Walnut Creek residents have a new way to tell county leaders where to spend money and where to cut.

Contra Costa County launched its Community Priorities Survey on July 10 asking residents across all 19 cities and unincorporated areas to rank which services and issues matter most. The 10-minute online questionnaire comes as the county faces potential reductions in state and federal funding that could force difficult choices about which programs to keep.

The county acknowledged in its announcement that not every idea can be a top priority given limited funds, and that federal and state cuts may prevent it from maintaining all services.

The survey arrives two months after the Board of Supervisors approved the county's $7.248 billion 2026-27 fiscal year budget on Tuesday, May 19. About 53 percent of that budget comes from state and federal sources, and the county has warned that H.R. 1 will reduce funding and tighten eligibility for safety-net programs including Medi-Cal and CalFresh. Health Services and Employment and Human Services are among the departments most affected.

The survey echoes a theme Board Chair Diane Burgis, the District 3 supervisor, struck at the May 19 budget adoption: "Community input during budget discussions will help guide the County's priorities and decisions in the coming year and beyond."

Walnut Creek residents can take the survey in English and Spanish at research-polls.com/rTUx.

The county has not announced a deadline for responses or said how results will be shared with the public.