Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin presented the Birmingham City Council with a proposed $591 million budget for fiscal year 2025, the largest in the city’s history and a $9 million increase from last year’s budget.
The proposal specifically emphasized long-term development and community-based investments, with targeted funding for neighborhood revitalization, youth programs and continued public safety.
Described as “people-focused,” the budget is designed to address resident priorities. It comes as the city experiences stable economic recovery and allows for expanded spending.
Neighborhood revitalization sees one of the most substantial increases in funding. Street resurfacing will receive $15 million, addressing resident concerns about deteriorating roads. Since fiscal year 2019, Birmingham has dedicated over $100 million to resurfacing roads throughout the city.
Additional funding is directed toward demolition and weed abatement, $500,000 and $250,000, respectively. All revitalization efforts will come with a $28.1 million price tag in the next fiscal year.
“This budget represents our shared priorities,” said Woodfin. “We will continue to invest in our neighborhoods to resurface streets, invest in sidewalks and traffic calming, and remove blight. These are common requests from our residents that we are committed to providing.”
Public safety receives continued investment. The budget includes $1 million for new police vehicles, part of a larger $6 million rolling stock investment, and $1.5 million for expanded community violence intervention efforts.
Traditional policing is supported alongside broader initiatives addressing root causes of crime, such as $1 million for conflict resolution programming in Birmingham City Schools, $625,000 for the Safe Haven initiative in city parks, an increase of $125,000, and $500,000 in new funding for youth sports programming recommended by the Birmingham Crime Commission.
Re-entry support is bolstered through the RESTORE Youth Re-entry Initiative, funded at $450,000, a $225,000 increase from the previous year. The budget also supports citywide violence reduction through partnerships with organizations such as NICJR, One Hood and Live Free, which provide training, hospital-linked interventions, and street team deployments in high-risk zones.
Youth investment is a major pillar of the budget. More than $7.25 million is allocated to programs focused on education and employment. The Birmingham Promise receives $2 million to expand college scholarships and apprenticeships for high school graduates, while $3 million is dedicated to youth employment programs that offer paid jobs and skill-building opportunities for residents aged 16–24.
City officials stress that even with increased spending, the budget remains balanced and conservatively estimated, based on current trends in revenue from business licensing, sales tax and property assessments. The mayor’s office views this budget not as a one-time expansion but as part of a multi-year plan building on investments already in progress.
The proposal now moves to the Birmingham City Council for review and public input. Council members have expressed general support for the priorities outlined but are seeking more clarity on oversight and measurable outcomes.
