Finance

Crawford County poised to pass new budget after major financial blows | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Published

1 year ago

December 15, 2024

Crawford County poised to pass new budget after major financial blows | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

VAN BUREN — The Crawford County 2025 operating budget is up for a vote Monday by the Quorum Court, and it comes in the wake of a couple of financially tumultuous years.

Justices of the Peace are set to vote on the annual operating budget in a meeting that starts at 7 p.m. Monday in the upstairs courtroom at the Crawford County Courthouse, 300 Main St., Van Buren.

Prior to that session, the Quorum Court’s personnel committee meets at 6:30 p.m. and the budget committee meets at 6:45 p.m.

The budget panel agenda includes a request from county Judge Chris Keith to add $6,000 to the county general fund “for retaining legal fees on 1st Amendment lawsuit.”

Multiple issues have had big impacts on the county’s financial situation in the last couple of years. They include:

A financial payout to the District 6 Rural Fire Department due to a 2019 lawsuit decided in 2023.

Two lawsuits sparked by the county’s change (now reversed) in how its library system handles LGBTQ-related books.

A paperwork fumble that meant the county lost out on about $3 million in sales tax revenue last year.

Going into 2025, costs from the pair of library-related lawsuits are ongoing and likely will require more taxpayer dollars.

FIRE DISTRICT SUIT

The county’s District 6 Rural Fire Department board voted in April 2019 for the squad to become a fire protection district.

According to changes in Arkansas law that year, after the board submitted the notice to the Quorum Court, the county then had 60 days to approve it.

That never happened.

In November 2019, District 6 filed a lawsuit in Crawford County Circuit Court alleging that Crawford County, its Quorum Court and then-county Judge Dennis Gilstrap failed to approve the request.

District No. 6, located at 1022 Pleasant Valley Road in Van Buren, initially asked for $160,000, according to court filings.

Court documents in the case indicate that the fire squad was “entitled as a matter of law to conversion into a statutory fire protection district effective no later than June 23, 2019.”

The lawsuit alleged that the county “must grant the petition.”

Becoming a fire protection district allowed the rural squad to collect property taxes to support its operations.

In a summary judgment decision in September 2023, Judge Marc McCune ruled in favor of the fire district and ordered the county to pay $221,273 plus interest as provided for by law, according to court records.

Crawford County appealed the case but did not prevail. Court documents show the county paid the damages by June 25 this year.

LIBRARY LAWSUITS

Before the end of 2024, Crawford County will have spent at least $400,000 fighting a pair of lawsuits over its late 2022 and early 2023 change in how the Crawford County Library System catalogues LGBTQ-related library books.

Litigation already has resulted in the county rescinding the new policies but its sparring in federal court is not over.

Pressure on the Quorum Court at the end of 2022 from residents who spoke out about displays of LGBTQ-themed books in the system libraries led to the creation of a “social section” of books in early 2023.

Those volumes that were related to gay issues were marked with green stickers and collected into a certain portion of shelves.

As a result, two lawsuits related to the issue were filed in 2023 in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Arkansas.

The first is Virden v. Crawford County, with three local mothers as plaintiffs who alleged the county’s treatment of LGBTQ-related books violated their First Amendment rights.

After a summary judgment in their favor Sept. 30 this year by Judge P.K. Holmes III, the Virden plaintiffs filed in court to have Crawford County, as defendants, pay their legal costs.

In civil rights cases such as this one, plaintiffs who prevail can seek “a reasonable attorney’s fee as part of the costs,” according to 42 U.S. Code 1988.

Federal Judge Timothy L. Brooks must decide whether the county will pay the plaintiffs’ more than $121,500 legal bill.

The county is fighting the amount of the plaintiffs’ legal fees and costs.

The second lawsuit regarding the library books involves the Fayetteville library, other libraries and book sellers in Arkansas. Defendants are Crawford County and county Judge Chris Keith and the prosecuting attorneys in Arkansas’ 28 judicial districts.

It centers on two sections of Act 372, the new Arkansas law on school and library materials.

The last action on that case was Brooks’s cancellation Oct. 29 of all future hearings on the matter. What action is next — and the kind of wild card that will mean for Crawford County’s budget — remains to be seen.

The county’s cost figures thus far between the two library-related cases include:

$40,678.50: Severance for ousted library director.

$240,735.05: Legal defense fees, so far, in the Virden v. Crawford County case lost by the county.

$121,558.31: Plaintiffs’ fees so far in the Virden case (if Brooks orders the county to pay the costs).

$118,300: Legal defense fees, as of Nov. 15, in the Fayetteville Public Library et al v. Crawford County, Arkansas et al, Act 372 case.

That adds up to a potential of more than $525,000 that the library book controversy may cost county taxpayers.

SALES TAX REVENUE

The upcoming new chapter on Crawford County’s financial health comes on the heels of the county’s loss of about $3 million after it was unable to collect sales tax for three months last year.

Local officials failed to file the necessary paperwork with the state, said Scott Hardin, spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.

In May 2022, Crawford County residents voted to continue a 1% county sales tax from Sept. 30, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2031.

Last year, according to Hardin, officials in Crawford County needed to file paperwork notifying his department of a change in its sales tax rate by July 3, 90 days before it was to take effect.

Because that was not done, Hardin said, the county could not collect any revenue from the sales tax from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2023.

Keith said revenue from the tax is divided between the county and the nine municipalities in the county based on population.

The county received more than $4.3 million from its side of the tax in 2022, according to Keith.

Finance

Reilly Barnes Returns to Little League® as Purchasing/Finance Assistant

Published

4 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Reilly Barnes Returns to Little League® as Purchasing/Finance Assistant

Little League® International has announced that Reilly Barnes accepted a new role as Purchasing/Finance Assistant, effective April 6, 2026. Barnes transitions from a temporary Purchasing Assistant to this full-time position to assist in the year-round demands of purchasing for the organization, as well as the region and Little League Baseball and Softball World Series tournaments.

“We are thrilled to welcome back Reilly to our team as a full-time Purchasing/Finance Assistant. Reilly’s prior experience, time management, and attention to detail make him an invaluable asset to the purchasing team,” said Nancy Grove, Little League Materials Management Director. “We look forward to the positive contributions he will have on our organization.”

In this role, Barnes will be responsible for processing purchase requisitions, coordinating souvenir products, and tracking order fulfillment. He will also assist with evaluating suppliers, reviewing product quality, and negotiating contracts for effective operations.

After most recently working as a Logistician Analyst at Precision Air in Charleston, South Carolina, Barnes, a Williamsport native, returns after honing his skills in the fast-paced environment. Prior to his time at Precision Air, Barnes served as a Procurement Specialist at The Medical University of South Carolina, where his expertise and knowledge were instrumental in supporting both education and healthcare needs.

“I am thrilled to return to Little League in this full-time role,” said Barnes. “Coming back to my hometown and having the opportunity to work for an organization that has played such a special part of my upbringing means a lot. I can’t wait begin this new opportunity.”

Barnes graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2022 with a B.A. in Supply Chain Management, Finance, and Business Analytics.

Finance

Why this sleepy Swiss town has become a ‘bolt-hole’ for the Gulf elite

Published

16 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

Why this sleepy Swiss town has become a ‘bolt-hole’ for the Gulf elite

As conflict continues to destabilise the Middle East, the Gulf States elite are seeking solace in European alternatives that offer comparable financial benefits with a far lower risk of war on the doorstep. One such destination is the small Swiss town of Zug, which is becoming a “bolt-hole” for Gulf-based wealth, said the Financial Times.

‘Swiss Monaco’

Switzerland’s reputation as a magnet for the world’s financial elite is nothing new. In 2025, the country recorded the “densest concentration of millionaires” with an estimated 146 per 1,000 adults last year, said The Times. Now home to around 135,000 people, Zug’s canton – also named Zug – used to be the “poorest corner of Switzerland” until it lowered its tax rates in the 1950s. “Now it has corporate tax rates of 16.2% compared with 40% in the US and 33.3% in France.”

“In almost all ways Zug is unremarkable”, with its traditional Swiss architecture and cobbled waterfront lanes. But if its “Alpine lake water is clear”, the financial scene is more “murky”. Many credit Marc Rich and Pincus “Pinky” Green, founders of metals and minerals trading firm Glencore, with the transformation of Zug from a “Swiss backwater” to its status as the “Swiss Monaco”. The multinational is headquartered just outside Zug, and has made the town a “global powerhouse for trading crude and refined oil products”. It should be “no surprise” that the “1% of the world’s 1%” are taking shelter there, and at the same time, hoping to still “keep a hand in the oil business”.

Article continues below

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week’s Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

“Industry estimates suggest that tens of billions of dollars could flow into Switzerland depending on how the current conflict evolves,” said the Outbound Investment Group. The “immediate trigger” for the “surge in interest” from Gulf-based investors is the war in the Middle East. However, Switzerland’s underlying appeal is its unwavering “Swissness”: “political neutrality”, “strong legal frameworks”, and reputation for wealth preservation. It’s a safe bet with no sign of slowing.

‘Availability tightening’

There are some drawbacks, said the FT. For “would-be arrivals”, the appeal of the region for Middle Eastern residents comes with “practical constraints”. Those outside the EU “face a higher bar”. Usually, the condition of residency is “tied” to employment or company formation. For the “very wealthy”, there is the added option of “negotiated lump-sum taxation agreements with cantonal authorities” that allow individuals to “pay a flat annual tax based on living expenses rather than global income”.

Even if they are holders of EU passports, the “main bottleneck” is the availability of property. Competition is “intense” and “rental supply is extremely limited, with properties often snapped up within days”. With Zug’s “availability tightening”, other cantons in the region with similar tax arrangements could benefit, such as Lugano, an Italian-speaking city in the Ticino region.

The uncertainty of the duration of the conflict is one of the most pressing concerns, said Bloomberg. The recent breakdown of ceasefire talks risks “forcing a reckoning for the professional and expat classes considering options after putting down roots in the Middle East”.

The short-term benefits of physical safety from leaving the Gulf are clear, but changing tax residency “takes time” and practicalities such as finding schools and “conforming to national requirements such as opening local bank accounts” is often “complicated and time-consuming”. The region’s ultra-wealthy are facing “uncomfortable decisions on whether to make the move permanent, especially with the end of the school year in sight”.

Explore More

Finance

How much will Social Security go up next year? See latest forecast

Published

1 day ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

How much will Social Security go up next year? See latest forecast

Before Social Security payments are posted this week, many retirees are looking ahead at the potential Cost of Living Adjustment for 2027 with an advocacy group predicting a similar increase to 2026.

On April 10, The Senior Citizens League — a nongovernmental advocacy group for seniors — released its monthly COLA forecast for 2027, saying data showed a 2.8% increase is likely.

“Over the last seven weeks, crude oil prices have soared, and fuel prices have followed suit. Consumers are getting pinched at the pump as gas prices soar, while businesses are paying more for transportation and/or production costs. This energy price shock is beginning to show up in the monthly U.S. inflation report, and it’s having a tangible impact on 2027 COLA forecasts,” The Motley Fool, a financial and investing advice company, and USA TODAY content partner, reported on April 18.

The official announcement will come in October, as it’s based on third-quarter inflation data.

According to Consumer Price Index data published last week, the annual inflation rate reached a two-year high of 3.3%, up 0.9% over the last month. This is largely due to soaring oil prices caused by the war in Iran.

Social Security payments are always scheduled on Wednesdays, with the final wave of this month scheduled for April 22, according to the Social Security Administration. The schedule is based on the birth dates of the recipients — retired, disabled workers or survivors.

Here’s who will get a Social Security check this week and more on the 2027 COLA forecast:

When is the final Social Security in April 2026?

Social Security benefits are sent out based on the recipients’ birth dates. Wednesday, April 22, is the final wave of payments for those with birth dates between the 21st and the 31st of April.

What is the 2027 COLA forecast?

The 2027 COLA increase is forecast to be 2.8% due to continuing inflation prices, according to The Senior Citizens League’s April 10 press release. If the SSA approves that rate of increase, average payment for retired workers would go up by $56 per month in January 2027.

The SCL releases a COLA prediction each month based on the Consumer Price Index, Federal Reserve interest rate and the National Unemployment rate from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Beneficiaries who want to stay updated with the monthly predictions may visit the SCL’s “COLA Watch” webpage that includes the forecast, calculations, historical trends and more.

The official COLA increase for 2027 will be announced in October 2026.

What were the big Social Security changes in 2026?

At the beginning of 2026 recipients received a 2.8% COLA for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, according to the SSA’s COLA Fact Sheet and American Association of Retired Persons, increasing payments about $56 per month.

Here are more details on the 2026 COLA increase, per the SSA:

The maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax increased to $184,500.
The earnings limit for workers who are younger than full retirement age (67 years old) increased to $24,480. (There will be a $1 deduction for each $2 earned over $24,480.)
The earnings limit for people reaching their full retirement age in 2026 increased to $65,160. (There will be a $1 deduction for each $3 earned over $65,160, until the month the worker turns full retirement age.)
There is no limit on earnings for workers who are at full retirement age or older for the entire year.

What should I do if I don’t get my Social Security payment?

According to the SSA, if you don’t receive your payment on the scheduled date, wait three days additional days, then call their office.

Where are the Social Security offices in Michigan?

There are 48 offices in Michigan, and to find an office near you, recipients may use the office locator via the Social Security’s website by entering your zip code for office hours, numbers, available services and more.

How can I replace my Social Security card?

The personal account, “my Social Security” allows recipients to manage their personal records, including a request for a replacement Social Security card and benefit statements for taxes and more. New accounts are created using ID.me or Login.gov as a multifactor authentication.