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The Government Portal
Welcome to the Government Portal. Here you will find links to the categories and articles that attempt to elucidate the inner workings of local government, from budgets and taxes to councils and politicians.
Selected article
A referendum was held on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 to determine whether or not the sales tax in Escambia County would be increased by one half-cent ($0.005) for a period of ten years, increasing the sales tax rate to 8.0% from the current tax rate of 7.5%. The additional tax was proposed by AccessEscambia, a non-profit 501(c)4 organization established in 2003 to study and address the increase in the number of Escambia County residents who lack health insurance. If passed, the additional tax would have generated an expected $15 million to $17 million yearly to fund primary and preventive healthcare for Escambia County residents who lack health insurance and meet certain other criteria. The proposal was defeated at the polls by an almost 2:1 ratio.
Selected picture
A crowd gathers at the old Pensacola City Hall. Completed in 1908, the building served at the headquarters of city government until 1985. It was renovated and reopened in 1988 as the T. T. Wentworth Jr. Florida State Museum.
Selected biography
Willie J. Junior (1942 - 2004) was a prominent African-American businessman, founder of the Junior Funeral Home, and the first black member of the Escambia County Commission. He was removed from office in 2002 for his part in the soccer complex corruption scandal, in which he took a $90,000 bribe from fellow Commissioner W. D. Childers to vote on a County land purchase later deemed inappropriate. He was convicted on corruption charges, but disappeared before being sentenced. His body was discovered on December 9, 2004 under the home of a former employee.
Government news
- August 23, 2007 - Escambia County Commissioners cancel the planned purchase of a $1.4 million property following disclosures of a relationship between the sellers and County Administrator George Touart.
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