On August 11, 1964, the City of Homewood voted to be annexed into the City of Birmingham. The vote count was 2,423 to 2,417. The election was overturned, though, in the Alabama Supreme Court decision City of Birmingham v. Bouldin, 1966, because the election was not properly advertised, among other things.

This particular election was also a mayoral general election and it followed a string of similar elections that were also organized improperly in Vestavia and Mountain Brook.

That 1964 election is significant, though, to me, because the people of Homewood, at one of the most treacherous times in Birmingham's history, voted in favor of being annexed into the City of Birmingham. Obviously six votes isn't a super majority, but, it shows that at one time there was a major step toward progress. Many of the problems that this 1964 election faced have since been fixed, which leads me to question whether another vote could be organized.

It would be interesting if multiple cities simultaneously voted of whether or not to be annexed into Birmingham. It would probably need to be concurrent with a major election so as to insure as many people participating as possible. Say, a certain presidential election that's coming up. Leeds, Vestavia, Homewood, Hoover, Trussville, Fairfield, Mountain Brook, Irondale, Bessemer, Helena, Moody, Pleasant Grove, and a dozen other cities could all participate. Two years is surely enough to inform the citizens of the issues, challenges, and benefits of consolidating the government the area's cities.

Some of these issues would be the multiple school districts that would need to be consolidated. Bond swaps and some heavy financial accounting work would have to happen. Property tax and sales tax rates would change, as well as lodging tax and business license fees. The number of people the different cities employ could be reduced, causing an increase in unemployment, but, would save tax payers money and create more efficient local government. The Birmingham City Council would have to reorganized to be more representative of any new portions of the city, and elections for new city and school board officials would need to happen. A lot of local politicians would lose their positions and voices. However, the new city would able to represent a greater portion of the metropolitan area, giving more power to the citizens of this new Birmingham.

If all of the previously listed cities merged with Birmingham, the new city would have a population of right at 500,000 people; that would make Birmingham the 35th largest city in the United States. The crime rate would drop, schools would be improved, and Birmingham could compete on a national level so as to bring more civic and commercial options to its citizens. Better buses, better schools, better shopping, better jobs, and better government. Police and fire departments would be better staffed and positioned, making for a safer city. A couple years of headaches would lead to a tremendously improved future that we could all enjoy and benefit from.

Michael Bullington

Greater Birmingham