City Council Seats, Tax Vote: Birmingham Election Oct. 8

BIRMINGHAM, AL -- Voters in Birmingham will go to the polls Tuesday, Oct. 8 to determine whether or not to keep the current property tax rate for schools, and to vote on three city council seats.

The 9.8 mill tax — which is not a new tax, but the same millage rate put in place for more than 30 years — generates about $32 million in revenue for Birmingham City Schools each year, school officials said. This $32 million comprises about 14 percent of the school system's projected revenues each year.

A "yes" vote keeps the tax the same as it has been, while a "no" vote ends the current tax rate and opens the door for a new rate.

On the city council front, special elections are on the ballot for the city council's District 1, District 6 and District 7 seats. Vacancies in these districts were filled through appointments in 2018 and 2019. Clinton Woods, Crystal Smitherman, and Wardine Alexander were named to the seats, respectively. The special elections are needed to fill the seats on a permanent basis.

District 1:

Challenging Woods in District 1 are Sherman Collins, Jr. and Haki Jamaal Muhammad.

Woods is the owner of Prescott Contracting. He previously served as the campaign manager for Mark Pettway for sheriff of Jefferson County.

Collins is the former District 1 representative on the Birmingham City Schools school board, elected to the position in 2013.

Muhammad has not provided any biographical or background information.

District 6:

Smitherman faces opposition from community organizer Onoyemi Williams, Graymont neighborhood President Willine Body, activist and North Titusville Neighborhood Vice President Keith O. Williams, activist and former Sheila Tyson assistant Carlos Chaverst, Birmingham Black Economic Alliance co-founder Clarence Muhammad and LaTanya Millhouse, who unsuccessfully ran against Tyson for the seat in 2013.

District 7:

Alexander is challenged by Lonnie Malone, a political strategist and radio personality, and Ray Brooks, a former Birmingham fire chief. Malone applied to replace Roberson last year, but he narrowly lost the seat to Alexander after Councilor Steven Hoyt broke the council’s 4-4 stalemate. Brooks, who currently sits on the Birmingham Housing Authority board, previously ran for mayor in 2007 and unsuccessfully applied to fill a council vacancy after District 7 Councilor Miriam Witherspoon died in 2009. He lost that appointment to Roberson.

Voters can find their polling location here.