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Require participatory budgeting for all city budgets

Why Is This Idea Important?: Participatory budgeting has spread so quickly around the world because it: 1) Gives community members a say Ordinary people have more voice – and they get to make real decisions. Partly because dollars are on the table, participatory budgeting typically attracts people who don't normally participate - especially people of color and low-income residents. 2) Makes for better and more equitable decisions Local residents know best what they need. Participatory budgeting has tended to prioritize spending in communities with the greatest needs. 3) Develops active and democratic citizens Community members, staff, and officials learn democracy by doing it. They gain more understanding of complex political issues and community needs. 4) Builds communities and strengthens community organizations People get to know their neighbors and feel more connected to their city. Local organizations get to spend less time lobbying, and more time deciding policies themselves. Budget assemblies connect groups and attract new members. 5) Connects politicians and constituents Politicians build closer relationships with their constituents. Community members get to know their elected officials and local governments. 6) Makes government more accountable and efficient When community members decide spending in public assemblies, there are fewer opportunities for corruption, waste, or costly public backlash. Most countries in Latin America and Europe have already started to use participatory budgeting - why not the U.S.?

Mandate that each city government in the U.S. set up a public participation process in which residents directly decide how to spend part of the municipal budget. This practice, known as participatory budgeting (see ParticipatoryBudgeting.org) is already being practiced in over 1200 cities around the world and it has been endorsed as a best practice of local governance by the United Nations and World Bank. Several countries, such as the UK and Dominican Republic, have already mandated that all local governments initiate participatory budgeting processes.

My organization (The Participatory Budgeting Project) is now working with Alderman Joe Moore in Chicago to pilot the first participatory budget using municipal budget funds in the U.S. - http://www.watsoninstitute.org/news_detail.cfm?id=1140

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Submitted by josh_lerner 2 years ago

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