Friends,

Tuesday is Election Day. With your vote, you have the power to shape our City, state and nation. If you did not vote early, please make a plan right now and be prepared to cast your ballot at your polling place Tuesday. Across Arkansas, polls are open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Click here to find your polling place and see your sample ballot.

The Little Rock ballot includes a special election featuring two questions that will play a significant factor in how the City of Little Rock invests in its future. The ballot questions are part of the Results For The Rock penny investment plan, a sales tax proposal that would allocate $650 million over the next 10 years to fund priorities we refer to as the "four Ps," Public Safety, Public Infrastructure, Parks and Recreation, and the Port and economic development. 

The Results For The Rock plan includes two components reflected in the special election language. Voters will be asked to decide whether to approve a 3/8ths-cent, ongoing tax to fund long-term, essential city needs. The second question is for a 5/8ths-cent, temporary tax that will expire in 10 years and pay for capital improvement projects. The two together reflect the penny investment. 

Little Rock's current tax rate is lower than many other cities across the state and nation. If approved, the sales tax you pay on goods and services in Little Rock would go from 8.625 percent to 9.625 percent.

Complete details on the Results For The Rock proposal are located on our website, including spending breakdowns and some design plans. Recently, our Parks and Recreation Department created an interactive vision map, showing how we could transform and revitalize our city parks through a significant investment in the City's public green spaces.

Last week, we got a glimpse of the transformational improvements possible from the Results For The Rock plan as we announced renovations at Boyle Park and Pankey Park, both supported through a combination of grants and bond funds. At Boyle Park, we added an all-new, accessible and inclusive playground, as well as additional mountain bike trails and a bike skills course. At Pankey, we celebrated with a ribbon cutting for a new playground and pavilion.

We know that individuals and families considering relocation to our City will first look for quality-of-life amenities, which is why additional and continued investment in our parks and recreational activities is so important. Likewise, we know that relocation likely wouldn't occur at all unless we offer high-paying jobs, so the Results For The Rock proposal also centers on supporting job creation and economic development. As such, last week, we were proud to join the Little Rock Regional Chamber to welcome Faymonville and celebrate an expansion at Welspun.

Faymonville, a European trailer manufacturer, will bring 500 new jobs to the Port, Little Rock's industrial park. Welspun, already one of our outstanding corporate citizens, will invest $100 million in an expansion and create an additional 175 jobs. These types of announcements illustrate the strategic importance of the Port to the continued growth of our City.

Over the last few months -- and especially with the announcements of the last few days -- we have used all the resources we have available to make sure you are well-informed and educated about the Results For The Rock penny investment proposal. At the same time, we have demonstrated that we will always work diligently and effectively to bring real results for our residents. 

Please make sure your voice is heard, too, on this and other important matters on Election Day!

Little Rock's creators, artisans and entrepreneurs attribute positively to the energy and vibrancy of our City. Through our iCREATE initiative, we seek to promote the local creative economy. We do so by fostering new opportunities, emphasizing collaboration between local creatives, offering access to professional and skill-based workshops, helping secure funding to support creative endeavors and showcase the talent of creative Little Rock entrepreneurs and residents.

On Saturday, Nov. 9, we will showcase that collective talent through our first-ever iCREATE Fall Crawl. This event shines a spotlight on Little Rock's talented artists, creative small business owners and community advocates by offering special experiences that celebrate Little Rock's rich culture, history and creativity. During the Fall Crawl, we will have live performances, hands-on art installations, local shopping and interactive exhibits. 

Visit our iCREATE web page for full details, but here are some highlights of what is in store on Saturday:

Participants can visit Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, 501 W. Ninth St., to enjoy live entertainment, shop from vendors and immerse themselves in the Cultural Center's programming, including a hands-on learning experience for children and a newly-renovated permanent gallery. Then, at the intersection of Seventh and Dennison streets, enjoy watching live mural paintings, shop with vendors and see demonstrations by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra's bucket band and instrument petting zoo. At the corner of Sixth and Main, take in the powerful performance of The Breach at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre or add color to Baker's Alley behind the theater during a painting party. 

 Please join us as we come together to support our creative community, grow our local economy, and foster deeper connections!

• The Little Rock Board of Directors meets today (Monday, Nov. 4), at 6 p.m. in the Board Room at City Hall, 500 W. Markham St. This week's meeting is rescheduled from Tuesday because of Election Day. All board meetings are livestreamed on the City of Little Rock's Facebook and YouTube pages.
• Little Rock's Public Works Department hosts an open-forum public meeting on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 1818 Reservoir Road. At the meeting, City team members will present work plans and take comments from members of the public related to an upcoming sidewalk construction project on Green Mountain Drive. This is in Ward 4. 
• The Little Rock Historic District Commission will meet Thursday, Nov. 7, at 4 p.m. in the Board Room at City Hall. 
• City offices will be closed Monday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day. Regularly scheduled sanitation and recycling pickup will be delayed by one day next week because of the holiday. The next Mayor's Monday Memo will be delivered to email inboxes on Nov. 18.