David Carrington, Jefferson County Commissioner, District 5

Restoring Trust It's easy for a candidate for public office to claim his or her trustworthiness; but as we know from our six convicted former commissioners, that isn’t always the case. I fully understand that it is up to me to continuously earn your trust with my decisions, actions and statements. I can assure you that my relationships with God, my wife, my family, and those of you who placed your confidence in me are too important for me to do otherwise. Photo Credit: The Birmingham News
Building Consensus The County’s primary problems are not black problems or white problems; they’re not Republican problems or Democratic problems; nor are they problems of just the young or the old – nor just the rich or the poor. The problems facing Jefferson County are business problems with unnecessary political overtones. As such, developing effective solutions requires building consensus among multiple constituencies.
Photo Credit: The Birmingham News
Solving Problems The County’s primary problems are massively complex, including overhauling a cumbersome governmental bureaucracy with the introduction of a county manager; restructuring the County’s $4.2 billion debt in Chapter 9 bankruptcy; and regaining the county’s leadership position in economic development and job creation. As such, developing effective solutions requires creativity consistent with a long term vision for future. Photo Credit: Fox 6 News
Recruiting Jobs The County’s financial stability is dependent on the Commission’s ability to successfully work with the Birmingham Business Alliance and the cities to stimulate economic growth, both externally with the recruitment of new companies and internally with the growth of existing companies. One of the major projects announced in 2011 was a new million square foot Dollar General Distribution Center that will create 650 new jobs. Photo Credit: The Birmingham News
Representing You One of my primary responsibilities as a County Commissioner is representing you wherever I go -- whether it’s in New York negotiating with sewer creditors, meeting with a legislators in Washington DC or Montgomery, testifying before our bankruptcy judge in Birmingham, determining the County’s spending priorities, or explaining the Commission’s challenges and actions to the local, national and international press. Photo Credit: Associated Press

Bankruptcy Status

On November 9, 2011, the County Commission filed Chapter 9 bankruptcy for Jefferson County. With more than $4 billion in debt, the filing is the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. The County’s case was assigned to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Thomas Bennett. Immediately upon the filing of the case, sewer creditors filed a motion asking the judge to rule that the Receiver was still in control of the sewer system.

Cooper Green Status

On August 28, 2012, after months of discussion, the Jefferson County Commission voted 3-2 to begin the transition from the county's broken indigent healthcare model to a new sustainable model that will offer better access to quality healthcare for those in need. I envision a new model that will consist of improved and expanded primary care, inpatient care provided through area providers, and a 24-7 urgent care center for acute care.

Budget Cuts

Immediately after taking office on November 10, 2010, the new Commission began cutting costs. As a result of the Legislature’s failure in the 2011 session to authorize a replacement revenue source for the lost occupational license tax, the Commission implemented a multitude of additional cost-saving measures. Even after filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, the Commission continues to make significant cuts in expenditures.