County Seeks Residents' Input on Spending Priorities

RIVERSIDE (CNS) - An online survey to gauge Riverside County
residents' preferences for how county government should prioritize spending in
the next fiscal year opened today, providing a roughly eight-week window for
respondents to submit their opinions.
  

``I am glad to see us continue our outreach to community members to
participate during the budget process,'' outgoing Board of Supervisors Chairman
Manuel Perez said. ``We want to hear what is most important to you, in your
county government.''
  

The 2026-27 Community Budget Priorities Survey is available in English
and Spanish, accessible via https://rivco.org/budget.
  

The survey will close on Feb. 28 and will be incorporated into the
budget drafting process in May.
  

More than 24,000 residents submitted opinions on where the county
should allocate funding for 2025-26, completing online questionnaires that were
provided in the winter of 2025.
  

Respondents can provide specific or generic thoughts. In previous
years, public safety, strategies to solve homelessness and affordable
healthcare ranked among the highest concerns for residents.
  

Five budget workshops are planned countywide in April to further
stimulate public activism and ensure people's voices are heard before the
budget hearings begin on June 8. Scheduling and locations will be verified in
the coming weeks.
  

``The budget affects our daily lives, and hearing from the people who
live here helps guide those decisions,'' Supervisor Karen Spiegel, who is next
in line for the board chair, said. ``I encourage residents to take a few
minutes to share their input.:
  

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