Growing Forward
As he seeks re-election to a second term, Mayor Scott has cast a vision for Growing Forward through transformative work to increase jobs growth, expand economic development in every part of the city and strengthen neighborhood safety.
And Little Rock is well on its way to reaching its full potential. Through a pledge to be Little Rock’s Chief Growth Officer, Mayor Scott has overseen the creation of more than 7,000 announced jobs to date, a more than 100% increase over jobs created in the year before he took office. New developments that now call Little Rock home such as Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Amazon.com highlight the momentum created because of his election. And Mayor Scott’s administration launched OpportUNITY Little Rock to grow diverse recruitment networks, and promote inclusion in our workforce, all efforts being led by Little Rock’s new Chief Equity Officer.
Under Mayor Scott’s leadership, the City created the position of Chief Education Officer for the first time to lead the formation of the Community Schools Model, also a first in Little Rock. These schools integrate individualized student support services, expand and enrich learning opportunities, and operate as a neighborhood hub to provide other needed trainings and services for students’ families.
And Mayor Scott used his office’s authority to advocate for return of the Little Rock School District to local control.
Mayor Scott has worked to create a more accountable police department. Police reform efforts such as the purchase body-worn cameras for the first time and the creation of the City’s first Citizens Review Board better protect Little Rock residents. In addition, Mayor Scott called upon LRPD to create a duty to intervene in instances where police believe excessive force is used, ban the use of chokeholds, and create a no-knock warrant policy and threat matrix- all established under his leadership.
Even in the midst of a global pandemic, Little Rock is experiencing exceptional growth with now more than 202,000 residents strong. And creating a strong quality of life has been a top priority for Mayor Scott.
New mountain bike trails, upgraded parks equipment for children, and free WIFI in several City parks improved diverse offerings for recreation.