State high court OKs Birmingham pay raise

MONTGOMERY (AP) — The Alabama Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Birmingham City Council on Friday in a fight with Mayor Bernard Kincaid on a pay raise for the city’s police officers and firefighters.

In a 5-0 ruling, the state’s highest court reversed a lower court order that sided with the mayor.

Last fall, the City Council voted over the mayor’s veto to give a 5 percent raise to police and firefighters for the new fiscal year that began July 1. Kincaid went to court, accusing the City Council of usurping the mayor’s budgetary power. A lower court sided with the mayor and declared the pay raise resolution void.

In reversing the lower court, the Supreme Court said the City Council can initiate a salary increase. The Supreme Court sent the case back to Jefferson County Circuit Court for a judgment in favor of the City Council and the city employees.

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