BBA supports Senate bill to Restore revenue for Jefferson County

IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Dave Rickey: 205-241-8102 (office); 205-482-8811 (cell) Lauren Cooper: 205-241-8127 (office); 205-910-3215 (cell) BIRMINGHAM, Ala. May 7, 2012 The Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) issued the following statement regarding the Alabama Legislature and Jefferson Countys financial crisis: In the final days of the 2012 Alabama Legislative Regular Session, the BBA is strongly supporting the passage of SB567, The Alabama Financially Distressed Counties Act, to help restore revenue to Jefferson County. While the bill does not address all the issues facing the County, including indigent health care or upgrades in the Countys fiscal control systems, it does offer relief on the revenue side. If SB567 is passed by the Alabama Legislature, it is imperative that County leaders do those things necessary to improve efficiency, restore confidence and improve the quality of health care services to the indigent residents of the County as part of a comprehensive solution. Passage of this bill will enable Jefferson County to begin the hard work of solving its own problems, said John D. Johns, chairman of the BBA and CEO of Protective Life Corp. in Birmingham. If this measure fails, Jefferson Countys instability may well have significant financial consequences for the entire state. Last month, the BBA issued a statement supporting among other things, the restoration of an occupational tax; the expiration of that occupational tax upon repayment of the debt associated with the Countys one-cent sales tax; and a reauthorization of that one-cent

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tax to support the general fund. Although SB567 does not articulate a limitation of the term of the occupational tax, the County, in drafting an ordinance, may consider this limitation and should be encouraged to do so. The BBA pledges its willingness to work with the Jefferson County Manager and Commission in the development of an ordinance that fairly, efficiently and responsibly meets the current and future fiscal needs of the County. ###

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