Escambia County Voters Need to Renew One-Cent Tax. Here’s Why:
Opinion By Guest Columnist and Local Wedgewood Neighborhood Resident Viola Simpkins
(Originally published in the Pensacola News Journal on September 20, 2026)
On Nov. 3, Escambia County voters will have the opportunity to approve or reject a 10-year renewal of the one-cent Local Option Sales Tax.
Over the past few months, as president of the Wedgewood Homeowners Association, I have begun educating myself on this important issue by talking with neighbors, discussing LOST at our homeowners association meetings and by going to the "Penny for Progress" website that lists in detail the many public projects funded by LOST dollars.
What I have learned has convinced me to give my full and enthusiastic support for LOST renewal.
And here's why I think you should too:
This single penny tax on retail purchases produces nearly $70 million every year, $20 million of which comes from spending by non-resident visitors and tourists.
For the fiscal year 2025/2026 LOST is projected to generate nearly $72.8 million, with the county receiving $63 million of that total and the city of Pensacola $9.8 million.
The tax is not applied to purchases of prescription drugs and most foods meant for home consumption.
Since 1992, when LOST was first approved by Escambia voters, it has been renewed three times, the last in 2014 by a 65 percent margin, one of the highest approval margins among all Florida counties.
Over the past 34 years, the 1-cent tax has generated an enormous sum of $2 billion for Escambia County. Those dollars have supported tens of thousands of jobs and have funded dozens of major capital infrastructure projects, community centers, public safety equipment, new fire stations, recreational facilities and important road, sidewalk and drainage improvements.
In closing, I will leave you with this fact, which I believe proves beyond a doubt how popular and necessary the Local Option Sales Tax has become for Florida's cities and counties.
In the 50 years since Florida law first authorized LOST, 66 of the state's 67 counties have approved the tax. And not once in the past five decades has any of those 66 counties failed to renew its Local Option Sales Tax.
I hope and trust Escambia voters will recognize and appreciate the positive impact this one-cent tax has had on our public safety and quality of life, and on Nov. 3 will proudly cast their ballot for its renewal.
Viola Simpkins is president of the Wedgewood Homeowners Association.
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For more information or to access the original Pensacola News Journal article, visit the Pensacola News Journal site here.
