BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- Half a dozen Birmingham city councilors and their staff have returned from a national conference in Washington D.C.
They spent the week attending workshops at the League of Cities Conference and lobbying Senators and Congressmen from Alabama.
City Councilor Johnathan Austin said that lawmakers were impressed by the unified front presented by the Birmingham delegation.
He feels their showing in the nation's capital could go a long way to help Birmingham secure federal funding and grants.
In addition to the six city councilors, the city paid for eight assistants to attend the conference.
The total travel cost for the 14 member Birmingham delegation exceeded $23,000.
City Councilor Valerie Abbott said that while she feels every elected official should travel to the annual event, the city's current budget issues should have prompted fewer assistants to go.
Birmingham is currently forecasting a possible budget shortfall worth more than $50 million.
Austin countered by saying without the assistants, councilors would miss some of the conference's workshops which could give leaders the tools to improve Birmingham.
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