The Escambia Children’s Trust owes the CRAs in Escambia County and the City of Pensacola over $2.5 million. The county wants its share, and Mayor Reeves has yet to negotiate a deal that would ensure the city funds benefit public schools inside the city.
On Feb. 6, Escambia County Attorney Alison Rogers once again sent a letter to the Trust asking for payment of the outstanding Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) increment revenues for the 2021 and 2022 tax years, which total $690,684. The county has also requested the CRA revenues for the current fiscal year, $495,157.18. Read Letter_7869
- Three months ago, the Board of County Commissioners turned down the Trust’s request to negotiate an interlocal agreement on how to spend the CRA dollars given to them.
Commissioner Kohler strongly argued that funds should be given to the CRAs. “If we have a small amount that goes to CRA, I can go over to Claire Long (Neighborhood Services) and say, ‘What are we doing with this?’ (With the Trust) I have to wait till you put up a plan and see if it’s going in the right area. I know exactly where it’s going in the CRAs that we control. That’s not that much of the budget (for CRA), but it’s going to the poorest kids in Escambia County. I don’t see why the board has such an issue with that. It’s allowed by the statute. I mean, why is that such a hangup?”
DIG DEEPER
The Trust also owes the City of Pensacola CRA about $1.5 million. Mayor D.C. Reeves has said he would allow the Trust to keep the funds, but he wants an interlocal agreement spelling out how the funds would used to help children and public schools within the city limits. The mayor has not mentioned the interlocal agreement since early December.
- The financial reports in the agenda packet for the Trust’s board meeting in January listed the $690,684 liability to the county but didn’t have the FY 2024-25 liability.
- The liability to the City CRA is not mentioned, which means the Trust could commit to spending the funds before any interlocal agreement is approved by the Pensacola City Council.
- The minutes for the December board meeting do not mention paying or disputing the liabilities.
The Escambia Children’s Trust meets at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 11, in Commission Chambers, Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Street. It will be broadcast live on ECTV.
A good free question for Pensacola to ask the Florida Attorney General is the legality of the city’s proposed agreement with the Escambia Children’s Trust (ECT). Legally, TIF revenues are not generated within TIF districts. The city has five CRAs – one an “agency” and four “areas.” (The Inner City CRA “area” covers must but not all of the city south of Baars Street west of 17th Avenue. People in East Hill freak out when I tell them that the city council claims their neighborhood is slum or blighted.) Of the four CRA “areas” only three are TIF districts – Urban Core, Westside, Eastside. The money used to fund the city’s three TIF districts comes from the city “and” general funds. I suspect that the Attorney General would advise if the city lets the ECT keep the TIF revenues otherwise due to the city they would have to be spent within the boundaries of each of the three TIF districts. Also, nothing would appear to prevent the city from spending those same revenues in each TIF district in a manner that supports the goals of the ECT. The city council and ECT could appoint a joint body to coordinate the effort. Also, Century has a CRA (A = Agency). How much does the Escambia Children’s Trust owe to Century? It is not mentioned.