participatory budgeting: principles, history, and cases (porto alegre, chicago) dr. michael menser,...
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Participatory Budgeting: principles, history, and cases (Porto Alegre, Chicago)
Dr. Michael Menser, Philosophy;
Brooklyn College/CUNY;
US/NYC Solidarity Economy Network
Provost’s Task Force on City-based Sustainability Education/BC
BC Sustainability Council
Board Member, Institute for Sustainable Cities/CUNY
Participatory Democracy (PD) Participatory democracy (PD) is that view of
politics which calls for the creation and proliferation of practices and institutions that enable individuals and groups to better determine the conditions in which they act and relate to others.
Individual are agents (not just persons with interests looking to be represented)
Not limited to formal politics, but includes the economic and social/cultural dimensions.
Examples of PD Historical Examples: Medieval Cities, Iroquois
Confederacy (League of 6 nations), New England Town Hall Meetings, SNCC, SDS, Global Justice Movement
Referenda (direct democracy) Criminal Trial Juries (chosen by lottery, consensus) Worker and consumer cooperatives’s Land trusts, credit unions Collective households, intentional communities Indymedia, Linux, Creative Commons
Participatory Budgeting Basics Participatory budgeting (PB): process in which
community members decide how to spend part of a public budget.
Types of budgets: municipal, capital, programs, also budgets of schools, housing projects and non-profit organizations
“Right to City” approach: need based, social inclusion
There are over 1,200 participatory budgets around the world (Worldwatch Institute).
.
PB is a Multi-stage Process: diagnosis, discussion, decision-making, implementation, and monitoring.
Residents assemble in neighborhood meetings to identify and prioritize local needs, and elect delegates for each community to the city-wide PB council.
Delegates discuss the local priorities and develop concrete projects that address them, together with technical experts (engineers, etc).
Delegates vote on which ones to fund. The government implements the chosen projects,
and residents and delegates monitor implementation (park, school, garden, bus line, cleanup of site).
Participatory Budgeting and Municipal Governance
Lobbyists
Political Parties
City Council
Neighborhood AssemblyDistrict 1
e.g. schools
Neighborhood AssemblyDistrict 2
e.g. gardens
Neighborhood AssemblyDistrict 3
e.g. green jobs
Participatory Budgeting Councildelegates are chosen by districts
priorities are ranked by each district
MAYOR'S OFFICEdepartments
experts
PB1
Michael Menser:
From Menegat 2002
Michael Menser:
From Menegat 2002
Quantifiable Benefits of PB more equitable public spending, decreases
inequality higher quality of life, increased satisfaction of
basic needs greater government transparency and
accountability, decreases corruption increased levels of public participation
(especially by marginalized residents) democratic and citizenship learning
Development of citizen capacities for self-governance
Educates citizens in how the budget process works
Public speaking skills Distributes leadership, proliferates
leaders Participants determine decision making
process and rules
Inspired the unorganized to organize.
Citizens have decisive, not just consultative power
Number of delegates tied to number that shows up at neighborhood assemblies
Privileges underserved and disempowered
Cultivated capacities for autonomy and self-development utilized in non PB activities.
Housing cooperatives Solidarity economy Women’s movements Environmental movements
PB, PD and Sustainability Thematic assemblies Environmental Atlas
of Porto Alegre Compiles ecological
knowledge that is useful for residents, businesses, Ngo’s at local and citywide levels (e.g. species locations, waterflow)
Written for high schoolers
Michael Menser:
Menegat 2002
Michael Menser:
Menegat 2002
Keys to PB’s Launch and Success in POA
Mayor’s office made it happen Worker’s Party (PT) supported it, had
link to community groups Fiscal crisis opened up opportunity Political parties stay out Participants view it as worth
participating: decisive power, clear benefits
Since when and now where?
PB began at the end of the 80’s, in Brazil, when democracy was reinstalled in the country.
Phases:I: Experimentation. 1989 - 1996 II: Expansion in Brazil. 1997 - 2000III: Diversification in Latin America. 2001-2005
IV: International Awareness. 2003 – 2005 Most experiences are still in Brazil, but many other Latin
American cities have adopted PB in the last 5 years. Currently, cities from Europe, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe
are exercising PB.
INITIAL PHASESExperimentation
1989
Porto Alegre, Brazil
Santo André, Brazil
1990
Montevideo, Uruguay
1993
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Expansion in Brazil
1997Recife, BrazilAlvorada, BrazilCaxias do Sud, Bra.Belem, BrazilIcapui, BrazilMundo Novo, Brazil
1998Juiz de Fora,Brazil
2001Camphinas, Brazil
Diversification in Latin America
2000V. El Salvador, PeruIlo, Peru
2001D.Cuahutemoc, Mex.Cuenca, Ecuador
2002Cotacachi, EcuadorRosario, Argentina, Puerto Asis, ColombiaBuenos Aires, Arg.
PB in US: Chicago Alderman Joe Moore, Chicago, 49th
Ward Turning over his discretionary funds
(“menu money”), 1 million for fiscal year 2009/10--to a PB process (in NYC each City Council member received $350,000 plus)
Chi-town PB
Last spring, Alderman Moore brought together leaders of over 50 civic, religious and community organizations, asked each to appoint one or two representatives from their organizations to serve on a steering committee to design a participatory budgeting process for the 49th Ward. (committee was chaired by Jamiko Rose , Executive Director of the Organization of the Northeast)
Steering Committee developed three-step process and timetable that will culminate in a ward-wide meeting next spring when the entire community will deliberate and vote on the 49th Ward infrastructure spending priorities for 2010.
Step 1--Neighborhood Assembly Meetings (Nov and Dec 2009)
The ward will be organized into eight sections or areas, with a "neighborhood assembly" held in each area. (Also, a Spanish language assembly).
Neighborhood assemblies will be open to any 49th Ward resident.
Residents will receive info and brainstorm. At the conclusion, "community representatives" will
be elected; they will be charged with developing proposals for infrastructure menu allocation.
Step 2--Community Representative Meetings (December-February 2010)
The community representatives will meet to develop proposals for use of the infrastructure menu money to be presented at a ward-wide assembly in the spring. The representatives, at their discretion, may call additional neighborhood assembly meetings to solicit additional suggestions and bounce off ideas.
Step 3,Ward-Wide Assembly Meeting
Final step of the process, community residents will gather at a ward-wide assembly to deliberate and vote on the 2010 infrastructure spending priorities for the 49th Ward.
Resources www.participatorybudgeting.org (some slides and quotes were taken
from materials available there)