Thank you Mr. Haney. May we have another?

It's like the city of Birmingham just wants to be spanked. Again and again and again.

Two years ago, facing a city full of outraged voters and disturbing questions about boatloads of convenient campaign cash, the city dropped the idea of spending $139 million over 30 years to rent part of the old Social Security building downtown - which is owned by Chattanooga Tycoon Franklin L. Haney.

I mean, it looked bad. Right there at election crunch time in 2013 Haney funneled $129,500 through PACs to six of nine Birmingham City Council members. In the past he had given $100,000 to Mayor William Bell's campaigns, and used former Mayor Richard Arrington as his advocate in the city.

It all fell apart when the people said what the...? That's a lot to pay to rent something from some political sugar daddy.

And it went away.

Until January of this year, when Bell again started to push the idea of leasing the building. It would be used as the police and fire headquarters. At the time he said the rental cost would come to $3.8 million a year.

Now the plan is back, like the recurring nightmare that won't let a city sleep. Tuesday's City Council agenda includes a resolution calling for the city to pay $4.4 million a year to lease 358,000 square feet of space in the building for 20 years. It is recommended by the mayor. It would be used as police and fire headquarters, and for municipal court.

Tweak it and seek it. They are relentless.

Which surprises ... no one.

Birmingham would spend $4.4 million a year to lease part of this building.

Haney is a billionaire who has plied politicians across Alabama with money. He contributed heavily to former Gov. Bob Riley when he wanted the state Department of Human Resources to lease part of the building for $5 million a year, and he contributed heavily to Gov. Robert Bentley, who had to sign the documents.

He makes no apologies for it. He uses money to influence politics, which is what money does.

When asked in 2014 about spending almost $130,000 on Birmingham City Council races - much of it after they were already elected, he said: "It's not a lot of money to me."

Franklin Haney

But it's a lot of money to the council members who took it: Council President Johnathan Austin, Steven Hoyt, Marcus Lundy, Kim Rafferty, Jay Roberson and Sheila Tyson.

But face it, Birmingham. This council, for all its problems and for all that money, is the only thing that has stood between the city and this persistent landlord. Perhaps it will stand again.

This will be a test. Of late the mayor and council have been at an impasse. If the mayor wants something the council is loath to do it.

Maybe that will continue. Maybe, for once, it will work in the people's favor.

Because the last thing Birmingham needs is another spanking.