The check is not yet in the mail when it comes to the city of Birmingham's $2.5 million pledge for UAB football.

At least two City Council members are questioning the wisdom behind a recent $500,000 yearly pledge to support the Blazers.

Council members Sheila Tyson and Councilman Jay Roberson said they both support Blazer athletics, but call the $500,000 pledge excessive, considering more pressing needs throughout the city.

"We're not in the business of college athletics," Roberson said. "We support them in many different ways, but for us to approve $500,000 over the next five years, that could better be spent for our citizens."

Roberson told AL.com that he will ask the council to reconsider the dollar amount as the group deliberates on the 2016 operating budget.

The vote was a resolution of intent, meaning the council still has to create a budget line item to make the funding official.

The funding was proposed by Council President Johnathan Austin. Austin, who has been a strong critic of UAB president Ray Watts following his decision to end the football program last year.

"It has been my belief that the decision was not based on solid evidence but the desire of the president and his Geppetto," Austin told AL.com earlier, continuing his attack on Watts as a puppet of the UA System Board of Trustees. "Now, hopefully we're seeing the strings cut to allow UAB to achieve its full potential without the trustees controlling UAB's Pinocchio."

Just five of the nine council members were present May 12 when the group approved the resolution.

Council members Austin, Valerie Abbott, Steven Hoyt, Marcus Lundy and William Parker were present and voted for the resolution.

Roberson echoed earlier opposition from Tyson, whose district includes parts of UAB.

Tyson said the additional funding for football presents the wrong priorities. She said the city should not commit extra funding for additional amenities while it allows basic needs to languish.

Tyson cited a list of dilapidated buildings and residential buildings that stand as health and safety hazards.

"It's in my district and I support it," she said of UAB. "But what would you do, would you go get your prescription filled or go to a football game? You can't compare them."

Rather than $500,000, Tyson said she supports continuing the regular $250,000 appropriation for football.

"There's no way we should change that amount," she said.

Lundy defended the council's financial pledge and said the city should honor its commitment.

Still, Lundy said he understands the challenge and frustration of finding money to address pressing neighborhood needs.

"UAB is a priority, and maintaining our pledge should be paramount to that priority," he said. "I see it as a wise investment. There are pressing needs I agree, but UAB is our largest employer and the economic engine for our city, and we should do all we can to keep UAB going."

On the other hand, Lundy said the city's relationship with UAB should be more symbiotic, benefiting both the university and the city at large. A lack of communication remains a barrier, he said.

"I'm excited about some of the programs that UAB is doing when it comes to research and developing some of these companies. We need UAB to do more of that," Lundy said. "When Dr. Watts doesn't talk to us we can't have this dialogue with him. I really think it'd be a moot point if Dr. Watts was talking to us."