The county's budget year starts in July. Work on it starts nine months earlier, with the finance department's estimate of how much money will come in.

Ward meetings come next. Residents say what they want built or fixed, and ward councillors turn that into a list of requests.

Departments then present their plans to the finance committee, which weighs them against the money expected and the wards' lists.

The full council debates the committee's draft and votes on it. Once it passes, the county executive spends it, and the auditor checks the accounts the following year.

Residents can speak at the ward meetings and attend the finance committee's hearings. Both are open to the public.