Alabama Lawmaker Secures $300K for Schools, Blight Removal in Jefferson County

Funds will address school violence and clean up neglected areas in local cities.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 8:49pm

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A nostalgic, cinematic painting of an old, weathered school building in a small town, with warm sunlight casting long shadows across the cracked pavement and overgrown weeds, conveying a sense of neglect and the need for investment in education infrastructure.Funding for conflict resolution programs aims to address growing violence in Alabama's underfunded school districts.Brighton Today

Rep. Patrick Sellers, a Democratic state representative from Pleasant Grove, Alabama, has secured $300,000 in state funding for his district in Jefferson County. $200,000 will go towards conflict resolution programs in Jefferson County schools to address growing issues with confrontations and violence, while $100,000 will aid the cities of Brighton and Midfield in their blight removal efforts to clean up neglected areas.

Why it matters

This funding represents an important investment in improving public safety and quality of life for residents in Jefferson County. The school conflict resolution programs aim to stem rising violence in local schools, while the blight removal efforts will help revitalize struggling neighborhoods and provide a cleaner, more livable environment for community members.

The details

Sellers was able to secure the $300,000 in funding through the state's 2026-2027 Education Fund Budget and General Fund Budget. The $200,000 for school conflict resolution programs will be used to develop plans and address the growing problem of confrontations and violence in Jefferson County schools. The additional $100,000 will be split evenly between the cities of Brighton and Midfield to support their blight removal initiatives, cleaning up areas plagued by overgrown grass, weeds, and trash.

  • The 2026 regular session of the Alabama legislature has just ended.
  • The new state budgets containing this funding will take effect on October 1, 2026.

The players

Rep. Patrick Sellers

A Democratic state representative from Pleasant Grove, Alabama, who represents District 57 in Jefferson County.

Danny Garrett

The chairman of the House Ways and Means Education Committee, who included the conflict resolution funding in the Education Fund Budget.

Rex Reynolds

The chairman of the House Ways and Means General Fund, who included the blight removal funding in the General Fund Budget.

Gov. Kay Ivey

The governor of Alabama, who signed the state budgets containing this funding into law.

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What they’re saying

“There is and has been a growing problem with confrontations and violence in Jefferson County schools and it's simply unacceptable. The money will be used to address issues and develop plans that we hope will stem the violence in our schools.”

— Rep. Patrick Sellers, State Representative

“Each city will receive $50,000 to be used to clean up areas that have become overrun with grass, weeds and trash. This money is part of the efforts being made to bring a better standard of living to the people who live in these cities.”

— Rep. Patrick Sellers, State Representative

What’s next

The new state budgets containing this funding will take effect on October 1, 2026, at which point the Jefferson County schools and the cities of Brighton and Midfield can begin utilizing the allocated funds for their respective initiatives.

The takeaway

This funding represents a targeted effort by state lawmakers to address pressing issues in the Jefferson County community, from school violence to neighborhood blight. By investing in conflict resolution programs and blight removal, the state is taking proactive steps to improve public safety and quality of life for local residents.