The Escambia County Budget
This is your window into Escambia County's budget and finances. Use the tools below to learn about the County's unique budget process, view our most frequently asked questions, and explore all of the County's financial information - online, anytime.
Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller
Objectives/Priorities
The Florida Constitution established: "There shall be in each county a Clerk of the Circuit Court who shall be selected pursuant to the provisions of Article VIII, Section 1." Article V, Section 16, Florida Constitution, established at the county level a system of checks and balances that has served the public well. The Florida Clerk is not only Clerk of the Circuit Court, but also the County Treasurer, Recorder, Auditor, Finance Officer, and Ex-Officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners.
The Office of the Clerk & Comptroller performs a wide range of record keeping, information management, and financial management for the judicial system and county government. Because the Clerk & Comptroller's duties affect the rights and property of county citizens, the constitution and statutes require that the Clerk is governed by statutory authority in carrying out the duties and functions of the office. As auditor and custodian of county funds, the Clerk is subject to Florida Auditor General Rules and Regulations and is subject to annual audits by independent firms.
The Joint Select Committee on Judicial Personnel of the Florida Legislature calculated that the Clerk & Comptroller's Office performs 926 different constitutional and statutory functions and duties. The number of tasks continue to grow with changes in legislation, regulations and reporting requirements.
AS CLERK TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS: The Clerk attends meetings of the Board of County Commissioners and committees of the board, and produces, records, indexes and distributes the official minutes of these meetings. The Clerk maintains legal custody of the Official County Seal, maintains custody of all county resolutions, ordinances, and contracts. Process appeals for Value Adjustment Board, and Attestation.
AS ACCOUNTANT AND CUSTODIAN OF COUNTY FUNDS: The Clerk provides accounting services to all departments under the Board of County Commissioners. Provides an accounting system for all fiscal changes implemented by the Board. Handles investments of available County funds. Provides financial reporting to the Board and all federal and state agencies. Processes accounts payable and the County payroll.
AS COUNTY AUDITOR: The Clerk Pre-audits all County expenditures before payment and reviews contracts. Conducts internal post-audits to determine if financial controls are sufficient and prepares reports suggesting improvements to management.
Budget Summary: The total budget for Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller increased from $5,458,815 in FY 2024-25 to $5,717,563 in FY 2025-26, reflecting an increase of $258,748 or approximately 4.74%.