Transit director David Hill really should read the Weekly more often. The Birmingham News is reporting on al.com that Hill has just now realized that he's not getting as much money from the city of Birmingham as he thought he would, not as much as Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford promised him. ... no ... mustn't be ... prideful ...

You see, Hill thought he was getting $17 million from Langford for mass transit improvements.

... agh ... can't hold it ... much ... longer ...

But the strange thing was that the tax plan proposed by Langford and approved by the Birmingham City Council included only $9 million for transit.
... turning green ... like HULK ...

Councilor Valerie Abbott even asked Langford during the debate how much money was going to transit — the $17 million originally proposed, or the $9 million Langford quietly sneaked into the ordinance.

... just ... a little ... longer ...

And we even asked Hill about it the same day as Langford's State of the City Address. Twice in that speech Langford said that $9 million in new money was going to transit, but when I asked Hill about it just minutes later, he insisted the BJCTA had $17 million in new money headed its way.

... the rage ... welling up ...

In recent weeks, the BJCTA has even been running ads on local radio stations telling residents what wonderful things would be heading their way because of Mayor Larry Langford, the Birmingham City Council and the truck load of cash they had approved for mass transit improvements in Birmingham.

... can't ... aw screw it ...

We told you so!

And not just recently, but THREE MONTHS ago. In the Nov. 29, 2007 issue of the Weekly, we wrote in a column noting the discrepancy:

So what does the Langford administration do when it’s $8 million short? The same thing everyone else has done — screw transit. Quietly, a second draft of Langford’s proposed ordinance cut $17 million for transit to a mere $9 million. The money for the dome, of course, remained the same.

And that wasn't the only instance. It takes three licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop -- the same number it takes to tell the truth about Mayor Langford's promises.

ONE: Leapin' Larry's Counting Coup

TWO: MAX's Magic Math

THREE: Magic City Math

Yup, David Hill bought what Langford was selling and now he looks like a fool.