It’s Time for Irvine to Open Its Books to the Public

OPINION | GUEST COMMENTARY

By Maksim Egorov

Recent discoveries about contracts approved by former Irvine City Manager Oliver Chi raise serious questions about how our city spends taxpayer money.

At the October 27 City Council meeting, Councilmember Kathleen Treseder questioned whether contracts related to the Swyft Cities project were split into smaller agreements to avoid City Council approval.

Treseder stated:

“It does seem to me like Mr. Chi split the contracts so that they would fall under his signing authority so that he wouldn’t need to tell the Council about it.”

Whether this was intentional needs further investigation. But it raises a bigger question: If even City Council members have difficulty getting information about city contracts, how can ordinary residents know where their money is going?

I believe Irvine needs to open its financial books to the public.

Why Should Residents Have to Request Public Information?

Today, if residents want to know how much the city paid a consultant, what contracts were signed, or how much a project actually costs, they often have to submit a public records request and wait for a response.

Why should this information be so difficult to find?

Irvine already has a Transparency Portal, which provides access to financial information and public records. That’s a good starting point, but I believe we can go much further.

Other cities already have more comprehensive systems.

New York City has Checkbook NYC, where anyone can search government spending, contracts, and payments.

Austin, Texas, has Austin Finance Online, which allows residents to look up city expenditures.

If New York and Austin can do it, why can’t Irvine?

I propose that Irvine expand its existing Transparency Portal into a more comprehensive, searchable financial system where residents can easily see:

Every city expenditure, including who was paid, how much, and for what.
City contracts, amendments, and purchase orders.
Total payments to each vendor or consultant.
Who approved the spending and when.
Other commonly requested public records that can legally be disclosed.

This information should be updated automatically as transactions are recorded, ideally within one business day, with appropriate protections for confidential information.

Residents should not need to submit public records requests just to understand how their tax dollars are being spent.

Maksim Egorov, Irvine mayoral candidate and guest commentary author — Maksim Egorov. Photo: Max for Irvine.

We Also Need an Independent City Auditor

Irvine is facing serious financial challenges, with a projected annual budget deficit that could exceed $47 million by the end of the decade.

We need stronger financial oversight, not just more discussions about the budget.

I believe Irvine should have a permanent, independent City Auditor who reports directly to the City Council, reviews contracts and expenditures, and makes findings available to the public.

Annual financial audits are important, but they are not enough. We need someone who can examine spending decisions, check whether city policies are being followed, and identify potential waste before it becomes a bigger problem.

Maksim Egorov with his family, photograph from his campaign website — Maksim Egorov with his family. Photo: Max for Irvine.

City Hall Belongs to the Residents

I’m not suggesting that publishing expenditures online will solve all of Irvine’s financial problems. But it would be an important step toward greater accountability.

The recent contracting concerns show why we need better systems, regardless of who serves as city manager or sits on the City Council.

Irvine is known as an innovative city. We should be able to provide residents with the same basic financial transparency that other cities already offer.

It’s public money. It should be public information.

City Hall belongs to the residents of Irvine, and we should not have to ask permission to see how our money is being spent.

I hope all members of the City Council, whether newly elected or reelected, will take these concerns seriously and finally put in place the safeguards and transparency measures Irvine has needed for a long time.

Editor’s note: Maksim Egorov, a candidate for mayor of Irvine in the November 3, 2026 election, submitted this guest commentary to Irvine News. The views expressed are the author’s and do not represent an endorsement by Irvine News or California58. Egorov supplied a revised version acknowledging Irvine’s existing Transparency Portal. The councilmember’s remarks are attributed to her October 27 statement, not presented as a finding that former City Manager Oliver Chi intentionally divided contracts. The city’s May 5, 2026 fiscal presentation includes a scenario projecting a $47 million General Fund gap in FY 2029–30 without the proposed budget-balancing measures; another scenario incorporating recommendations projects a $39 million gap, and a structurally balanced scenario is also shown. These are forecasts, not an existing $47 million deficit. Irvine also offers financial transparency resources and contract information. Readers can consult Irvine Watchdog’s account of the October 27 discussion and the City Council meeting archive. The newsroom welcomes documented corrections and responses from officials and other people mentioned.

About the author: Maksim Egorov is an Irvine resident, software engineer and business owner who ran for Irvine mayor in 2026. Contact: maxforirvine@gmail.com. Website: maxforirvine.com.

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