The Children's Trust - Part 1

The Children's Trust has collected about $400 million in property taxes since 2003, but the group's influence is best seen through the small details, like the six African drums, small wardrobe of karate uniforms and hula hoops it funded for a program in Goulds.

''We get to do stuff that most of the other after-school cares can't do,'' wrote Alejandra Pinkney, a fourth-grader who is one of 50 children enrolled in the free program run by Urgent Inc.

The Trust was approved in 2002 as a five-year experiment. Unless voters make it permanent this summer, it will disappear. Many of the programs that depend on its funding -- child-care like Urgent, health teams in public schools, the 211 hot line for parent counseling -- likely would disappear with it.

A diverse group of luminaries are signing onto the campaign, but their timing could hardly be worse. The economy is sinking, anti-tax sentiment is soaring and voters have proven their willingness to take back money from local governments regularly pinned with scandal.

''There's a temptation to say, throw out all the rascals,'' said David Lawrence, chairman of the 33-member board that oversees the Trust. ``I believe people can separate this out in their minds as something that's valuable in this community.''

The Trust has avoided even the hint of impropriety, and its steering committee has such diverse members as Republican U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and civil-rights activist Bishop Victor Curry, and Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning plans to tape television ads.

''I can tell you now -- and without hesitation -- that the Children's Trust has my vote,'' said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, highlighting the vote during February's State of the County speech. ``I hope it has yours.''

Its political action committee has already raised $760,000, according to recent financial reports, which is more than it collected for the entire 2002 campaign. Before the Aug. 26 ballot, Lawrence said, he will have enough for a four- to six-week media blitz.

NO OPPOSITION YET

There has been no sign of organized opposition, and Lawrence said recent polls showed ``we'd win this.''

''This will be the most bipartisan, nonpartisan campaign you can imagine,'' said Lawrence, a former Miami Herald publisher who has become one of Florida's leading advocates for early-childhood education.

Notably absent from the list of supporters: House Speaker Marco Rubio, the West Miami Republican who has led the push for cutting property taxes and may challenge Alvarez in a mayoral race on the same ballot.

''I'm conflicted,'' said Rubio, who has not decided how he will vote on the Trust but said he will not campaign against it.

``I'm supportive of their mission, but I'm concerned about the enormous burden people are facing economically.''

He acknowledged the Trust is a tiny portion of tax bills -- about $61 a year on a median house that receives a homestead exemption.

''If the voters vote against it, it's because even though the Children's Trust is a worthy endeavor, they can't afford it right now,'' Rubio said.

``If they vote for it, they're funding a pretty innovative approach to helping the lives of children.''

Programs such as Urgent are among the Trust's most visible, serving 40,000 children. Many of its 6- to 10-year-olds come from single-parent homes that cannot afford other after-school care. Without Urgent, many would be home alone or parked in front of a baby-sitter's television.