Locals and city officials in Little Rock discuss the one-cent sales tax that will be on the ballot in November

Little Rock, Arkansas – With early voting only a few days away, Little Rock city officials are speaking out on a proposition that the people living in the capital city will see on their ballots.

If voters approve the one-cent sales tax on votes, Little Rock citizens’ ballots are expected to generate $650 million in revenue for the city over the following ten years, according to Mayor Frank Scott Jr.

The four Ps—public safety, parks and recreation upkeep, public infrastructure & Little Rock Port, and economic development—were used by the mayor to summarize the tax’s objectives.

“We need to fix our potholes, make sure we look after our police and fire personnel, and pick up our trash,” Scott stated. “In order for us to develop together, they must provide those necessary services. The only way a city in the state of Arkansas can expand and carry out its necessary functions is if it is dependent on the sales tax.

Five-eighths of the one-cent sales tax, according to officials, is a transitory levy that will disappear after ten years. The other three-eighths of the sales tax, which is supposed to be permanent if the tax succeeds, is the subject of a different ballot issue.

The revenue from the sales tax hike will support Little Rock police’s ongoing efforts to acquire more police vehicles as well as more sophisticated technology for the Real Time Crime Center.

Little Rock Fraternal Order of Police President Ronnie Morgan stated, “Having a better fleet on the road and better technology not only protects the officers, it protects the citizens and it allows us to give a better quality service to the people of Little Rock, which is what we swore an oath to do.”

Regarding the Little Rock Fire Department, the funds are anticipated to support the construction of a new station in the city’s west as well as an apparatus replacement plan that will result in the acquisition of better and new fire trucks for the city.

“By voting yes, we can address an aging fleet and give adequate coverage to a part of our city that is in dire need of it,” stated Matthew Stallings, president of LR Firefighters Local 34.
“We will continue to provide you with the top-notch fire department you deserve if you provide us with the funding, tools, and response times.”

Norma Huffman, a resident of southwest Little Rock and a member of Arkansas Community Organizations, expressed her worries regarding the sales tax. According to her, it should be primarily targeted at lower-class families in the southwest and central regions of Little Rock.

According to Huffman, “this sales tax is saying that everybody is going to get the same amount.” That is not necessary to be taking place. The money should be allocated more heavily to the areas of the town that most require it.

According to Huffman, creating public parks for children who don’t live close to one, maintaining southwest Little Rock’s cleanliness, and repairing the streets should be the top priorities for the funding.

The mayor of Little Rock stated that most of these priorities would be taken care of if the sales tax is approved.

Huffman added that although the extra money earmarked for the LRPD is undoubtedly needed, it should also be used to increase the frequency of patrols in her southwest Little Rock community.

Scott stated that he thinks the low-income locals “know we’re there for them” in response to questions concerning the worries expressed by lower- to middle-class families.

“I think the locals, especially the ones with modest incomes, are aware of our support,” Scott remarked. “Specifically, the work we do for community programs and affordable housing.”

In order to ascertain how the city might assist in meeting needs, Scott continued, he and his staff will keep collaborating with these families and groups like Arkansas Community Organizations.

The money raised by the sales tax will also fund millions of additional initiatives that will address issues like homelessness and affordable housing in Little Rock, according to the mayor’s newsletter from last week.

Election Day is on Tuesday, November 5, following the start of early voting on Monday, October 21.