Fort Smith, ARK – Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders unveiled a nearly $6.5 billion state budget proposal on Thursday, marking a 3% increase in spending for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget plan, which would begin on July 1, 2024, allocates $182.5 million in new spending, with half of that increase directed toward a controversial school voucher program.
Governor Sanders presented the budget to the Joint Budget Committee ahead of the state’s legislative session, which is set to begin on January 13. In her remarks, she emphasized that the budget reflects the state’s priorities and promises made during her campaign. “Budgets show our priorities and deliver on the promises we all spent years campaigning on: education, maternal health, efficient government, public safety, and child well-being,” Sanders told lawmakers.
The proposed budget forecasts a surplus of nearly $300 million by the end of the 2024 fiscal year. Arkansas is also expected to end the current fiscal year with a surplus of around $280 million, according to state finance officials.
A centerpiece of Sanders’ proposal is the allocation of significant funds to the school voucher program, which she argues will give families more options and control over their children’s education. Critics of the program, however, have raised concerns about its potential to divert funds from public schools and disproportionately benefit wealthier families who can afford private education.
In addition to education, the budget includes increased spending on maternal health, public safety, and efforts to make state government more efficient. Sanders has framed this budget as a means of fulfilling the promises she made during her campaign to improve these essential services for Arkansans.
As the state heads into the new fiscal year, lawmakers will review and debate the proposed budget during the upcoming legislative session. The outcome of this process could set the stage for future policy debates, particularly regarding education and funding for public schools in the state.