In a unanimous 5–0 vote, the Escambia County Commission approved a request from the Escambia Children’s Trust for exemption from contributing tax increment revenues to the county’s nine community redevelopment agency (CRA) trust funds. The decision followed weeks of debate and culminated in a lengthy, sometimes passionate, discussion at last week's commission meeting.
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More than a dozen speakers addressed the board, many sharing personal stories about the impact the Children’s Trust has had on their families and communities. Residents, educators, and nonprofit leaders praised the Trust for expanding access to youth programs, mental health services, and after-school care. Several described the Trust’s efforts as life-changing for children in underserved areas.
Meredith Bush, general counsel for the Children’s Trust, presented the exemption request alongside an interlocal agreement designed to resolve disputes over multiple years of CRA contributions. She emphasized the Trust’s intent that the county use these funds solely for youth programs.
“We would enter into an agreement which would allow the county to spend those funds for children’s services,” Bush said. “I believe the terminology in the agreement is ‘county youth programs.’” She added that this agreement covers tax years 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025 and would bring clarity and closure to outstanding issues related to past CRA payments.
One area of ongoing disagreement involved the county’s use of Children’s Trust collected TIF money for traditional infrastructure in designated CRA districts. These include neighborhoods like Brownsville, Warrington, Ensley, and Cantonment. County audits confirmed that 2023 payments funded street paving, sidewalks, and security cameras in these redevelopment districts. The Trust’s board members expressed concern that such funds were used for infrastructure rather than direct children’s services, which they view as a contradiction with the Trust’s constitutional mandate.
Bush argued that redirecting these tax proceeds to infrastructure activities strayed from the legal and voter-approved purpose of supporting youth programming.
“There’s a constitutional mandate that tax funds can only be spent for their intended purpose,” she told commissioners. “Spending the funds for infrastructure differs from the intended purpose of children’s services.”
Commissioners supported the Trust’s mission but questioned the fairness of past fund distribution among CRA areas. Chairman Mike Kohler highlighted the disparity between city and county CRA allocations and emphasized the need for equitable program access.
The motion to approve the exemption and interlocal agreement passed unanimously. The vote covers fiscal years up through 2025 and clears the path until 2026.
“Congratulations, Trust,” Chairman Kohler said as applause filled the chambers.
