Langford proposes tax for dome, transit
and here's Stantis excellent take on this huckster:
Crazy Larry's Cash Advance
All of this from a tax cheat. Langford still claims a "Homestead" exemption on a house he claims to not live in. Which is it Larry are you a Tax cheater or are you a resident of the city of Birmingham?
BlazerRob Wrote:All of this from a tax cheat. Langford still claims a "Homestead" exemption on a house he claims to not live in. Which is it Larry are you a Tax cheater or are you a resident of the city of Birmingham?
Wow, I did not know that. If that is true, it looks like the attempt to make him ineligible to be mayor might have a chance.
I can agree with a penny sales tax to fund some things..namely transit. However he's going at it completely wrong.
First, his penny sales tax for schools + this one is too much. Tax payers will never go for it.
Second, he can only pass this in Birmingham. He should really be working with the Jefferson County Commission, Shelby County, and the cities of both counties to work to fund the transit together. A transit system, no matter how many new buses they buy, is going to be non-functional until I can get on a bus or train in Pelham and ride into Downtown. And until all of these governments get their heads out of their respective asses, we'll have the status quo.
Anyone know how much business license fees are? If they're already expensive, and he wants to double them, then this won't spur economic development.
mixduptransistor Wrote:I can agree with a penny sales tax to fund some things..namely transit. However he's going at it completely wrong.
First, his penny sales tax for schools + this one is too much. Tax payers will never go for it.
Second, he can only pass this in Birmingham. He should really be working with the Jefferson County Commission, Shelby County, and the cities of both counties to work to fund the transit together. A transit system, no matter how many new buses they buy, is going to be non-functional until I can get on a bus or train in Pelham and ride into Downtown. And until all of these governments get their heads out of their respective asses, we'll have the status quo.
I agree. I am all for a real, workable transit system but it is much bigger than Birmingham and must connect the suburbs. He needs to get others on board.
Business license is very cheap. I have no problem with the tax increase and expected it. Nothing in life is free. I do have a financial investment in downtown Brimingham. I am actually excited with what is happening and excited for my business! I know I am in the minority but that's ok.
dfarr Wrote:Anyone know how much business license fees are? If they're already expensive, and he wants to double them, then this won't spur economic development.
Cost me $11 about 8 years ago. That's all I know. So... I really don't think even tripling that would be that crazy to me. I was extremely surprised at how cheap it was.
The business license fee should be $100 minimum and increase a little with the size of the business. Even a $500 business license fee is not going to keep a new company from moving to the city. I have no problem with increasing the business license fee to a more reasonable amount. Now a 1% sales tax.... that is something else.
Of course, since I will only live here another month or so... go ahead and raise it 3% and build that mass transit system :)
BTR Wrote:BlazerRob Wrote:All of this from a tax cheat. Langford still claims a "Homestead" exemption on a house he claims to not live in. Which is it Larry are you a Tax cheater or are you a resident of the city of Birmingham?
Wow, I did not know that. If that is true, it looks like the attempt to make him ineligible to be mayor might have a chance.
I don't know how the challenge will turn out (law is a very tricky area) but here is what they said in court.
But one of Cooper's lawyers, Jim Ward, presented evidence that Langford's bills still go to his Fairfield house, his checking accounts still list the Fairfield address and Langford continues to claim a homestead exemption on property taxes for the Fairfield house.
and the mayor seems to have a problem understanding the term "Homestead"
The mayor said he can't claim a homestead exemption on the loft because he doesn't own it.
See the article from the
Birmingham News
Anyone familiar with history will recognize Langford's opening gambit as remenicient of FDR's "First 100 Days" in 1933. The energy he is creating is a refreshing change from the malaise B'ham is used to seeing downtown.
As for the taxes he has chosen, blame that on the State Constitution which leaves a city government only sales taxes to change by local initiative. Most taxes require an affirmative statewide referendum before you can even propose most other taxes to a local vote. That is why he went that route for needed school funds for the construction/renovation of schools in Jefferson County. Any other taxes would require at least a year to get a statewide referendum and then there would have to be another local vote on the tax itself, and you know how eager Alabama voters have been to vote for school taxes over the past decades.
In regard to business licence fees, the lawyers, doctors, etc. escape paying ANY "occupation taxes" under present law if they have bought a business licence. Their clerical worker force MUST pay it though the boss escapes. Not bad, evade a 1% tax on income by paying for a cheap business licence fee. Who wouldn't pay about $15 per year to escape 1% of a few hundred thousands?