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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Alabama state Rep. Jack Williams, R-Vestavia, will sponsor a limited home rule bill that gives the Jefferson County Commission the power to increase some taxes, Commission President David Carrington said today.

Several potential bills to help replace money lost from the county’s defunct occupational tax are being proposed this week.

The commission is looking to raise as much as $50 million a year in replacement taxes. Without replacement revenue, county officials predict the near-shutdown of government in the state’s most populous county.

“This week will define our future,” Commissioner Jimmie Stephens said. “Unfortunately, it’s in someone else’s hands.”

Six meeting days remain in the session after today and a bill can pass in five days, giving the county a narrow window to get a bill passed.

Carrington said Williams will sponsor the limited home rule bill which would permit the commission to levy replacement taxes capped at $50 million, “with a 5 percent margin of error.” The types of taxes are not specified, but county leaders have said they were seeking authority to increase sales, occupational, business and lease taxes.

Efforts to reach Williams for comment were unsuccessful. Lawmakers say they are mixed over whether to support the bill.

Under Alabama law, counties do not have home rule, including authority to levy a tax or remove earmarks on tax revenue, unless that authority is delegated to them by the Legislature.

Other proposed bills relating to Jefferson County include:

• Calling for a referendum on a new occupational tax.

• Removing the earmarks that direct a portion of county sales tax to the indigent care fund, the county health department and the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex.

• Replacing the business license fee struck down by the Alabama Supreme Court.

The bill says limited home rule will allow “the power to levy, assess and collect additional taxes … to an amount estimated to be equal to or less than the Revenue Target” of $50 million for the first full fiscal year during which the taxes are levied. If more than $52.5 million is raised, the excess revenue would be used to retire general obligation debt and not go into the general fund.

The Alabama Supreme Court in March threw out the county’s occupational tax and business license fee, which in fiscal 2010 generated $74 million, about one-fourth of the county’s general fund. With the loss of the job tax, county officials said they had no choice but to ask lawmakers to consider several options to generate revenue.

The regular session of the Legislature is scheduled to end June 9.

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