Controversy Over Birmingham City Council Pay Increase

| August 13, 2015 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/08/16083873-standard.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:620;s:6:"height";i:410;s:4:"file";s:29:"2015/08/16083873-standard.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-336x222.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:222;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"16083873-standard-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-600x410.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:410;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-470x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-401x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:401;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-600x410.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:410;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"16083873-standard-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Frank Couch
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => AL.com FILE
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:184657;s:14:"optimized_size";i:122254;s:7:"percent";d:33.789999999999999;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:57:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:37774;s:14:"optimized_size";i:23483;s:7:"percent";d:37.829999999999998;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:65:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard-336x222.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:20066;s:14:"optimized_size";i:14841;s:7:"percent";d:26.039999999999999;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:63:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:3613;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3598;s:7:"percent";d:0.41999999999999998;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:65:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:40937;s:14:"optimized_size";i:25590;s:7:"percent";d:37.490000000000002;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:65:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:23200;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15440;s:7:"percent";d:33.450000000000003;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:65:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard-470x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:32791;s:14:"optimized_size";i:21751;s:7:"percent";d:33.670000000000002;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:65:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/08/16083873-standard-401x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:26276;s:14:"optimized_size";i:17551;s:7:"percent";d:33.210000000000001;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1649547934 
1439457471

Birmingham’s City Council is taking some heat after approving a city council pay raise. Last week the nine-member council voted 8-1 to approve a raise for council members from $15,000 to $55,000, a more than 200 percent increase. Council members say it’ll help attract top talent to city leadership. Birmingham News & Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald tells WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley why he’s skeptical.

“According to the National League of Cities, only 7 percent of medium sized cities – or those up to 200,000 in population – pay their city councils salaries above $20,000,” explains Archibald. He joins WBHM most Thursdays during Morning Edition.

 

Alabama approves regulations on pharmacy benefit managers in order to help small pharmacies

The Alabama House backed the proposal that will require pharmacy benefit managers to reimburse independent pharmacists at least at the state Medicaid rate for prescription drugs. The bill now goes to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey.

20 musicians who should get to go to space before Katy Perry

On April 14, Blue Origin plans to launch a space flight with a crew that includes the singer behind the 2010 hit "Firework." But we can think of many other artists who deserve to be among the stars.

Appeals court rules Trump can fire probationary federal workers once again

The decision from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals further clears the way for the Trump administration to re-fire, for now, thousands of probationary federal employees.

Trump says he will pause tariffs for 90 days, but not for China

The president announced he would be hiking tariffs on China to 125% "effective immediately," but said he was pausing them on other U.S. trading partners to allow time for trade negotiations.

House GOP leaders prepare budget vote, daring dissenters to oppose Trump

House GOP leaders are moving ahead with a budget plan that is meant to pave the way for future votes on President Trump's domestic agenda, but members within their own party oppose the bill. Some dissenters have remained opposed to the bill, despite pressure from leaders and Trump himself.

This former influencer gave up her smartphone. She says you should, too

August Lamm became an accidental influencer by posting pictures of her art online – until she reached a breaking point and got rid of her smartphone. Now, she's advocating for others to do the same.

More Front Page Coverage