ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FL, NOVEMBER 4, 2020 – Escambia County voters approved a new Children’s Services Council (CSC).

Complete, but unofficial, totals show 97,625 Escambia County residents (60.90%) voted in favor of creating the Escambia Children’s Trust, while 62,689 (39.10%) voted against

The Escambia Children’s Trust is the proposed name for the CSC in Escambia County. The sole purpose of a CSC is to invest in the well-being of children by maximizing resources and ensuring accountability. The trust will not deliver service. Instead, it will fund community providers who can demonstrate measurable desired outcomes through a competitive review and accountability process.

The Escambia Children’s Trust will receive a new 0.5 mill county property tax that will cost the average Escambia County homeowner $40 per year. Other property owners will pay an average of $67 per year. The additional half mill will not be collected until 2022.

Of the funds collected, 90% of funds will go into direct programing, 4% will be  paid to the Escambia County Tax Collector for collecting the funds, and 6% will be used by the trust for administrative costs. The trust will have an initial 10 year life before it must go back to the voters.

A 10-member board will govern the Escambia Children’s Trust. Five members will be appointed by the governor. The other five members will be the superintendent of schools, one school board member, the district administrator for the Department of Children and Families; one member of the Escambia County Commission and a  a judge assigned to juvenile cases. Read more.