History of Participatory Budgeting (PB)
- First started in Brazil
- Chicago first city in US to have it
- Collaborative effort of UIC Great Cities institute, our city our voice and over 30 other nonprofits and community organizations
How does it work?
- Aldermen traditionally get $1.3 million to use on infrastructure projects
- Aldermen take $1 million dollars of that money and put it towards a collaborative process where citizenry can vote on which projects should be funded
- Anyone can participate – high schools have voted on projects that can be funded through their wards
What happens to the participants?
- People sometimes are combative when first get involved because government has not been responsive
- Often regular folks will suggest the same type of projects that policy analysts and other experts have previously recommended
- People are much more likely to vote and get engaged in other aspects of civic process after PB
How does it stand now?
- 7 wards actively participate in the annual process
- Other words have participated in the past but are not participating now
- Some wards do their own version of this process but don’t call it PB