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No “Kiddie Tax” County Fee For Youth Sports

The Escambia County Commission rejected a $10 per child youth sports fee, but they did vote to increase several other recreation fees at the their Thursday night meeting.

Currently, athletic associations that use county-owned parks for little league sports do not pay for the use of the parks. Instead, the athletic associations  maintain and manage the parks in exchange for their use. But under a proposal considered by the Escambia County Commission Thursday night, athletic associations would have been assessed a fee of $10 per child, per sport after October 1.

With two of four county commissioners at Thursday’s meeting speaking out in opposition against the plan, it failed to get the majority vote needed to pass.

The plan would have pumped about $30,000 into the county’s general fund to help pay salaries in the parks and recreation department.

But commissioners Kevin White and Wilson Robertson voiced strong opposition to the plan that became dubbed by some as the “kiddie tax”.

“What we are trying to do is have all of our recreation fees pay for all of our recreation staff,” Keith Wilkins, deputy bureau chief Neighborhoods and Community Services, said, adding that two of four positions have already been cut from his department. He said the county’s adult sports programs do pay for themselves, but youth sports do not.

The youth leagues mow their fields and do the upkeep on their parks, except for major repairs, he said.

“So when they say ‘hey we are doing all of the work’, to them they are doing all work on a daily basis,” Wilkins said at a Thursday morning agenda review meeting. “There is a cost incurred that they don’t see.” With no funds from the youth leagues going to the county, Wilkins said the county’s costs are not covered for managing their 19 associations. He said their are other costs, including “ownership of the land…we do own the land that we lease to them at $1 a year”.

“The biggest argument I’ve gotten so far is that it is going to reduce the players because of income…that’s been a big blow,” Young said.

“I understand that there is a concern there, particularly for the less affluent neighborhoods that it would put an undue burden on them,” Wilkens said. “You’re right, it could have an effect.”

Other Recreation Fees Increase

The commission did vote to increase the rental fee for park pavilions from $25 to $30.

Commissioners also votes for fee increases for county-operated adult athletic league teams by $50. A new fee for high school soccer games at Brosnaham Park will be imposed at $50 for day games or $75 for night games. Building fees, such as using a press box or concession stand, were also increased by $10.