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Escambia Clerk Pam Childers Sues County Over $1.1 Million Budget Cut
October 6, 2026
Escambia County Clerk and Comptroller Pam Childers has filed a lawsuit against Escambia County, alleging county commissioners retaliated against her office by slashing her budget by $1.1 million.
The verified complaint, filed Monday, October 5, 2026, in Escambia County Circuit Court, seeks declaratory, injunctive, and mandamus relief to reverse the cuts adopted in the county’s fiscal year 2026–2027 budget. Childers argues the reduction directly targets her constitutional oversight duties as county auditor and watchdog of taxpayer funds.
The dispute centers on two budget actions approved by the Board of County Commissioners: a $1 million reduction to the Clerk and Comptroller’s finance operations budget and the total elimination of a $100,000 line item dedicated to outside legal counsel. The cuts brought Childers’ proposed county-funded budget down from $5,610,882 to $4,510,882—a roughly 20 to 25 percent cut.
Childers contends the cuts are punitive payback following months of friction between her office and commissioners over public spending. Earlier this year, the county joined a lawsuit alongside two local non-profit organizations challenging Childers’ refusal to issue payments from commissioner discretionary funds that she determined did not serve a lawful public purpose.
According to the complaint, Commissioner Mike Kohler pushed for the cuts during budget proceedings, pointing to excess fee revenue and unspent funds Childers routinely returns to the county each year, and referring to the clerk’s outside legal budget as a “personal services legal slush fund”.
Childers asserts that returning unspent money is standard practice across constitutional offices due to variable revenues and vacancies, noting no other elected official or county department saw budget reductions. She also defended her use of outside litigation counsel, emphasizing that the county frequently retains private law firms despite employing five full-time staff attorneys.
Childers previously asked the board in a September 16, 2026, letter to rescind the reductions, but commissioners finalized the budget resolution without restoring the money on September 24, 2026.
The lawsuit asks the circuit court to schedule an expedited hearing, declare the budget reduction improper, and order the county to restore the full $1.1 million appropriation.
Comments
12 Responses to “Escambia Clerk Pam Childers Sues County Over $1.1 Million Budget Cut”
PAM CHILDERS is the protector of our monies[ taxpayers which are to be used for public good..not to be used to buy loyalty and votes.our commissioners salaries are set by the state based on total number of population in the entire county…now you see why more subdivisions are APPOVIED WITHOUT ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO HANDLE THE NEW GROWTH. THANK YOU, MRS.CHILDERS. for fighting for us taxpayers!
Thank you Ms. Childers.
Don’t worry, the county commission will get its budget cut come November by voting NO on the penny sales tax continuation, and voting YES on Amendment 3.
A county the size of ours needs far more than 5 commissioners (and at a lower pay). We can do nothing, Tallahassee ties our hands. Bask in the corruption that is Florida politics. Congrats, voters – you elected clowns, here’s your circus.
Michelle Saltzman should introduce legislation that Constituitional Representatives in a county can not sue each other. It’s an underhanded way to funnel taxpayer dollars to the attorneys they are in cahoots with.
The clerk needs to be removed from the dais. No other constitutional I sent themselves I appropriately into the budget process.
Childers has cost us millions for her political theater and retribution campaign and most are blinded by ignorance in her continued conflict mongering.
She needs to go.
Typical of our Commissioners in our county as well as many other counties to take retaliatory, vindictive actions against anybody who interferes with their piggy bank. Look at their posture against amendment 3 to give taxpayers a brake on taxes , it is a small portion of all taxes collected yet they claim Schools , Law enforcement and Emergency services will be cut to extremes . Pure political lies , it will interfere with their piggy bank . Kudos Mrs Childers for stepping up every time protecting the tax payers . We. The people are aware of the games and retaliatory actions some are capable of .
Captain Obvious, might i say…. as a life long Republican, I am getting sick of Escambia CO. Reps.
The rabbit has the pew pew. Let the lawsuits and drama cost th3 taxpayer’s more money. We the taxpayers spent thousands of dollars for months of investigations to catch Luman May misusing county assets. How much did we collect from that? Who watches the watchdogs?
I hope she wins, so tired of these crooks stealing our taxpayers money.
This is so immature. It’s like watching children fight. Bad thing for the citizens, it’s costs.
Pam is about the only person in county government looking out for the people. Remember when you vote, how the commissioners want to tax and spend,. Taxpayer’s money should not be used to fund their personal slush funds.
Supporting Ms. Childers….
Escambia BoCC has, to my recollection Never won any lawsuit they filed against anyone. BoCC Retirement scam. filing suit against former member aides, EMS directors, etc.
Having the Clerk-Comptroller guiding BoCC spending is a must to protect We the People from frivilous spending and providing funds to groups teetering on vote harvesting.
BoCC members know that they must have 2 other members joining them in order to pass any measure or item.
The PEOPLE’s TAX MONEY should be used only for the Public Good not specific groups or charaties. Perhaps an individual BoCC member could make a personal donation or support a group or organization without involving their official titles and positions.
Thank you Ms Childers for always being on the side of the Law and We the People.