Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford set out plans for an adult education and job training initiative called the Birmingham Family Investment Center at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. The mayor proposed to pay for the program by delaying his $6 million college scholarship program for a year and reallocating the money to the new center. However, the City Council cut the scholarship program in the 2009-2010 budget, citing more pressing concerns.
“I’m going to ask us to delay the college tuition portion until the year 2010, and take the funds for ‘09, ‘10, and let’s open one of these centers,” said Langford.
The council seemed enthusiastic about the mayor’s plan, though no council member noted that the funds the mayor referred to had been cut from the recently passed budget.
Langford did propose a way to fund the scholarship program in his “Top Secret Plan,” which he unveiled last month in dramatic fashion, flanked by guards armed with sub-machine guns. That plan, which is yet to be passed by the City Council, calls for funding trolleys, scholarships and other initiatives by using the city’s savings and tax revenue that is yet to be earmarked.
The mayor’s new program would utilize one or more of the schools recently closed by the Board of Education. According to Langford’s plan, the Birmingham Family Investment Center would provide several services free of charge, including GED instruction and testing, training in several trades and skills, and job placement. The center would also afford free day care for program participants.
Langford said that 30 percent of Birmingham residents lack a high school diploma. Statistics from the United States Census Bureau suggest that those without high school diplomas make, on average, about $10,000 less a year than those with diplomas.
The City Council met with Langford to discuss the plan Tuesday afternoon, and made plans to meet again Wednesday at 5 pm to continue the discussion.
