Little Rock, ARK — As 2024 draws to a close, the city of Little Rock finds itself on the brink of starting the new year without a budget. During a special meeting on December 23, city directors convened to pass an emergency order for the 2025 budget, but failed to secure the necessary votes, leaving crucial financial decisions unresolved.
A key point of contention during the meeting was the ongoing contract dispute between the city and the Little Rock Fire Department. While Mayor Frank Scott Jr. argued that the issue was unrelated to the budget, stating it stemmed from negotiations over firefighter scheduling, union representatives disagreed. Matthew Stallings, president of Little Rock Firefighters Local 34, insisted that unresolved issues, including pay increases, were very much tied to the budget and could not be ignored.
At the heart of the dispute is a proposed change in firefighter work schedules. Currently, firefighters in Little Rock work 24-hour shifts followed by 48 hours off. A slim majority within the union is in favor of switching to 48-hour shifts with 96 hours off, a change that would provide more time for rest and work-life balance. However, Mayor Scott has said he wants to see a 70% approval rate among the firefighters before agreeing to the change.
Scott also stressed the urgency of passing the budget, noting that without an adopted budget by January 1, over 2,000 city employees, including police and firefighters, would not receive their anticipated raises. “If the budget is not passed, their first paycheck in January will not include the raise they’re expecting,” Scott said.
However, the firefighters were not the only ones raising concerns about the budget. City Director Capi Peck expressed frustration over the deteriorating condition of several fire stations, citing issues such as rats, bats, mold, mildew, and malfunctioning equipment like bay doors that fail to open. Peck called the situation a “broken system” and said it was unacceptable that city employees were working under such unsafe conditions. While these concerns have been raised before, Peck acknowledged that funding for repairs was limited, particularly after previous tax proposals aimed at addressing these issues failed.
In response, Mayor Scott said he had not been made aware of the extent of these issues and suggested that emergency funds could be used next year to address the necessary repairs. However, he pointed out that the city simply did not have enough money to meet all the demands being made.
Stallings, representing the firefighters, added that the department was already operating with limited resources, often responding to calls in vehicles lacking basic equipment like water and ladders. “We’re doing that every day,” Stallings said, underscoring the department’s strained resources.
The city directors are scheduled to meet again on December 26 for a third and final reading of the budget. At least six votes are needed to pass the budget, with eight votes required to enact it immediately as an emergency order. The city faces a looming deadline: while the city code requires the budget to be adopted by December 30, the state’s deadline is not until January 31.
As the new year approaches, Little Rock officials remain locked in budgetary disputes, leaving critical decisions about the city’s finances and the welfare of its employees hanging in the balance.