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Finance and Management Services <br />www.santa-ana.org/finance <br />Item # 7 <br />City of Santa Ana <br />20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br /> Staff Report <br />December 2, 2025 <br />TOPIC: Budget Calendar and Community Engagement Plan for Fiscal Year 2026-27 <br />AGENDA TITLE <br />Budget Calendar and Community Engagement Plan for Fiscal Year 2026-27 <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />Approve the Budget Calendar and Community Engagement Plan for Fiscal Year 2026-27 <br />(FY26-27). <br />GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No <br />DISCUSSION <br />The FY26-27 Budget Calendar and Community Engagement Plan outline the City's <br />strategy for promoting a successful, inclusive, and transparent budget process. The goals <br />of community engagement in the annual budget development process are to: <br />1. Ensure the process is clear and open to the public <br />2. Gather feedback to align the budget with community needs and priorities <br />3. Foster trust among the community, City Council, and City staff <br />City staff will employ multiple engagement techniques, including attending citywide <br />events, hosting Community Budget Meetings in each City Council ward, facilitating <br />Listening Tour visits, and conducting a budget priorities survey. During the spring months, <br />City leadership holds internal budget meetings with each City department, providing <br />departments the opportunity to propose workforce changes and funding requests. <br />Early Direction, tentatively scheduled for March 17, 2026, serves two purposes: first, to <br />provide information about the current fiscal year that may impact the FY26-27 budget and <br />future years; and second, to request direction from the City Council regarding budget <br />priorities. City Council is scheduled to consider the proposed budget in May and hold a <br />public hearing in June. <br />The City transitioned to a year-round survey process in the current fiscal year, now <br />accessible via the Budget Office website at https://www.santa-ana.org/budget. The <br />survey will remain open until the City Council formally adopts the budget in June. <br />Following budget adoption in 2026, City staff will review and revise the Budget Priorities <br />  <br />  <br />City Council 7 – 1 12/2/2025