Residents Soldier On as Alabama County Mulls Bankruptcy

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BY TIMOTHY W. MARTIN AND MICHAEL CORKERY

Residents of Jefferson County, Ala., whose commissioners could decide to file the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history on Thursday, are well-acquainted with their local government's financial mess.

Services ranging from police response to traffic accidents to the number of security officers for courtrooms already have been cut back. Last month, the county, the state's most populous, laid off nearly 550 workers.

"There are no roads being repaired. If a traffic light goes out, it may stay out for a real long time," said Kevin Hughins, a systems analyst for the county's information-technology department and president of the Jefferson County ...

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