Join Justice United to ensure that Orange County's budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year reflects our priorities to the fullest extent possible!

Key Talking Points

1) Don't cut Housing funds. The Manager's Recommended Budget keeps Housing funds close to the same as last year, but Commissioners can make amendments, and have asked the Manager to list scenarios for more cuts throughout the Recommended Budget that could lower the tax rate increase. We want to make sure that if there are any further cuts, none of them come from Housing. If anything, Housing funds should be increased given our housing crisis. If additional cuts are necessary, they should minimize harm to the most vulnerable in our community. Not all departments provide the same critical support services to the community. Safety net services, including housing support, should be prioritized.

2) Prioritize support for low-income residents to mitigate any tax increases, including home repairs and the proposed property tax assistance increase. A tax increase would have the most damaging effect on the people who have the least to give.

3) Share a story about how the housing crisis affects you or people you know.

4) Ensure that the property valuation consultant’s work leads to real change. If the County is spending $110,000 on a consultant to advise on making our property valuation more equitable and transparent, it's important to ensure real results. Community members directly affected by the property value injustices must be involved in a truly meaningful way.

5) The County needs to start valuing high-end and luxury properties fairly. Right now, undervaluing these properties is leaving money on the table. As an example, the Orange County Property Tax Justice Coalition found that if just 12 luxury properties in a sample had been assessed accurately based on qualified comparable sales, the increase in County tax revenue would be almost $1 million. Many of the pressures that lead to cuts and/or tax increases would be reduced if wealthier property owners simply paid their fair share. We should not continue welfare for the rich. 

More Housing context: During a March Housing Retreat with the Commissioners, a consultant from the Urban Institute called the County Strategic Plan's goals for funding more affordable housing (10 additional funded units/year) "unacceptable" and "depressing." The consultant emphasized that truly investing in affordable housing is crucial if housing is a genuine priority. He told the Commissioners, "The best way to get affordable housing for low-income people is to either provide money for those low-income people to afford the housing through vouchers, or to build the housing for those low-income people. If that's your primary goal, you have to invest in that subsidized housing." Ultimately, if the County is serious about addressing our Housing crisis, Commissioners need to champion a plan to increase Housing subsidies well above current goals.

More info:

• Orange County's budget page: https://www.orangecountync.gov/730/Annual-Operating-Budget
• Full 26-27 draft budget here
• Manager's presentation highlighting key elements here

Budget Public Hearing and Work Session Schedule

• Tues., May 12, 7 pm: BOCC Budget Public Hearing/Work Session (Whitted Building)
• Tues., May 19, 7 pm: BOCC Business Meeting (Southern Human Services Center)
• Thurs., May 28, 7 pm: BOCC Budget Public Hearing/Work Session (Southern Human Services Center)
• Tues., June 16, 7 pm: BOCC Business Meeting to Adopt the Budget (Southern Human Services Center)

*County staff have told Justice United organizers that the first public hearing is the most important, since by May 28, the Commissioners and staff will already be closing in on any final changes, ahead of the June 4 resolution of intent to adopt the budget.