OC Annual Citizens' Report Shows We're in a Better Financial Place Than Our Neighbors


Orange Countians out earn and enjoy lower unemployment and higher home values on average than people in other Southern California counties, according to the County of Orange Auditor-Controller's Annual Citizens' Report released today. Only San Diego County employs fewer county government employees per 1,000 citizens, finds the same OC report that also reveals public protection, public ways and facilities and health and sanitation are the top categories based on county spending.
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This is the 10th year the county has released such a report, which serves as a summary for financial analysts and bond-rating agencies and has for the past nine years earned county leaders the Award for
Outstanding Achievement in Popular Reporting from the Government Finance Officers
Association.

The latest report, which covers the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012, shows a pretty hefty lead in median incomes compared to other counties, even similarly governed San Diego County:



Unemployment rates are also significantly better here:



Ditto media home prices, which easily surpass LA and San Diego counties:



[Meanwhile, the number of county employees per 1,000 citizens is relatively low, and San Diego County is only .6 percent lower in that regard:



The county report breaks down budgetary revenues, expenses, net and capital assets, employee pension costs and how property tax revenues are spent. You can see those charts or other ones or drill down into the entire report at http://ac.ocgov.com/info/financial.

But one area we found of interest is–well, just read the title:



The report ends with “Accomplishments,” which are subtitled, “What We've Done for You Lately.” Among the 25 listed items are: completing the Health Care Agency's new Mental Health Campus in Orange; opening a new terminal and parking structure at John Wayne Airport; and doubling the number of digital materials offered at public library branches.

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