Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears year-end budget amendment briefing; mayor reports loss of AmeriCorps funding and federal grant uncertainty
Summary
Finance staff described a routine year-end budget amendment to reconcile revenues and expenses; city leaders said federal funding changes include the loss of an AmeriCorps-funded position and paused technical assistance for a DOJ-supported social worker grant, while crime statistics were reported as improving year-to-date.
City finance staff briefed the Little Rock Board of Directors on April 29 about a routine year-end budget amendment that adjusts revenues and departmental budgets to match actual receipts and expenditures.
A finance staff member described the package as a “net increase” and identified a roughly $3,000,000 net increase for certain departmental budgets, reflecting cost overruns and approved projects. The staff member said the amendment also funds an IT data center refresh.
Board members asked questions about revenue sources and a drop in sales tax collections. The finance staff member said sales tax revenue in 2024 was lower than budget by about $1 million, primarily because of rebates, and that overall the city is “in the black” for the year. One director requested printed copies of the budget materials; staff agreed to provide them.
Mayor Scott provided an update on federal funding that could affect city programs. He said the city had lost AmeriCorps funding for an AmeriCorps fellow and that the position would be cut; he added Bloomberg Foundation funds that supported neighborhood work would continue to support residents and neighborhood associations. The mayor also said technical assistance tied to a U.S. Department of Justice grant for social worker services has been halted, and that some federal grants may be at risk of reduction.
The mayor highlighted public-safety trends, saying violent crime was down about 3–4% year to date and overall crime down about 12–13% year to date; he said violent crime and overall crime were lower over a five-year comparison as well.
No formal budget vote is recorded in the excerpt; board members said they would continue to study the amendment and promised follow-up questions and printed materials prior to final action.
