Orange County’s three largest cities are grappling with budget deficits this fiscal year as some officials wrestled with spending cuts.
Anaheim’s structural deficit is expected to eat half of the roughly $120 million in new tax revenue coming into the general fund, stemming from freed up money after the city pays off the $510 million Disneyland Resort expansion bonds issued in 1997.
Santa Ana officials made a host of spending cuts – including an after school program and city commissions – to balance the municipal budget while they are considering asking voters to make the temporary sales tax increase permanent to float the budget.
Irvine is also grappling with a budget deficit, with city council members mulling over paid parking for out-of-towners at the Great Park.
It all comes as Voice of OC’s publisher and Editor-in-Chief Norberto Santana Jr. critically examines OC Supervisors’ discretionary funds – virtually unchecked spending that often has political ties.
The Orange County Grand Jury also issued a report, questioning just how effective county leaders are at holding elected officials accountable in the wake of corruption scandals.
At the same time, the OC Treasurer-Tax Collector publicly questioned why OC Supervisors are cutting the tax collector’s budget – an office responsible for collecting property taxes, which make up 90% of the county’s discretionary budget.
Placentia voters could be joining the surrounding cities that are expected to weigh in on tax hikes during the November election as city officials are putting a hotel tax increase measure on the ballot.
After years of failed hiring searches, OC Supervisors appointed the head of technology as the interim CEO to run daily operations at the county.
An OC Assemblyman backed down from kicking county supervisors off overseeing the county’s health plan for the poor after he amended his state bill at the 11th hour.
Meanwhile, some Santa Ana City Council members and one OC Supervisor are raising concerns about a planned halfway house in Santa Ana, which is already home to a host of social services.
A host of open government and press organizations are raising concerns about a state bill that could gut the California Public Records Act, a cornerstone law that allows people to get public documents and records from the government.
The state bill was reworked on Thursday, backing off on costly fees it could’ve imposed on people trying to get public records.
All seven Huntington Beach City Council seats could soon be on the ballot after an Orange County Superior Court Judge ordered Surf City to change its approach to elections – a decision stemming from a lawsuit alleging the current voting system disenfranchises minority voters.
Starting next month, all Orange County residents will have the ability to give public comments remotely through services like Zoom – stemming from a state law requiring all city councils and the OC Board of Supervisors to take virtual comments from people.
The controversial landfill expansion in South Orange County could be facing a lawsuit from conservation groups as they raise concerns the expansion could threaten the local mountain lion population.
Spencer Custodio is the civic editor. You can reach him at scustodio@voiceofoc.org. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio.
