Riverside County Approves $10.3B Budget, Hiring Freeze

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved a $10.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2026-2027 on June 9, with health services receiving $3.1 billion, public safety $2.4 billion, human services $2 billion, and public works $1.1 billion.

County Executive Officer Jeff Van Wagenen said rising operating costs outpace discretionary revenue growth, forcing the county to draw down reserves and implement a hiring freeze for discretionary-funded departments.

The board allocated $27.4 million in additional funding during the meeting. The Housing Workforce Solutions department received $5 million for affordable housing, while the Sheriff's Department got $7.4 million for security software and $1.1 million for coroner autopsy services. The Fire Department received $895,000 for emergency dispatch to manage increased call volumes.

Other approvals included $1.5 million to nonprofit Lift to Rise, $1.4 million to the Office on Aging for senior meal services, $900,000 to the Planning Department for ordinance updates, and $670,000 to the District Attorney's Office for cyber-crime investigations. Animal Services received $250,000 for an advertising campaign. The board added $2.5 million for unincorporated community projects, bringing that allocation to $15 million.

The county will file quarterly budget reports with supervisors. The board will formally adopt the budget on June 23.