1. Participatory Budgeting Real Money, Real Power Josh Lerner, Executive Director, Participatory Budgeting Project (PBP)

2. About PBP Founded in 2009, incorporated as nonprofit in 2011 Mission Program Areas To empower people to decide together how to spend public money. Public Education Technical Assistance Research & Evaluation History Where We Work Across the US and Canada, with staff in New York City, Oakland, and Chicago

3. Why participate in budgeting? Policy without the rhetoric Money talks, people pay attention Public budgets are taxpayer money

4. A ladder of Hearings and deputations Listening Informing Online games Consultation Focus groups and town halls Limited participation Citizen boards or councils Full participation Participatory budgeting budget participation

5. A democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget What is participatory budgeting?

6. Making real decisions about real money (NOT a consultation) An annual cycle (NOT a one-off event) Usually for part of a budget (NOT the whole budget) participatory budgeting? What is

7. How does it work? Residents brainstorm ideas Delegates develop proposals The top projects win funding Residents vote

8. Public assemblies Brainstorm ideas and select delegates

9. Delegate meetings Develop proposals

10. Vote on proposals

11. Implement projects

12. Where has Latin America Europe Asia Africa North America Porto Alegre, Brazil 1,500+ PB processes in the world! Cities, States, Counties, Public housing, Schools, Community organizations participatory budgeting worked?

13. Porto Alegre, Brazil Key victories: Doubled sanitation coverage Doubled the number of students in schools Expanded bus service to neglected areas 1.5 million residents (50,000 participants per year) Decide as much as $200 million in spending per year (20% of budget) 1989

14. 2001: Guelph, Ontario 2001: Toronto Community Housing 2006: Plateau Borough, Montreal 2009: Chicago 2012: Vallejo, CA 2011: New York City Participatory budgeting in North America 2013: San Francisco 2013: St. Louis 2013: Hamilton 2014: Boston

15. Second largest public housing provider in North America: 164,000 tenants As many as 6,000 tenants per year have allocated up to $9 million in capital funds per year Toronto Community Housing 2001

16. 60,000 residents, NE Chicago $1.3 million (Alderman Joe Moore’s discretionary budget) Funds for capital projects only First PB Cycle: April 2009 – April 2010 Completed four cycles, expanded to 4 wards Chicago’s 49 th Ward 2009

17. + CD8: Melissa Mark-Viverito (D) CD33: Stephen Levin (D) CD23: Mark Weprin (D) CD45: Jumaane D. Williams (D) CD44: David Greenfield (D) CD32: Eric Ulrich (R) CD31: Donovan Richards (D) CD38: Carlos Menchaca (D) New York City 2013-2014 $14 million reaching over 1.5 million residents CD39: Brad Lander (D)

18. Vallejo, CA 2012 117,000 residents First citywide process in U.S. $3.2 million (sales tax revenue) $200,000 allocated for implementation of process Funds for capital projects and programs & services 20-member Steering Committee

19. Vallejo, CA Winning projects: 1. Potholes and Street Repair 2. Street Lighting 3. Parks and Recreation Improvements 4. School Libraries & STEAM Program 5. Street Cleaning & City Cleanup 6. College Counselors and Scholarships 7. Community Gardens and Nutrition Education 8. Small Business Grants 9. Spay Neuter Project 10. Senior Centers Improvements 11. Omega Boys & Girls Club Gym Renovation 12. 150 Camera Pilot with Intelligent Archives

20. Broader Political Participation  Vallejo: 20% of PB voters were ineligible to vote in regular elections  NYC: Higher percentage of low- income residents voted in PB (40%), compared to full population (34%) & local elections (29%) PB Impacts Stronger Relationships between Government, Orgs, and Residents  Majority of PB participants say their view of city government improved after PB

21. PB Impacts New Community Leaders  Participants report increased skills in public speaking, negotiating, building agreement, and contacting officials – those with low incomes and less education learn the most More Equitable, Effective Spending  NYC: Funds more likely to go to projects in low-income areas in PB than through other discretionary funds  NYC: For every $5 million allocated through PB, an additional $1 million in matching funds has been raised

22. pbconference.org | #PBConf

23. Website: http://www.participatorybudgeting.org Twitter: @PBProject Facebook: facebook.com/ParticipatoryBudgetingProject Josh Lerner, Executive Director Email: josh@participatorybudgeting.org Twitter: @joshalerner For more info

24. Grassroots Leadership Inclusive Design Targeted Outreach Equity criteria Ensuring Equity through PB