When Alabama lawmakers took their first official action on the state General Fund budget this week, one of the proposed cuts was eliminating funding for the Magic City Classic football game, Senator Rodger Smitherman swiftly fired back.
The Democratic senator, who has representing the 18th District since 1994, spoke on the House floor when lawmakers proposed cuts to funding for the Magic City Classic, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI), and several other line items.
“If anybody thinks that’s going to happen and I’m not going to be at this mic from this moment until we leave, you can forget it,” Smitherman as reported by AL.Com.
The state’s proposed $3.7 billion budget included $200,000 for next year’s Magic City Classic. However, when the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee approved the General Fund budget on April 1, it removed funding for the event, which has been an annual tradition in the city since 1945. Republican Alabama State Representative Rex Reynolds said that the proposed budget cut was part of the state’s initiative to prioritize budgeting.
Smitherman stated he would use the Senate’s filibuster rules to emphasize the Magic City Classic’s importance and suggested cuts to other related budget items. The senator expressed he would apply “the most resistance” to oppose these proposed budget cuts, which particularly impact Black organizations.
Additionally, the BCRI issued a statement encouraging residents to speak out against these potential budget cuts.
“We urge every Alabamian to contact their local legislators. Tell them that you believe in protecting civil rights history. Tell them that BCRI matters. That this story matters. That truth matters.”
The Magic City Classic is a crowd-drawing celebration of HBCU culture that provides a significant economic boost for the community. Last year, Birmingham city officials estimated that the game would generate over $20 million for the city, as reported by WBRC.
The game and its accompanying festivities bring about 60.000 people to the city each year, making it the most significant event in Birmingham and the largest HBCU event in the nation.
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