The Escambia Board of County Commissioners plans to discuss the possibility of directing the Supervisor of Elections to place a referendum regarding the Escambia Children’s Trust (ECT) on the general election ballot this fall.
Escambia County voters approved the creation of the Children’s Trust in 2020, with 61% of the vote. Once passed, the ECT has a natural end date of 2030.
According to the agenda for the May 21 board meeting, Commissioner Mike Kohler is requesting that the board discuss a potential referendum on the ballot Nov. 3, 2026, although it does not indicate what the specific referendum would be.
Kohler did not respond to a request for comment, but this isn’t the first time he has raised the issue of putting the Children’s Trust back before voters.
In May 2025, he brought up the possibility of letting voters decide if they still want the Children’s Trust after he clashed with the ECT over unpaid tax-increment financing (TIF) revenues the county said were owed.
The Children’s Trust requested an exemption from paying nearly $500,000 in taxes and instead wanted to enter into an agreement with Escambia to spend it on the county’s summer youth employment program.
The Escambia County Commission unanimously approved the tax exemption for the ECT in July 2025, resolving the TIF dispute.
Support for the Children’s Trust
ECT Executive Director Lindsey Cannon said since the Children’s Trust began providing services in 2023 the organization has worked diligently to expand access to high-quality after-school and summer programs, early learning opportunities, mental and behavioral health support, youth mentorship, family resources, and other critical services that directly benefit children across the community.
“Thousands of local families have accessed programs funded by ECT, helping remove barriers to opportunity and creating safer, healthier environments for young people to learn and thrive,” Cannon said. “For the average household, the annual contribution to ECT is approximately $40–$50 per year or roughly $3–$4 per month. In return, families across Escambia County are receiving access to critical services that strengthen children, support working parents, and help prevent significantly higher long-term community costs.”
The Children’s Trust was established as an independent, special taxing district to fund evidence-based programs focused on early childhood education, child abuse prevention and youth development.
Community reaction has been polarized since it was created.
Many remain supportive of the impact it has had on improving education and life-changing child development, while others have questioned the organization’s use of funds, particularly in the early years of the program under prior leadership.
Cannon said taxpayers are getting a quality return on their investment and families would face substantial financial burdens without it.
She said full-time childcare costs average between $8,000–$12,000 annually per child, shifting an estimated $1.95 million–$2.9 million in annual costs back onto families currently receiving support. Afterschool and summer programming costs average approximately $2,500 annually per child.
Supporters say ECT’s afterschool programs provide safe supervision, academic support and mentorship for youth and keeping kids off the streets and out of trouble saves the community long-term costs associated with juvenile crime and detention, as well as helps strengthen support for children and families before challenges escalate into crises that become significantly more expensive for schools, law enforcement, courts, healthcare systems and taxpayers to manage.
“Eliminating ECT would not eliminate these needs or costs; it would shift substantially larger financial and social burdens onto working families, public systems and Escambia County taxpayers,” Cannon said. “Escambia Children’s Trust remains committed to serving the children and families of Escambia County through accountable and impactful investments in youth services and programs.”
Want to go?
Escambia’s BOCC meeting will be held at 9 a.m. May 21 at 221 Palafox Place.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia County to discuss Children’s Trust referendum for 2026 ballot
Reporting by Mollye Barrows, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
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