participatory budgeting: connecting the public with public spending

Josh LernerParticipatory Budgeting

Josh LernerThe Participatory Budgeting Project

Participatory Budgeting

Connecting the Public with Public Spending


Agenda

1) What is participatory budgeting (PB)?

2) Where has it worked?

3) Why participatory budgeting?


What is participatory budgeting?

A democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget


What is participatory budgeting?

• An annual cycle

• Usually for discretionary funds of city budget

• A best practice of democratic governance, for the United Nations

• Required by law in the UK, Dominican Republic, and elsewhere


How does participatory budgeting work?

1) Identify Needs

2) Select Delegates

3) Develop Proposals

4) Vote on Proposals

5) Implement Projects

Identify Needs

Select Delegates

Develop Proposals

Vote on Proposals

Implement Projects


Where has participatory budgeting worked?

• Porto Alegre, Brazil, starting in 1989

• More than 1,200 cities

• Some counties, states, schools and public housing

• Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, North America


Participatory Budgeting in North America

Experiences so far:2001: City of Guelph (Canada)

2001: Toronto Community Housing

2006: Plateau Borough, Montreal

2009: 49th Ward, Chicago


Why Participatory Budgeting?

1) Accountability & Transparency

2) Efficiency

3) Democracy

4) Equity

5) Community

6) Education

Accountability & Transparency

Efficiency

Democracy

Equity

Community

Education

Participatory Budgeting Josh Lerner

Building a Participatory Democracy

Wanessa De Silva (15 years old), participant of the Youth Participatory Budget in the city of Barra Mansa, Brazil:

“I started participating in the participatory budget for children and young people as a game. I liked it so much that I plan to play this game my whole life. I will never forget this project.”


More Information

Josh Lerner

The Participatory Budgeting Project

http://www.ParticipatoryBudgeting.org

[email protected]

participatory budgeting: connecting the public with public spending

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