This week, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors discussed next fiscal year’s recommended budget and sought ways to increase services for an ever-burgeoning population. The recommended budget includes more than $8.6 billion in funding for vital services, which is up more than 15 percent from last year’s $7.5 billion budget.
“We heard from several departments this year that requested more funding to better serve our residents,” said Board Chair Kevin Jeffries, First District Supervisor. “This current budget reflects investments in many of our most needed areas. In particular, it’s been a goal of mine to increase firefighter capacity, especially as we enter an anticipated high-risk wildfire season. In addition, we’re adding more after-hours teams for the enforcement of short-term rentals to ensure the property rights of everyone and expanding our integrated social services pilot program to 22 more locations to help residents in need.”
For the second straight year, the General Fund discretionary budget is structurally balanced. Also, for the first time in more than 15 years, the recommended budget expects to end the fiscal year with the General Fund reserves balance, i.e. the county’s savings account, higher than the beginning of the year and plans for continuing to grow reserves in the coming years.
“This budget creates the opportunity to enhance the efforts of our departments providing vital programs for our constituents countywide by increasing spending for health services, public safety, social services, public works, and community services,” said County Executive Officer Jeff Van Wagenen. “Budgeting is more than numbers. It is funding programs to shape a county where everyone thrives, opportunities abound, and the promise of a better tomorrow becomes a reality.”
Highlights
Some of the capital projects, programs and personnel expansion the Board of Supervisors approved for funding during the budget hearings, include:
• $3.4 million to Animal Services to reopen the San Jacinto Animal Shelter.
• $2.8 million to expand the Integrated Services one-stop, “no wrong door” pilot into 13 more Community Health Centers and nine more department locations
.• $2.1 million to add additional support staff to the District Attorney for clerical initiative.
• $2 million to the Fire Department to increase firefighter staffing in high-risk areas prone to large and damaging wildland fires.
• $1.49 million combined to Code Enforcement and Sheriff’s Department for short-term rental ordinance enforcement.
• $1 million to the Riverside University Health System to partially fund the Wellness Villages for improved access to care and services, medical treatment and wraparound services
.• $1.45 million for Sheriff’s patrol lieutenants
• $360,000 to the Department of Public Social Services for a new continuous quality improvement team.
Additionally, this budget also includes $10 million specifically for investment in the unincorporated areas of our county, which can be used for additional services or infrastructure.
The final budget is scheduled to be adopted June 27. Next fiscal year runs from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.To read the recommended budget, click here.
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