Frank Scott Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frank Scott
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| 73rd Mayor of Little Rock | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Mark Stodola |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 18, 1983 Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Memphis (BA) University of Arkansas, Little Rock (MBA) |
Frank D. Scott Jr. was born on November 18, 1983. He is an American politician who has been the mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas since 2019. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
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Early Life and Education
Frank Scott Jr. grew up in Southwest Little Rock. He went to Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School. After high school, he studied business at the University of Memphis, where he earned his bachelor's degree. He later received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Starting His Political Journey
Frank Scott Jr. began his career in public service. He worked for five years in the office of the Arkansas Governor, Mike Beebe. A governor is the leader of a state government. Scott helped the governor with important decisions and worked with different parts of the government.
After working for the governor, Scott also worked as a community banker. At the same time, he continued to serve his city and state. He was a member of the Port of Little Rock Board of Directors and the Arkansas Highway Commission. These roles helped him understand how to improve the city's transportation and trade.
Becoming Mayor of Little Rock
In 2018, Frank Scott Jr. decided to run for mayor of Little Rock. The mayor is the top leader of a city government. They help make decisions about schools, parks, safety, and other important city services.
In the first election, many people ran for mayor. Scott received the most votes, but not quite enough to win right away. So, he went into a second election, called a runoff election, against another candidate. In the runoff election on December 4, 2018, Frank Scott Jr. won! He became the first African American person to be elected mayor of Little Rock.
He officially started his job as mayor on January 1, 2019.
Mayor Scott's Initiatives
During his first term as mayor, Scott suggested a plan called "Rebuild the Rock." This plan aimed to improve many things in Little Rock. It included fixing roads and other city structures, making public parks better, building a new center for senior citizens, and creating a sports complex. The plan also wanted to update technology and equipment for police officers and firefighters.
To pay for these improvements, the plan suggested a new sales tax. A sales tax is a small extra amount of money you pay when you buy things. However, the people of Little Rock voted against this new sales tax in September 2021. Even though it didn't pass then, Mayor Scott continued to work on finding ways to fund city improvements. As of 2024, he was still working to get a new sales tax approved.
Reelection as Mayor
In 2022, Frank Scott Jr. ran for reelection to continue serving as mayor. He won the election, defeating another local businessman. This meant he would continue to lead Little Rock for another term.
