Orange County supervisors hear $10.5 billion budget presentation as public urges restored district funds

County of Orange officials presented the recommended fiscal year 2026‑27 budget and fielded hours of public comment at the Board of Supervisors’ June 9 meeting. The County Executive Office released a $10,500,000,000 recommended budget that officials said is balanced only by relying on $75,000,000 in one‑time sources and department reductions.

County Executive Officer Michelle Liguery told the board the budget reflects years of strategic financial planning and noted statewide funding constraints: “We have exhausted all resources available to us, but we are resilient,” she said. Kim Engleby, the county’s chief financial officer, reviewed program‑level appropriations, reserves and the composition of funding, noting that about $1.3 billion is general purpose revenue and that the county used one‑time reserves to balance next year’s plan.

Budget and Finance Director Juana Cosma provided program‑level details and said departments were asked to rebaseline and identify 5% reductions in net county cost where needed. She described the county’s funding mix, forecasting methodology and the fiscal pressures from federal and state changes to social‑safety‑net programs.

After staff presentations the board opened a scheduled public hearing and heard more than 130 speakers. A substantial share of public comment focused on a separate question — how to allocate approximately $3.7 million recovered from misconduct by a former supervisor. Speakers representing cities, nonprofit organizations and residents urged the board to restore those recovered funds to the 1st Supervisorial District as restitution for communities they say were deprived during the prior incumbent’s misconduct.

Board members spent much of the subsequent discussion weighing staff recommendations, community appeals and program priorities. Supervisors asked for additional detail on department equipment purchases, grant renewal prospects and the potential fiscal impacts of proposed program changes. The board did not adopt a final budget at the meeting; instead it directed staff to incorporate the day’s public input and return with a final proposal at the next meeting.

Next steps: staff will prepare a final budget package for the board’s consideration at the next regular meeting in two weeks, and will include responses to the community’s requests and the board’s budget directives.