Mobile Alabama Faces a Budgetary Crisis

Using the metaphor of a burning building Mayor Sam Jones addressed a packed ballroom during his State of the City speech yesterday. Mobile is currently facing a $4.9 million dollar projected budget deficit.

Earlier this month the city council rejected a proposed 1 percent sales tax increase. Police precincts and fire stations have been closed and the workforce consolidated in an attempt to conserve city funds. The Mobile County Commission has voted for a 2 percent cut in administrative costs. They expect to be able to achieve this with attrition, operational cuts, restructuring of employee hours, and the elimination of two holidays.

Suggestions to cut wages of Mobile County personnel were met with resistance from the County Personnel Board. The board must approve the 10% salary cut proposed by the Mayor. They also have the final say on hiring and firing. Since policy requires that the last hired be the first fired eliminating positions will mean that the lowest paid employees would be the first to go.

Since the 1% sales tax hike was rejected other proposals have arisen. They include ½% sales tax hike coupled with a charge for garbage services, reduction in salaries in the police and fire departments, the elimination of school crossing guards and the elimination of many school bus routes.

Those on the city council who continue to vote against the proposals are doing so in the belief that all the proposals are regressive and affect those citizens least able to afford the increased costs.

While all this wrangling is going on and budget predictions for the next years are more dire the state continues to wage a war against legalizing casino gambling. Proponents of legalizing gambling in Alabama say the new industry would generate millions in taxes and thousands for jobs across the state. Governor Bob Riley continues to fight to prevent gambling from becoming a reality in the state. Recently the House voted to refuse to allow Alabama citizens to vote in the issue in the November election even though such a proposal had already passed in the Senate.