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Participatory Budgeting in Lancaster City

“Our Money. Our Neighborhood. Our Decision.” What is participatory budgeting (PB)? Participatory budgeting is a democratic process in which community members decide how to spend part of the city budget.1 It gives ordinary people real decision-making power over real money. PB fosters collaboration among community members and municipal government by blending direct democracy with representative democracy. Residents come together in neighborhood assemblies to discuss ways to improve their quality of life, then they elect delegates who specify and cost out specific proposals. Residents then vote on the proposals. The proposals that get the most votes are the ones that get funded. Where does participatory budgeting take place? Participatory budgeting exists in over 4,000 cities around the world, including New York City, Chicago, Boston, Toronto, Paris, and Lisbon. Smaller cities like Greensboro, NC and Charlottesville, VA are also working to include participatory budgeting into their annual processes. Why do participatory budgeting?2 There are a lot of reasons to change the way we spend money in Lancaster. Here are a few:

• Deeper Democracy: Ordinary people have a real say—and they get to make real political decisions. As a result, PB tends to engage many people who are otherwise cynical about government. Politicians build closer relationships with their constituents, and community members develop greater trust in government.

• Transparency & Accountability: Budgets are policy without the rhetoric—what a government actually does. When community members decide spending through a public process, there are fewer opportunities for corruption, waste, or backlash.

• Public Education: Participants become more active and informed citizens. Community members, staff, and officials learn democracy by doing it. They gain a deeper understanding of complex political issues and community needs.

1 For more information, see: https://www.participatorybudgeting.org/what-is-pb/. 2 Ibid.

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• More informed decisions: Budget decisions are better when they draw on residents’ local knowledge and oversight. Once they are invested in the process, people make sure that money is spent wisely.

• Fairer Spending: Everyone gets equal access to decision making, which levels the playing field. When people spend months discussing project ideas, they end up prioritizing projects that address the greatest community needs.

• Community Building: Through regular meetings and assemblies, people get to know their neighbors and feel more connected to their city. Local organizations spend less time lobbying and more time deciding policies. Budget assemblies connect community groups and help them recruit members.

How exactly does participatory budgeting work? Participatory Budgeting involves an annual cycle of meeting and voting, integrated into the broader budget decision-making process. PB generally follows these steps:

Source: https://www.participatorybudgeting.org/how-pb-works/

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Additional Resources

• Participatory Budgeting Project – (https://www.participatorybudgeting.org/)

• NYC City Council Public Budgeting Process – (http://council.nyc.gov/pb/)

• Greensboro, NC Participatory Budgeting Handbook – (http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=29499)

My proposal: As mayor, I pledge to commit at least $50,000 from the city’s 2019 annual budget to our neighborhoods for citizens themselves to decide what is needed. The participatory budgeting process, which often takes 6-9 months, will begin within the first 3 months of my administration. This will allow the process to be effectively executed in time for inclusion in the 2019 budget. This is the opportunity for Lancaster City to allow its citizens to have a direct say in how a portion of their city’s finances are spent. Together, we will create 10-12 proposals to spend the allotted $50,000, publicly present our proposals, vote on which 4-5 proposals we each feel are most important, and actually implement the decisions of voters. Each resident of Lancaster City deserves the right to participate in the governance of their city. Participatory Budgeting is a process that will allow us to come together, by creating democratic decision-making on projects with real dollars. The process is intentionally inclusive, creating the opportunities for every Lancaster City resident to be directly engaged with their government AND each other, especially those that are traditionally cynical about, or marginalized from, government processes. Our success and future as a city is dependent on our ability to work together, break down barriers of exclusion, and be an engaged and diverse city that can make decisions collaboratively that will improve the city for all residents.