Newport Beach residents have until Sunday, Sept. 20, to tell Orange County which local services deserve priority in the county's next five-year spending plan.

The County Budget & Finance Office opened public comment on the 2026 Strategic Financial Plan (SFP), a document that evaluates competing needs, forecasts future costs and recommends how the county will fund services over five years. The office said in a statement published by Voice of OC that community input helps the county identify which services residents value most and shape future investments.

Residents can submit feedback on the county's public feedback page at cfo.oc.gov/public-feedback.

Several county departments operate directly in Newport Beach. OC Parks manages local open space, the OC Sheriff's Department Harbor Patrol patrols the harbor, and John Wayne Airport sits at the city's edge. How the county prioritizes funding for those services depends in part on the SFP.

The comment period comes as the county's recommended budget for fiscal year 2026-27 totals $10.5 billion. Of that, $5.2 billion sits in the General Fund, with $1.3 billion in General Purpose Revenue. Major initiatives in the recommended budget include OC Cares: Master Plan for Aging, OC Housing, and OC Cares: Justice, Prevention & Intervention.

The SFP is separate from the annual budget but feeds into it. The five-year plan sets the framework the county uses each year when it decides where dollars go. Residents who want to review previous SFP documents can find them on the county budget office website at cfo.oc.gov/budget/strategic-financial-plan. The current annual budget is posted at cfo.oc.gov/budget.

To help residents understand the process, the Budget & Finance Office produced a two-part educational video series. The videos are available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese on the county's YouTube channel and its Instagram account (@ocgov).

The county is also planning public workshops. Details on dates and locations are listed at cfo.oc.gov/public-workshop.