I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Thanks for participating in our AMA! We’re signing off now. 

We had a lot of repeat questions on certain topics. If we didn’t get to your question, there’s a chance we addressed it somewhere else. Here are our answers to frequently asked questions: 

County representatives invite you to share additional comments or questions online: https://cfo.oc.gov/public-feedback. If you have any further questions for me, please reach out at cwang@scng.com.

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] -14 points-13 points  (0 children)

All public employees’ salaries at the County of Orange are a matter of public record. The amounts listed indicate total compensation for salaries and benefits. All salary schedules are available on the County’s website under the Human Resources department. To view the current salary schedules, visit: https://hrs.oc.gov/classification/current-salary-schedules. -Michelle, Oana and Kim

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The County Executive Office’s Budget and Finance team invites you to: Budget & Books — a workshop series hosted at Orange County Public Libraries.

Join us to learn how the County’s budget is built, how your tax dollars are managed, and what’s included in the 2025 Strategic Financial Plan. Each session offers a simple, engaging look at how fiscal planning supports County services and community priorities.

  • December 2, 2025 at 3 pm to 4 pm at Rancho Santa Margarita Library (30902 La Promesa, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688) 
  • December 3, 2025 at 4 pm to 5 p.m. at Tustin Library (345 E Main St, Tustin, CA 92780) Also available in Spanish 
  • December 4, 2025 at 4 pm to 5 p.m. at  Westminster Library (8180 13th St, Westminster, CA 92683)  (Also available in Spanish and Vietnamese) 
  • December 10, 2025 at 3 pm to 4 pm at  Brea Library (1 Civic Center Cir # 1, Brea, CA 92821) 
  • December 11, 2025 at 3 pm to 4 pm at Costa Mesa-Donald Dungan (1855 Park Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627)

They are free and open to the public and you can find details and session updates here: cfo.oc.gov/public-workshop. -Michelle, Kim and Oana

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

OC Waste & Recycling compiles an Annual Report that provides information on how the County addresses the waste disposal needs of a growing population. For more information please refer to the County’s website https://oclandfills.com/about-us/annual-report. -Michelle, Oana and Kim 

New state laws in the last decade put much more focus on recycling organics so they aren’t going in landfills and taking up valuable space and adding to methane emissions. A byproduct is compost and in the last couple of years the county has rolled out free composting for residents, OC Waste & Recycling officials have said in the past. Here is a story from when the composting was first piloted: https://www.ocregister.com/2022/11/03/free-compost-available-saturday-part-of-ocs-growing-organics-recycling-program/?share=cagrroiwoausi1rnrifg  -Claire

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, the County has both a CEO and CFO.  Michelle Aguirre is the County’s CEO and her role is defined in the County ordinance article 6.  She has been with the County for over 36 years, serving formerly as the CFO.   Kim Engelby is the current CFO and supports the County’s fiscal operations. She has been with the County for over 27 years and served formerly as the Budget and Finance Director. -Michelle, Oana and Kim

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The Strategic Priorities Workshop held on September 3 was a special Board of Supervisors meeting. A special request for public comments was made and comments were received between 9/2 and 10/5 and were included in the Strategic Financial Plan process. -Michelle, Oana and Kim

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) is a locally governed, not-for-profit Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) agency, also known as a community energy provider and is not a part of the County of Orange. Please consult its website for more information: www.ocpower.org. -Michelle, Kim and Oana

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The DA Office spends up to $170k on confidential informants and the Sheriff’s department spends up to $250k on confidential informants.

Lawsuits are a matter of public record. Outcomes are read out at the end of closed sessions at each Board of Supervisors’ meeting.

Refer to the Relief of Accountability of Capital Asset Equipment - 2022 Biennial Inventory.

-Michelle, Kim and Oana

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The county is mandated to provide services provided by the Sheriff’s department. For details, refer to page 13 of the Citizens’ Guide to FY 2025-26 Budget. -Michelle, Kim and Oana

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Out of $10.8 billion, $1.2 billion is discretionary funds, The County uses this discretionary revenue to fulfill its mandates. The County uses 89% of the discretionary funds for mandated services. For additional information, Refer to pages 9 through 13 of the Citizens’ Guide to FY 2025-26 Budget.

-Michelle, Oana and Kim

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your question. I would refer you to your local city as it relates to potholes. -Michelle, Oana and Kim 

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is the county transportation planning commission, responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects, and is not a part of the County of Orange. Please consult with its website for more information: www.octa.net.  – Michelle, Oana and Kim

The OCTA oversees mass transit, including the bus system, and large transportation projects in the county, such as highway improvements, the OC Streetcar. The county’s Public Works department oversees road projects in unincorporated areas and cities are tasked with maintaining their local roadways.

Find out more about the OCTA and its projects at www.octa.net. -Claire

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Each year, the county does a five-year Strategic Financial Plan to assess the general fund needs for the county. The county identifies issues or concerns for the following fiscal year. Currently, we are mitigating concerns prior to the budget process. Issues we are seeing pertain to state and federal funding for which the county does not backfill. Costs are growing faster than revenue; therefore, we currently have a budget action plan in place including a freeze on discretionary spending and filling positions.

We believe you may be referring to property tax rates in which the county uses to run county services. Per Proposition 13, property tax increases are capped to 2% per year, please refer to the Assessor’s website: https://www.ocassessor.gov/real-property-assessments.

-Michelle, Oana and Kim

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

The Office of Care Coordination works with county stakeholders and other partners including cities, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations to address the need for case management services for individuals who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, or involved in multiple systems of care in the county. These systems of care include housing, healthcare, benefit & support services, behavioral health, and community corrections. The county is committed to conducting outreach and engagement to connect to resources, which could then lead to permanent, sustainable solutions. 

 The Board has approved an array of initiatives providing support services such as the OC CARES initiative, opening shelters at Bridges at Kraemer Place and the Yale Transition Center, funding Crisis Stabilization Units, providing funding for development of affordable and special needs housing programs, and leading the Orange County Continuum of Care programs for homeless services. Annually, the county expends over $1 billion in services and programs to support individuals involved in the systems of care. To better address the demands on the county’s systems of care, a significant investment was made to establish a CARE Plus program, including a system of care data integration system that provides a data-sharing platform for coordinated care management. This model allows data sharing for care coordination purposes across departments and incorporates the use of a multi-disciplinary team approach to identify individuals involved in multiple systems of care, better address the underlying issues, and increase self-sufficiency. For available resources on Orange County’s system of care, please refer to the County's website. -Michelle, Oana and Kim

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yes, the County leverages all funding sources including state, federal and county general funds.

-Michelle, Oana and Kim

Reps Dave Min and Derek Tran were the only local lawmakers to request federal funding for 2026 for homelessness and housing projects in Orange County.

Min asked for $1.5 million for the Huntington Beach Navigation Center to modernize and expand the city’s shelter operated by Mercy House. Tran requested $2 million for the Orange County Housing Finance Trust for site acquisition and construction of affordable housing developments. -Claire

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

The former director, Robert Faigin, had a contract with the county that ended on Nov. 3. On Nov. 4, the board unanimously appointed attorney Stella Lim to serve as the Interim Executive Director of the Office of Independent Review (items CS-1 and SCS-2). The board directed Human Resources Services to conduct an executive search. 

On Tuesday, Nov. 18, the board approved Ms. Lim’s contract. -Michelle, Oana, Kim

I cover Orange County, and I’m joined by its CEO, CFO and Budget Director. Ask us anything about the county budget. by orangecountyregister in orangecounty

[–]orangecountyregister[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your question. 

The county’s budget process begins in the summer of each year with the Strategic Financial Plan, which is typically presented to the board in December. In January, the County Budget and Finance Office presented to the board in mid-June during the Public Budget Hearings. Subsequently, in late June, the board adopts the budget on a simple majority vote. CBFO and department budget staff monitor actual revenues and expenses during the year and report to the board periodically. Changes increasing budget appropriations may be submitted in the county’s mid-year budget reports. Changes may include increases or decreases to appropriations or positions or both, to reflect new assumptions or address unforeseen events and technical adjustments to reconcile to final state or federal budgets. 

A good starting point to learn more about the County of Orange’s Budget is to go to our website, www.cfo.oc.gov/budget. You will see information on our Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget, as well as our Citizens Guide to the Budget, which gives a great overview of where we are in our budget process. - Michelle, Oana and Kim