Orange County plans to spend $10.8 billion on the next year's budget. Now you get to weigh in.
There are two virtual public workshop sessions planned on Thursday -- one at 3 p.m. and another at 6 p.m. You can also provide public feedback using this form. The Orange County Board of Supervisors will also hold a public budget hearing on June 10.
Yes. Admittedly, this document is pretty darn close to being finalized. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to do just that at a June 24 hearing.
But the budget is a year-round process. And there are several opportunities year-round to provide more input into the budget when it's actually being shaped and formed.
From the county's CEO: "The public's comments or suggestions are welcomed year-round and may be submitted any time. Receiving public feedback during the following times during the budget cycle are especially important," including August through September for consideration during the strategic financial planning process and February through March for consideration during the annual budget cycle.
But you need to start somewhere. And if you don't like how county officials are using tax dollars, tell them. If you like how the county is using tax dollars, tell them that too.
One place to start is with the Citizen's Guide to the FY 2025-26 budget. This is a 24-page, reader-friendly explainer that lays out the county's budget planning cycle, including where the money comes from and what it gets spent on. There is also this FAQ. There's also a video. Finally, here's the proposed budget in PDF format.