Happy New Year, Birmingham!

Birmingham City Council approves sales tax, business license fee increases - Breaking News from The Birmingham News - al.com

It may be your last. On January 1, Crazy Larry’s tax and license increases will go into effect. The Council voted 7-0 in favor of the tax increase, with Valerie Abbott abstaining and William Bell absent, possibly because he couldn’t get a lift.

I am assuming there will be a lawsuit. Speaking of:

Alabama Supreme Court may hear Birmingham mayor’s race appeal - Breaking News from The Birmingham News - al.com

Patrick Cooper’s lawsuit isn’t dead yet. However, it won’t be heard until after the new year. So Pat, or someone else, could inherit Larry’s tax increase and reign over the last days of Birmingham.

Another genius move from the genius

Mayor Larry Langford to order E-85 fuel for some Birmingham city cars- al.com

Here’s the thing… E-85 (meaning it’s 85 percent ethanol, the rest gasoline) does burn cleaner than regular gasoline. However it is less efficient. E-85 (according to Wikipedia, which is always reliable) gets 25 percent less to the gallon than regular gas, and costs five to ten percent less. Of course, with the tax increase, Birmingham will have plenty of money, right?

Destroy all car dealers

Auto dealers ask for relief in proposal to raise sale taxes, business licenses, but none granted - al.com

The remaining Birmingham car dealerships are begging Larry Langford to give them a break on the tax and business license increases. Larry, of course, says that everyone must pay their part. In response, the last Birmingham car dealership moved to Center Point. Well, not yet, but it’s inevitable. Will the last business in the Birmingham city limits please turn out the lights?

Meanwhile, Larry says that he’s going to give $17 million a year to mass transit, and maybe even give it to the current authority instead of starting a new one. Unsurprisingly, he wants trolleys and streetcars, because they are neat, instead of buses, which just work.