Curious about how the County of Orange manages its $10.8 billion budget? Where does the money come from, and how is it spent?
The Register will answer any questions you may have about the budget process during our third-ever AMA — shorthand for “Ask Me Anything” — on the social platform Reddit on Monday, Dec. 1, from 5-6 p.m.
The Register will be joined by county CEO Michelle Aguirre, CFO Kim Engelby and budget director Oana Cosma. We’re prepared to help you demystify the complicated, year-round budget development process, breaking down the difference between discretionary and non-discretionary spending, the way in which important programs and services are funded, what goes into the annual Strategic Financial Plan and more.
The forum will provide readers with some foundational knowledge about how their county’s budget works — just in time for a series of community workshops the county’s budget office is hosting from Dec. 2 to Dec. 11. These sessions will seek public input on Orange County’s financial priorities and future budget planning.
Reddit AMAs are online Q&A sessions where experts can answer questions from the community in real time.
You can find the AMA here, or by visiting r/orangecounty, the platform’s primary subreddit for residents of Orange County. There, you’ll be able to ask your questions, and later find county officials’ answers once we’re live Monday evening.
To participate, make sure you’re signed into Reddit. Visit www.reddit.com to create an account for free. You can send us questions beforehand, and we’ll answer them once we’re officially live.