The Little Rock Board of Directors adopted the City’s 2026 annual budget last week. The budget is the year’s financial blueprint, setting forth the City’s plan for expected revenues and expenditures in order for us to continue being good stewards of taxpayer money.
As we have shared before, the annual budget is the City of Little Rock’s most important financial and policy document. It defines our priorities and outlines how we spend our income, the same as how many residents budget and plan for their own households. The 2026 balanced budget demonstrates our commitment to public safety and essential city services.
The 2026 budget anticipates total revenues of about $350 million and expenditures of about $348 million, which includes all funds operated by the City. The largest fund by far is the general fund, with close to two-thirds of general fund spending directed toward public safety. Next year’s budget allocates even more funding to support our comprehensive crime reduction strategy.
We will direct an additional $1 million in 2026 to technology upgrades for the Little Rock Police Department, enhancing our Real Time Crime Center and helping serve as a force multiplier to the men and women of our police department. Also, LRPD officers will receive a 5 percent salary increase, positioning our department to be the highest-paid municipal police force in the state.
Little Rock firefighters will receive a 5 percent raise, in addition to routine, comprehensive cancer screenings because we recognize the risks of carcinogen exposure to these essential first responders.
All other City team members will receive a 1.75 percent COLA increase, and the City for the first time ever will implement a paid paternal leave policy for new parents.
We are providing close to $300,000 more to the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs to fund additional efforts to eliminate blight through residential demolitions, weed lot maintenance, and mini-grants for neighborhood beautification programs. Targeting blight is another example of our holistic approach to crime reduction.
This budget reflects our commitment to fiscal responsibility, which is what our residents expect from their City leaders. We appreciate the City of Little Rock Finance Department team for working diligently over the last few months to prepare this budget, and we thank the Board of Directors for approving it.
A detailed look at the 2026 budget is available here.
In addition, our holistic approach to prevention, intervention, and treatment led by our Department of Community Programs complements this law enforcement effort. Together, we are making a difference, but we know we have more work to do.
