Earlier this year, we broke the news that County Clerk Pam Childers was withholding reimbursement for invoices totaling over $1 million for Visit Pensacola and tourism marketing. Some invoices dated back to September 2024. Read Invoice Impasse: Childers refusing to cut checks, putting tourism at risk.
Showcase Pensacola has handled Escambia County tourism marketing for over a decade. For twelve years under Childers’ leadership—and for decades under her predecessor, Ernie Lee Magaha—it invoices sailed through the payment process. However, this year, checks have been stuck in an ever-shifting maze of requirements.
- Showcase spokesperson Dick Appleyard told WEAR TV that his agency was owed more than $1 million. See the list of Showcase invoices.
Inweekly received a list of the outstanding Visit Pensacola invoices, which included payroll, utilities, insurance, repairs and maintenance.
- Feeling the pressure, Childer cut a check for $1.166 million in early June, but we have heard that her office is still slow on reimbursements, which has made it difficult to place advertising.
What was the impact? TDT collections for July through October were down over $300K.
Summer TDT Collections
| 2025 | 2024 | ||
| July | $ 3,369,890 | $ 3,450,931 | $ (81,041) |
| August | $ 3,615,405 | $ 3,739,841 | $ (124,436) |
| September | $ 2,036,646 | $ 2,051,000 | $ (14,354) |
| October | $ 1,573,795 | $ 1,655,729 | $ (81,934) |
| $ 10,595,736 | $ 10,897,501 | $ (301,765) |
The Clerk’s Office is reporting an uptick of $27K for November, but the overall TDT collections for FY 2026 are down $54,989. See FY 2026 TDT Returns
Crisis?
The Escambia County Commission should hire a law firm to review the Clerk’s disbursement system and interview those who have seen their payments held up. The firm may need to offer anonymity because businesses fear Childers’ wrath. Tourism is too vital to our local economy.
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