NOTE: Please use the form on this page to submit any additional questions for the candidates. The comments on this page are closed. Thank you for your interest.
We need your help. It’s our intention to interview each of the candidates in the Birmingham mayor’s race (as André outlined in yesterday’s my Birmingham column).
What do you want us to ask? We won’t go as far as saying “no question is too silly” (well, because some are), but we want as many as possible to choose from.
Our plan is to ask the questions to all of the candidates though there will be a couple that will only be able to be asked to one or two, so keep that in mind.
Let’s see what comes up…
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9 comments so far ↓
1 Dystopos // Jul 2, 2007 at 12:56 pm
1. What should be the major goals of the next mayoral administration?
2. How will the city pursue the objectives of the Comprehensive Master Plan, the City Center Master Plan, and Region 2020’s plans for the Birmingham area?
3. How should Birmingham’s next mayor go about forming a productive working relationship with other governments in the region?
4. What City departments need major changes in order to better serve the public?
5. What needs to change in the Birmingham Police Department?
6. The City has been frequently accused of putting up roadblocks for new businesses and property developers. Do you have a plan for how to encourage good development?
7. What is your vision for how Birmingham can be in the next 5-10 years?
2 Mathu_00 // Jul 3, 2007 at 11:10 am
All very good questions however I think one is missing.
public schools. We need drastic change how do you set the public schools on the correct path.
3 Dystopos // Jul 3, 2007 at 1:50 pm
I thought about schools, but that’s largely outside the mayor’s hands as the school board has been made an independent authority specifically to take it out of the hands of the mayor and council. Still, the mayor should set the tone for excellence in public education and cooperate with the school board to reach that goal.
4 ageekgirl // Jul 3, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Dystopos, you’ve got a great list there! I have something that is on my mind that may make an interesting question. Given the droughts that we seem to be getting on a more frequent basis, should the mayor and city council be working on ways to minimize future water shortages for the city? Its something that is largely out of the mayor’s hands, but a plan for future city action could be set.
5 megabeth // Jul 5, 2007 at 12:50 pm
My question is when can I vote in City of Birmingham elections? I pay occupational taxes here, and do not support taxation without representation.
6 Dystopos // Jul 5, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Residency is required for voter registration, and registering to vote is required in order to make the ballot. Maybe you and Larry Langford can share the lease on an apartment inside the city limits.
7 megabeth // Jul 6, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Sorry…. did not know that my comment would inspire insults. Will lurk from now on
8 Dystopos // Jul 8, 2007 at 2:30 pm
I did not intend to insult. Political districts have always depended on residency, while taxes are usually based on transactions, whether income tax, occupational tax, value added tax, excise tax, sin tax, property tax, or sales tax. The bit about Langford was just pointing out that he has not established his residency in Birmingham either.
9 Jill Marlar // Aug 5, 2007 at 9:12 am
Putting the master plan and dome project aside for a moment, what can you as mayor do to find solutions within the individual neighborhoods and districts within the city in regards to crime, lighting, and maintenance? How would you help motivate leaders and citizens in these areas to work together to make change? Real change.