Orange County Spends Over $1M on Elected Officials’ Health Benefits in 2024

In 2024, Orange County taxpayers allocated over $1 million for health, vision, and dental insurance benefits for local elected officials, including city council members and county supervisors. These benefits are often provided as cash stipends to officials who have existing insurance coverage through other sources. The distribution of benefits varies significantly between cities and among officials serving concurrently on the same councils. Cities such as San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Hills expended over $100,000 on healthcare benefits for their elected officials, while others like Yorba Linda and San Clemente did not allocate any funds for these benefits. This has resulted in part-time city council members receiving health insurance stipends valued at tens of thousands of dollars annually, highlighting disparities in compensation across Orange County. These local healthcare subsidies coincide with a broader context in federal policy, where significant healthcare subsidies are set to expire, potentially affecting millions of Americans. The spending on elected officials' healthcare in Orange County raises questions about the appropriateness of such benefits for part-time public servants. The investigation, conducted by Chapman University students in collaboration with Voice of OC, reviewed healthcare spending for more than sixty elected officials across 19 cities and county supervisors. The findings reveal transparency issues, with some cities like Anaheim and Huntington Beach withholding names of benefit recipients, in contrast to cities like Costa Mesa, which disclose detailed compensation publicly. Anaheim faces a $64 million budget deficit and generally does not provide health insurance to part-time employees; however, some council members still receive substantial healthcare stipends. The city defends these benefits as recognition of the council's role and a means to encourage civic participation, though this rationale is debated. Costa Mesa leads in total healthcare spending on elected officials, totaling approximately $227,000 in 2023. The city provides flexible cash stipends for benefits, some of which are allocated toward deferred compensation. Discrepancies exist between city and state reporting of compensation figures. Other cities such as Huntington Beach and Garden Grove also allocate significant funds to health benefits for elected officials, including positions like city attorney, treasurer, and clerk. Several smaller cities have ceased or never provided healthcare benefits to council members. In Yorba Linda, a public decision over a decade ago ended healthcare benefits for council members, redirecting those funds into general municipal services. This reflects a community perspective on part-time elected officials' compensation aligned with service rather than employment. Overall, the investigation highlights substantial variation in healthcare benefit policies and spending across Orange County's municipalities. It also surfaces ongoing debates about transparency, fairness, and fiscal priorities in local government compensation for elected officials.