Residents Prioritize Roads Over Policing

Riverside County supervisors launched a budget priority survey on March 15, 2026, targeting input from residents on how to allocate the fiscal year 2027 budget. The online survey, hosted on the county's official website, drew 26,543 responses by the April 30 deadline—representing about 1.3% of the county's 2.1 million residents, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Participants ranked 10 budget categories from highest to lowest priority, with public works (roads, infrastructure) and community services (parks, libraries) edging out public safety (sheriff, fire services). Public works topped the list at 28.4% first-choice ranking, followed by community services at 24.1%. Public safety came in third at 22.7%, a margin of less than 6 percentage points separating the top three. Riverside County Board Chair Karen Spiegel highlighted the close results in a May 10 press release, noting they reflect "diverse community needs amid rising costs." UC Riverside researchers analyzed the data as part of a partnership with the county. Sonja Diaz, director of UCR's Inland Empire Community Research Institute, said road maintenance, street lighting, and flood control dominated open-ended comments, with 41% of respondents citing potholes or poor pavement as top issues. "These concerns aren't abstract—they tie directly to daily commutes and property values in flood-prone areas like Beaumont and Lake Elsinore," Diaz told the High School Journal Chronicle. Riverside County's $8.7 billion budget for FY 2026 already dedicates 32% to public safety, per the county auditor's office—higher than the 25% for public works. The survey signals potential shifts: supervisors must finalize the FY 2027 proposal by June 17, with public hearings starting July 15. Last year, similar input led to a 12% boost in road repair funding, reallocating $45 million from administrative overhead. Why roads over policing? Survey demographics show younger respondents (18-34) prioritized infrastructure 15 points higher than seniors, per UCR's breakdown. Flooding from 2025's atmospheric rivers damaged 240 miles of county roads, costing $112 million in emergency repairs, California Office of Emergency Services data shows. Meanwhile, sheriff staffing remains 8% below 2023 levels despite crime rates holding steady at 2,100 incidents per 100,000 residents. This isn't isolated—neighboring San Bernardino County ran a similar poll in 2025, yielding identical top priorities. Riverside supervisors will vote on budget tweaks at their August 11 meeting, incorporating survey data alongside Proposition 13 tax caps and state mandates. Full results and methodology are posted on the county site.