This week, Monterey County supervisors unanimously passed a $2.35 billion all-funds budget for 2026–27.

The headline sounds big. What got less coverage: they closed the gap by drawing $65.5 million from reserves — not by fixing the underlying structural deficit.

What that actually means for 831 residents:

• County services won't be cut this cycle — but they're not growing either

• Infrastructure projects got deferred again

• If federal cuts hit (already being anticipated), the county's cushion is thinner than the vote suggests

The detail most local media skipped:

A unanimous 5-0 vote on a deficit budget usually means one of two things: strong leadership, or everyone agreeing to delay the hard conversation. Given what's in the numbers, this looks like the latter.

This is the kind of local accountability reporting that Royal Eagle News covers every week for Monterey County — independent, no corporate ownership, no access journalism.

If you live in the 831 and want to know what's actually happening in your backyard, check us out: whop.com/royal-eagle-news-831

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