Controversy Over Birmingham City Council Pay Increase

 ========= 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
        )

)
1680744325 
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.

 

Crew of fatal US military crash included Alabama father recently deployed

The six U.S. service members who died in the crash of a U.S. military refueling aircraft included an Alabama father who had just been promoted and deployed. The U.S. government released the identities of the deceased service members Saturday.

Alabama poised to drastically overhaul utility regulation. Will it lower electric bills?

The Alabama Senate unanimously voted to expand the public service commission, and create a Secretary of Energy to address rising electricity prices. A bill in the House would go even further, requiring rate case hearings and limiting utility profits.

Musher from Alabama is going for back-to-back Iditarod wins

Riches and paid appearances haven’t followed Jessie Holmes since he won the world’s most famous sled dog race, the Iditarod, last year. He doesn't mind.

Bill would move Alabama to closed primaries

Right now, any Alabama voter can participate in a primary election. Lawmakers in Montgomery took up a bill this week that would change that system.

Auburn football player uses NIL funds to open a community hub in Birmingham

Jourdin Crawford, a freshman defensive lineman at Auburn, used earnings from a Name, Image, and Likeness deal to give back to his hometown.

Ivey commutes death sentence of inmate whose accomplice fired fatal shot

Charles “Sonny” Burton was sentenced to death for the killing of Doug Battle during a 1991 robbery. However, another man shot Battle when Burton had left the building.

More Front Page Coverage