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Bell seeks to tackle city unemployment

Posted on Jan 04, 2010 in News

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UAB alum William Bell hopes to defeat Patrick Cooper in a January 19 runoff to become Birmingham’s next mayor.
The winner of the runoff will serve the remaining two years of Larry Langford’s term. Langford was removed from office in October after being convicted on bribery and corruption charges.

Bell gained 25 percent of the vote in the December 8 election, coming in second behind Patrick Cooper, who received 40 percent of the vote. Since no candidate receive 50 percent of the vote outright, Bell and Cooper will face each other in a runoff election.

Bell said he decided to run for mayor because “the city needs” him. Currently, Bell serves as a Jefferson County Commissioner, a post he was elected to in November 2008.

“I recognize that the county has its own set of issues but if the city of Birmingham goes down, if the city of Birmingham is not the economic engine to drive the county and thus drive the state, I think we’re all in trouble,” said Bell regarding his decision to run for mayor while serving on the County Commission.

Bell is running on a platform of experience, with over 30 years worth in Birmingham politics. He was elected to the Birmingham City Council in 1979 and served as council president in 1985, 1987, and 1997. Bell also served as interim mayor in 1999 before losing to Bernard Kincaid in the 1999 mayoral election.

Bell lost his city council seat in 2001 but successfully returned to the council in 2005. In November 2008, Bell was elected to the Jefferson County Commission in a special election.

Now Bell hopes to become Birmingham’s next mayor at a time when many citizens consider city leadership to be lackluster.

“Right now the city is without a leader,” said Bell.

“We can’t afford to have someone at the helm of our city who really doesn’t understand how to move this city forward. We don’t have two years to wait to train someone,” added Bell.

He said he decided to run for mayor again because he was asked to by many residents. “I felt that it was worthy of me to make that sacrifice, to offer myself as a candidate. I had to offer myself to let them make that decision, not let me make that decision,” said Bell.

“If they reject it, that’s fine but I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think people want someone who has experience and the ability to hit the ground day one to move this city forward,” he added.

If elected, Bell hopes to tackle the city’s almost 12 percent unemployment rate by creating venture capital programs that will create businesses, “thus creating jobs for people who graduate from UAB as well as from other facilities around the city,” said Bell.

He also hopes to enact phase II of the Bell Plan, which would call for a commitment of $3 million a year for enrichment programs for high school and pre-kindergarten students.

Under phase II, Bell aims to expand pre-kindergarten programs in the city and provide extracurricular programs for high school students aimed at teaching them technical skills that will give them an advantage in the job market.
“This will encompass giving our preschoolers a head start on their educational ability as well as those other kids who are graduating from our high schools the ability to go out and find jobs or pursue additional training in a field of their choice,” said Bell.

As a graduate of UAB, Bell said he believes “UAB is the engine that drives the city of Birmingham,” and the citizens deserve a mayor who understands that relationship.

“My opponents say nothing has happened in the last 30 years but I’m looking at Heritage Hall. Were it not for the city of Birmingham, that building would not be sitting there,” said Bell.

Bell believes UAB represents an opportunity to students to improve their quality of life.

“I took that opportunity because my parents couldn’t afford to send me to Alabama or an Ivy League school, or other places, but they instilled in me a sense that you can create a better life for yourself but getting an education,” said Bell.

“ I hope that I can demonstrate to the students who may not know where life is going to lead them that their time here at UAB is going to shape the rest of their life and it shaped my life,” he added.

“As mayor, I will continue to support the growth of UAB so that they will have an opportunity to rise just like I’ve risen, to go on to better and greater things in life simply by having this institution here in the midst of our community,” said Bell.
As far other economic developments, such as the domed stadium, Bell said he supports the construction of the dome but cautions that the city cannot and will not build it alone.

“We are going to continue to talk to the state and get the state to commit some state funds to help build the facility but more importantly, we are going to reach out to the private sector and get them involved,” said Bell.

As for when the dome would be built, he is not quick to say. “We have to look at what that priorities of the city are financially, what we’re capable of doing, and whether or not we can attract those partners that I talked about and how soon we can get them on board,” he said.

On January 19, Bell hopes that voters will consider his political experience and vision for Birmingham when deciding on a candidate.

“I think voters should look at the character, they should look at the knowledge and skills but more importantly, look at who has the heart to lead the city, who has the desire to make Birmingham a better place and does not look at it as a play toy,” said Bell.

“As mayor I plan to make sure that every day I wake up, I give every student and every other citizen in this community my best effort to make Birmingham a city that you can be proud of. You have my pledge on that,” he added.

Email: news@insideuab.com

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