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Town Hall · Shirley

How Shirley is run

Shirley spent $44,000 in the year to December 31, 2022, about $159 per resident.

City budget
$44,000
spent, year to December 31, 2022
Per resident
$159
Below typical Arkansas cities ($1,073)
Long-term debt
None
at year end
City staff
3
full-time · 5 part-time
Typical tax bill
$509
a year · AR $1,040

What stands out about how Shirley is run

Read from the town’s budget, meetings and records. The page puts what stands out first.

★ What stands out · Your share of the budget

About $159 per resident a year, or $0.44 a day

The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 48% of spending.

Where the money comes from
Sales taxes 87%Property taxes 6%Interest, fines & other 4%From the state 2%Other taxes & licenses 1%
Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $509 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.49% of the home’s value, vs 0.55% across Arkansas.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Arkansas$1,040
Shirley$509
$509
typical bill a year
0.49%
effective rate
$103,100
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Shirley’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.

The school district

Shirley School District

Shirley’s K–12 school district, shared with Fairfield Bay. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Shirley →
$17,686
per pupil · AR $13,585
315
students
$2 million
long-term debt

Of the $17,686 per pupil, $9,587 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 19%State 61%Federal 20%

Arkansas districts overall: 16% local, 70% state, 14% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Shirley

Local officials aren’t in the public records we use for Shirley yet. Neighbors can add them.

Who works for Shirley

One full-time town employee for every 92 residents

On the payroll in March 2022.

By department full-time, plus part-time

Administration & buildings2 + 5 pt
Roads & transportation1
3
full-time
5
part-time
$13,400
average full-time pay, before benefits

Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it’s approximate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

Who represents Shirley

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Shirley.

Politics & elections →
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Local officials aren’t on record yet.
  2. 2
    Arkansas HouseState representatives
  3. 3
    Arkansas SenateState senator
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Arkansas

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Reach Shirley’s government

Numbers and hours come from neighbors and the town’s own site (the Handbook). A new one goes live once two neighbors confirm it.

The Handbook →

Questions about how Shirley is run?

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Weigh in
Does Shirley get good value for its tax dollars?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. School district: Census school finance survey. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates. Representatives: Open States, the Census and congress-legislators.

Post to Shirley

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Add to the handbook

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