David Faulkner on Feb 16.jpg

Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, is sponsor of a bill to require city councils to provide a 30-day notice before voting to raise their pay. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)

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The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill today that would block a 233 percent pay raise for the Birmingham City Council passed by the council last year.

The bill, by Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, would require that city councils provide a 30-day notice before voting on a pay raise.

Faulkner said the Birmingham raise brought his attention to the issue, but noted that the 30-day notice requirement would apply to all cities.

"It's about transparency to the public," Faulkner said. "When you're using taxpayer funds you ought to be transparent."

Faulkner said county commissions already have the same 30-day notice requirement.

In August 2015, the Birmingham City Council

to raise the salary of council members from $15,000 to $50,000, effective after the next election in 2017.