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Escambia Commission Joins Lawsuit Against Clerk Childers Over Blocked Donations
June 21, 2026
The Escambia County Commission has voted to join a lawsuit against Clerk of Courts Pam Childers, escalating a legal battle over who holds final authority over county tax dollars.
The 3-1 vote brings the county into an existing lawsuit filed by two local nonprofits—First Tee Gulf Coast and the Warrington Emergency Aid Center—after Childers refused to release two checks totaling $7,000 in board-approved community impact grants allocated by Commissioner Lumon May. Under longstanding county practice, each of the five commissioners is allocated $50,000 annually in discretionary funds to distribute to local organizations.
While commissioners maintain they have the sole legislative power to decide how public funds are allocated, Childers argues her constitutional duty as county auditor requires her to independently vet individual payments to ensure they serve a valid public purpose.
Alex Andrade, the attorney representing the two nonprofits, explained during the meeting that because the litigation directly challenges the county’s 1985 ordinance governing these charitable donations, state law mandates the county be involved in the case. Andrade advised the board that joining voluntarily as co-plaintiffs would allow them to actively defend their spending authority, rather than being dragged into the suit later as defendants.
The board conditioned its involvement on an agreement that they will not seek personal financial damages against Childers if she loses the case.
Commissioners Mike Kohler, Steve Stroberger, and Lumon May voted in favor, stating a judge needs to permanently clarify the boundaries between commission appropriations and clerk oversight. Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger cast the lone dissenting vote, arguing that property taxes should fund local infrastructure rather than charitable groups or lawsuits. Commissioner Steven Barry was absent.
“I am not going to sue to say that take property tax dollars that we require people to pay,” “and then turn around and give them to whatever charity we think is the best one. We have people begging for property tax reform, and we are going to turn around and sue to give that money away? Instead of building sidewalks, putting in cameras, or anything else we could be doing. That is absolutely freaking ridiculous.”
“This is about political theater,” Commissioner Mike Kohler said, after noting that Childers made the payments over over 12 years before refusing. “I don’t even know how this is normal accounting practices where you do something for 12 years, and then you just decide that you are not going to do it. It does not make any common sense to me.”
Comments
23 Responses to “Escambia Commission Joins Lawsuit Against Clerk Childers Over Blocked Donations”
Taxpayers think most politicians have a lack of honesty and ethics when it comes to spending taxpayer dollars . I am a taxpayer .
Thank you very much Pam for looking out for our property tax money. Property tax is supposed to be for infrastructure, nothing else. If the county wants to give out money to organizations, let them donate money from their salaries. WHY do they have a slush fund? Get rid of it. Cut my property taxes! I’m on a fixed-income. Just look at the Children’s Trust. A huge ripoff!
Pam Childers said, ““You are doing contributions to churches for their picnics or something they are having; I think that’s a violation.” One contribution was for Warrington Emergency Aid Center, that feeds the hungry. What proof does Childers have for such an accusation? WEAC has been operating for 50 years, and in this current economy, there has been a 70% increase in people they serve. There are over 100 households receiving groceries. As a public servant, Childers should be circumspect in her speech, and not wrongfully disparage a helpful, volunteer-run community resource.
To all who are applauding Ms. Childers, why has she been approving these actions for years ?
So what’s her angle now ?
No I don’t approve of these expenditures as a valid use of tax dollars but PAM is a politician also !
I thought it was funny when the BOCC voted to spend Underhills discretionary to open the public beach access. He spearheads the slush fund narrative then balked when they did that. He is still doing it and his sheep are bleating.
The NGOs fulfill a public purpose.
Pam is using conflict and public dollars to fuel her campaign to attempt to look like a champion. Truth is she is a toxic.
I think I will vote for additional homestead. The body as a whole will vote on the budget and these will probable be cut, however our government is not a dictator and she tries to,operate that way. We have a board whomd3cides as a reason.
It Wil be good to see her in the rear view mirror as she uses taxpayermoney like a slush fundto enrich her attorney friends.
I think the clerk is enriching her lawyer friends. The real truth needs to come out about how much taxpayer money they are getting from her to fuel her conflicr ridden political theater to fulfil her ego and toxic personality.
The NGOs help fill a gap and a lot of the support goes to sports teams and other causes that help develop our youth.
It is not her tyrannical call to decide.
We have a representative government who votes in the public arena how to use these funds. I think she will lose and needs to go,on here way. She an aragant roublemaker.
People commenting here are sheep bleating a false uninformed narrative.
Commissioners – I am available to be bribed. I’ll take 30k from each of you
Clerk Pam Childers is looking out for the taxpayers on this battle and she has been vilified, harassed and threatened by the ” downtown money crowd .
I think a better name for this $50 000 descrestionary fund sould be a SLUSH FUND made up of taxpayers dollars but given out by our commissioners…this smakes of buying loyalty and votes. If the commissioners want to donate to these worthy non profits, they can do it individually out of their $104,000+ yearly salary [ for a part-time job I might add]!!!
Yes Pam. Go for it. Bocc are bought and paid for. They want those kickbacks. Of course this is all my opinion. Nothing proven, of course.
Of course. Bocc is and always will be good old boys club and corrupt. They are bought and paid for.
Pam Childers is the only official in eSCAMbia county who actually cares about our taxpayer dollars being responsibly spent. The county commissioners are beyond corrupt and I think Pam Childers should be the next county administrator. Too many politicians burn our money to lock in their job security when they should gain job security by being responsible and accountable. The commissioners’ solution to dealing with someone who curtails their waste, fraud, and abuse is to join a lawsuit that burns even more of our tax dollars! Next time we vote, let’s vote against any incumbent commissioners because when they aren’t wasting our tax dollars, they are allowing rampant development without the developers paying infrastructure fees and guess who foots that bill too!
Why can’t the commissioners charity give out of their own pocket , not mine ! ( or the other taxpayers ).
Go Pam Childers. These commissioners need to go. All of you who oppose the property tax relief, this is what your county commissioners chose to spend our money.on. Nonsense.
So the lawyers will make all the money.
I’m with Clerk Childers completely on this issue. This fund needed to be shut down and the excuse that she approved these gifts ,in the past, is not valid.
Nothing wrong with a public official taking a harder look at how public funds are being spent.
This is about vote buying. Commissioners can just blow the $50K any way they choose, of our “rent to the government”, and in a way that directly benefits them.
Pam is the best of the best, has been with Escambia County faithfully for years. These greedy commissioners are arguing over money they use to get votes. The more money these guys put in their own pocket seems to define their jobs. Vote out Kohler and Lumon first! Anyone else arguing over this should be booted out, as well. Pam always does the right thing!!! I know her and love that she’s always been a wonderful person inside and out!!
Kudos to Mrs Childers . Elected politicians should be accountable to spending tax payers dollars . One of the reasons the homestead tax exceptions will not pass in November vote , is because some politicians will be more accountable and hands off the piggy bank . Commisioners should be accountable on how they spend our tax dollars . Also Andrade should be defending the tax payers not a special interest group . Conflict of interest ? Time to go and vote them out , and end the waste , corruption and mismanagement of taxpayers dollars .
KEEP PAM VOTE THE REST OUT
About time someone is trying to ride heard over the way the Commissioners are wasting tax dollars. Hello Oversight committee!!! Just saying
Taxes have gone up every year, but nowhere is it ok to take confiscatory tax money and then have individuals decide who gets their benevolence. How about limit tax money to absolutely required county functions. Leave charity to, I don’t know, maybe charitable organizations.
It’s time this county got their hands out of our pockets. If commissioners want to provide charity (I’m sure to garner votes) use your own reelection funds. Use my tax money to pave a road, fix a drain pipe, or pick up debris.
Taxes have gone up every year. But things like School performance goes down.
Students leave the failing school in their area, and then the school district requests more money anyway. Repeat this failure countless times across the county and I can absolutely see why someone might say enough when it comes to charity with tax dollars.
No where is it ok to take confiscatory tax money and then have individuals decide who gets their benevolence. How about limit tax money to absolutely required county functions. Leave charity to, I don’t know, maybe charitable organizations.
It’s time this county got their hands out of our pockets. If commissioners want to provide charity (I’m sure to garner votes) use your own reelection funds. Use my tax money to pave a road, fix a drain pipe, or pick up debris.
There should be clear defined guidelines for the funds. I’m not for the Commissioners having money at their discretion but that’s what is set up. Good for our Clerk, maybe when this is over it will be clear. Get rid of the Children’s Trust as well! Property taxes are high enough.