Former Mayor, Birmingham Officials on City’s Power Struggle

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Tensions between the Birmingham City Council and Mayor William Bell have escalated over the past several months. There’s now a bill in the legislature designed to change Birmingham’s Mayor-Council Act of 1955, which has determined the devision of power in the city for decades. A few weeks ago, draft legislation circulated that would transfer some powers from the city council to the mayor. Thursday evening at 6 pm, the Birmingham City Council holds an open meeting about these possible changes. We talk with Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD, about what former Birmingham officials think of the current battle in Birmingham government. Patterson also discusses the growth of small business in the Magic City, and what help entrepreneurs want from the city.

 

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