NOTE: This editorial was submitted by Buddy Palmer, president of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham, in advance of Wednesday’s hearing about the occupational tax for Jefferson County.

Wednesday, April 15^th at 10 a.m., the Jefferson County Legislative Delegation meets in Montgomery for a public hearing on the reauthorization of the Jefferson County Occupational Tax, which the county desperately needs. Currently, professionals such as lawyers, doctors, cosmetologists, real estate agents pay state fees to conduct business and do not pay an occupational tax as the rest of us working in Jefferson County do.

What we are hoping for is for everyone to be required to pay their fair share of occupational tax. And with this reauthorization of the Occupational Tax comes a rare, much needed opportunity. We would like an amendment within the reauthorization that will dedicate some of those new dollars (estimated to be as much as an additional $18 million annually) to provide partial Funding for the Arts and Cultural, Environmental and Science non-profit entities in Jefferson County.

Should this be approved, the new dollars will be managed transparently through the Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham and distributed to entities like the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, the Birmingham Museum of Art, Sloss Furnaces, Red Mountain Theatre, the Alabama Symphony, the Jazz Hall of Fame and many other organizations, both large and small, which have faced shortfalls in funding since the Jefferson County Commission suspended its contribution to the Jefferson County Community Arts fund in 2007.

These earmarked funds through the Occupational Tax will help provide permanent, sustainable funding for groups that enrich our lives and contribute significantly to the economic development of our region. These funds will build outreach programming for school children and enhance the overall quality of life in Jefferson County.

Want to help? Call your representative at 334-242-7600 or senator at 334-242-7800, and tell them you support Public Funding for Arts Culture Environment and Science! Look them up at http://www.cultural-alliance.com.