Friends, 

All of us love our City and recognize its potential. As you have heard me say many times before, Little Rock can be and will be a catalyst for the new South -- meaning the same growth, transformation and innovation we have witnessed in places like Nashville, Charlotte and Atlanta can happen right here in Arkansas's capital city.

As one of few growing, mid-sized Southern cities, we are on the verge of even more progress and prosperity. And we need your help.

Last summer, we visited every ward to talk to residents about a potential one percent sales tax increase to sustain strong, safe neighborhoods and promote growth. As we emerged from the lingering economic effects of the pandemic and faced recovery from the March 2023 tornado, we collectively agreed that last year was not the right time to place a tax measure on the ballot. However, our limited revenue sources continue to hinder us from achieving the kind of results that Little Rock residents deserve. The time to act is now.

So, starting Thursday and continuing through the month of May, we will visit all seven Little Rock wards to talk about the proposal, ask for your input and support and join together to commit to obtaining better Results for The Rock. Our first community meeting is in Ward 5 on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 4501 Rahling Road.

Here's the full schedule for the month:

Thursday, May 2: Ward 5, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 4501 Rahling Road
Thursday, May 9: Ward 3, Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, 4823 Woodlawn Drive
Monday, May 13: Ward 4, Unitarian Universalist Church, 1818 Reservoir Road
Wednesday, May 15: Ward 2, Southwest Community Center, 6401 Baseline Road
Thursday, May 16: Ward 1, Dunbar Community Center, 1001 W. 16th St.
Monday, May 20: Ward 6, The Centre at University Park, 6401 W. 12th St.
Thursday, May 30, Ward 7, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 5300 Stagecoach Road

Each meeting starts at 6 p.m. and is open to the public. If you cannot attend the meeting in your Ward, you are welcome to join us at any other meeting..

At the meetings, you will hear from me, City Directors, and Department Directors as we discuss our reasons for seeking an additional sales tax and our proposals for allocating the revenue. The tax measure is centered on what I refer to as the "four Ps" -- Public Safety, Public Infrastructure, Parks and Recreation, and the Port and Economic Development. Each of those pillars have critical needs that we should address with sales tax funding.

As I said in my State of the City address in February, we are committed to showing Results for The Rock, and we have done so, through record jobs growth and a comprehensive approach to public safety that resulted in a significant reduction in violent crime. Still, our residents want and deserve more results. More results require more investment, because aspirations alone are not enough. 

I encourage you to attend one of the community meetings to learn about the sales tax proposal, ask questions and provide input. Over the next few weeks, we will be using this space to talk more about the four pillars of the plan and how investing in those pillars will improve the quality of life and place for every Little Rock resident and visitor.

Last week, the City of Little Rock welcomed a delegation from the Guatemalan Consulate in Oklahoma City at the West Central Community Center. The consulate made a stop in Arkansas's capital city to assist residents here and across the region. Our Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion joined City officials and others to support the consulate's work to assist hundreds of people during its stop here.

Consulate offices from various countries serve the needs of their citizens in host countries by providing access to critical official documents such as birth certificates and passports. Foreign consulates in the United States typically serve a broad geographic region and offer mobile consulate clinics in other cities to increase access to their services.

This was the Guatemalan Consulate's first visit to Little Rock in almost three years. We look forward to additional opportunities to increase access to consulate services to residents and visitors. Coming up soon is a visit from the Colombian Consulate, which is based in Houston. That visit is scheduled for June 8-9 at Southwest Community Center.

• The Little Rock Board of Directors will meet Tuesday, April 30, at 4 p.m. at The Centre at University Park, 6401 W. 12th St.  At that time, Directors will set the agenda for their next regular meeting. All board meetings are livestreamed on the City of Little Rock's Facebook and YouTube pages. 
• Little Rock's Historic District Commission will hold its regular monthly public hearing on Thursday, May 2. The meeting is at 4 p.m. at the Willie L. Hinton Neighborhood Resource Center, 3805 W. 12th St.
• Don't forget about the first of our seven community meetings across Little Rock in May to discuss the Results In The Rock sales tax proposal. On Thursday, May 2, we will be in Ward 5 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 4501 Rahling Road. That meeting begins at 6 p.m. See above for this month's full schedule.
• The Parks and Recreation Department's Therapeutic Recreation Division will host the 22nd annual Therapeutic Recreation Arts Festival on Friday, May 3, at the Hall of Industry on the Arkansas State Fairgrounds, 2600 Howard St. The festival goes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will feature hands-on crafts, art, music, entertainment and games, and it is open to everyone. The festival's purpose is to enrich the quality of life for individuals with disabilities by encouraging creativity through the arts.