Part 3 in a multi-part series on the candidates running for the mayor of Birmingham (AL).

Bernard Kincaid is currently serving as mayor of Birmingham. Kincaid was elected mayor in 1999 and has since been reelected once. Over his tenure, it’s safe to say his relationship with the city council has been rocky. His last tussle involved pay raises for police and fire.

Kincaid has campaigned with the slogan “Moving forward honestly,” which touts his administrations lack of scandals and suggests that Kincaid’s term of office has seen the city progress.

Kincaid’s campaign funding has overwhelmingly come from one source, a political action committee backed by Donald Watkins and headed locally by Emory Anthony, both close associates of former mayor Richard Arrington, Jr. This has sparked some controversy because Watkins’ bank is among several banks the City of Birmingham uses.

Kincaid is often mocked and rightfully so, for wearing ball caps with the word “MAYOR” printed on the front. As if he thinks people don’t know who he is. It’s especially humorous when he is outdoors in a press conference with other dignitaries such as the governor or U.S. sentars and he’s got his hat on.

Some quotes from the mayoral debate:

• “Thanks for allowing me to be the good steward.”
• “In the city of Birmingham ‘if it bleeds it leads’” It’s not crime, but the perception of crime.
• About education, Kincaid said the school board sets policy and there’s little the mayor can do. “You need to stay in your lane, otherwise there’s going to be a wreck.”
• Kincaid said the mayor can do little more for education than to “provide a bully pulpit.”
• “Birmingham is open for business and we’re doing quite well,”

Kincaid’s campaign website: http://www.kincaidformayor.com/

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 22nd, 2007 at 3:29 am and is filed under State News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.