Politicians cut the things Arkansans actually need and then waste our tax dollars on stunts and vanity projects
Arkansas is living through a real-life slasher story and the villains are federal and state elected leaders. While politicians slash budget funding for healthcare, schools, food assistance, and victim services, they happily bankroll political stunts and handouts to the wealthy. This leaves everyday Arkansans sicker, poorer, and less safe. Meanwhile, leaders waste our taxdollars on things that don’t make a difference in our everyday lives.
What’s getting cut
- Healthcare. Arkansas stands to lose an estimated $8–11 billion in federal Medicaid funds over the next decade. Translation: fewer doctors, more strain on rural hospitals, and worse outcomes for families who already struggle to access care.
- Education. More than $58 million in federal education funds for Arkansas schools has been delayed, leaving after-school programs and summer learning hanging by a thread. Students in SOAR programs in Springdale lost $800,000 alone.
- Food Assistance. Families who rely on SNAP are on the hook for the Sanders-endorsed “Big Beautiful Bill” that shifts tens of millions in costs onto the state. Fewer benefits = more hungry kids.
- Victim Services. Arkansas programs that serve survivors of crime face a $14 million cut in federal funds. That means fewer caseworkers, fewer safe options for victims, and more broken lives.
Expect cuts to be felt in classrooms, in hospital rooms, and at our kitchen tables across Arkansas.
Here’s what state leaders choose to fund
- Private school vouchers, which are a coupon for wealthy families already sending kids to private school.
- A billion dollar private-prison build in Franklin County.
- Border patrol stunts, wasting taxpayer dollars to deploy the Arkansas National Guard to Texas for political headlines and appearances on Fox News.
- Fancy trips for the Governor to visit Paris, Israel, the Super Bowl, and more.
- Unconstitutional culture war laws, which cost taxpayers millions in legal fees when state leaders fight to defend laws that get struck down in court.
- A Charlie Kirk memorial at the Capitol.
The real horror story is when politicians slash what everyday Arkansans depend on while they treat our tax dollars like their own campaign fund.
What Arkansans deserve
Arkansans work hard to make a living, and we deserve a budget that funds essential services and infrastructure — health care, roads, public schools, disaster relief funds, and so much more. It shows basic respect to the people of this state when our leaders invest in us, not their own ambitions.
The good news is that we don’t have to keep living in their horror story. By speaking out, voting, and organizing, Arkansans can fight back and demand a budget that actually works for the people who live here.
Fiscal session starts in the spring of 2026 and elections are in November of 2026. Time to start paying attention and holding these slasher villains accountable.
