you decide how to spend millions of dollars from the city budget! scaling up participatory budgeting...
TRANSCRIPT
You decide how to spend millions of dollars from the city budget!
Scaling up Participatory Budgeting as a Tool for Direct Democracy in NYC
Agenda
Get to know our neighbors
Learn about the City budget process, participatory budgeting, and our city
Identify capital and expense project ideas for our city
Gain knowledge about ideas for how Participatory Budgeting could scale up in NYC under a new administration
Assembly Goals
1. Welcome and Icebreaker
2. Introduction to the City Budget & Participatory Budgeting (Including a video!)
3. Questions & Answers
4. Breakout groups to brainstorm project ideas
5. Report-backs
6. Participatory Budgeting Expansion: What It’ll Take & What It Can Be
Assembly Agenda
City Budget runs on a Fiscal Year from July 1st to June 30th
This year’s budget was$70 Billion in Expense
$10 Billion in Capital
Generally the Mayor issues a budget and the Council approves it
City Budget Basics
Mandatory Spending = > 80% money that has to be spent in a particular way
(e.g. committed contracts, entitlement programs, debt service, etc.)
Discretionary Spending = ~ 10%money that can be spent however decided
on a yearly basis based on need/ interest
Mandatory and Discretionary Spending
Capital and Expense Budgets
There are two different City budgets…
A A democratic process democratic process in which in which community members community members directly decide directly decide how to spend how to spend part of a part of a public budgetpublic budget
What is Participatory Budgeting?
Participatory Budgeting Video
CD8: Melissa Mark-Viverito (D)CD8: Melissa Mark-Viverito (D)
CD33: Stephen Levin (D)CD33: Stephen Levin (D)
CD23: Mark Weprin (D)CD23: Mark Weprin (D)CD39: Brad Lander (D)CD39: Brad Lander (D)
CD45: Jumaane D. Williams (D)CD45: Jumaane D. Williams (D)
CD44: David Greenfield (D)CD44: David Greenfield (D)
CD32: Eric Ulrich (R)CD32: Eric Ulrich (R)
$12 million reaching
1.5 million residents
$12 million reaching
1.5 million residents
This Cycle PBNYC Districts
CD38: Carlos Menchaca (D)CD38: Carlos Menchaca (D)
CD31: Donovan Richards (D)
CD31: Donovan Richards (D)
4. Community Vote(Mar-Apr)
vote on projects
3. Project Expos(Mar)
share proposals and get community feedback
2. Delegate Meetings
(Nov-Mar) develop proposals
5. Implementation & Monitoring
of projects
How does PB work in NYC?
1. Open Up Government
2. Expand Civic Engagement
3. Develop New Community Leaders
4. Build Community
5. Make Public Spending More Equitable
Why PB in NYC?
Our Goals:
14,000 people participated in the 8 districts
1,600 residents identified 1,700 project ideas
275+ budget delegates developed 122 full project proposals
13,000 voters chose 45 winning projects totaling $10 million
Last Cycle PBNYC Outcomes
New Change Agents 50% of people had not previously
worked for community change
Diverse Constituency 60% women 38% people of color 25% born outside of the US
Higher rates than regular elections Among low-income people and POC
Who Participated?
WHAT WOULD YOUDO WITH $100 MILLION DOLLARS?
Demonstration Exercise
Eligible projects must cost:
CAPITAL EXAMPLES
Building a library branch Building a community center Renovating a school Revamping a park
EXPENSE EXAMPLES
Subsidized childcare slots More teachers Job Corps slots After school programs
$35,000 $100 million
Sample Discretionary Projects
• Playground Improvements $250,000• Laptops for 8 schools
$450,000• Solar-powered greenhouse
$300,000• Park Enhancement
$350,000• Dog Run
$450,000• 10 Jobs Corps Position
$250,000• 10 Childcare Subsidies
$150,000
Some Sample Costs of Items
• Introductions• Review City Map & Ground Rules• Idea Brainstorm• Rank Top 3 Ideas• Prepare for Report Back
Small Group Discussion Agenda
• Let’s hear some ideas that came up!
• What would happen next?– People would volunteer to be delegates– Budget delegates would meet in committees– Projects would be put on a ballot– The public would vote– Top projects would become part of the city budget
Large Group Report Back & Next Steps
• Support to Expand Current Process– Get more Council Members to participate!
• Nine (9) this cycle• Twelve (12) more committed after recent elections• That’s twenty-one (21) of fifty-one (51)
– Create Centralized Support Office in Council– Provide Council Matching Funds for District Processes– Allocate funds to be used for expense projects
Ideas for the next Speaker
• Expand beyond the current process– Provide support for PB processes in Council– Connect PB in Council with Additional NYC Budget Funds– Pilot PB in a City Agency (NYCHA/ DYCD)
• Consider PB one tool to engage residents– Create Citizen Assemblies to decide few key issues– Create Office of Civic Engagement/ Community Democracy
Ideas for the next Mayor
• Take a minute • Think about your own vision• Write down your thoughts• Share with a neighbor• Bring it back for a wrap up
Where do you see PB in NYC?
Ways to Get Involved!
Get involvedo Participate in or support a process
o Advocate for a new one to start
Help spread the word Keep informed through our list-serves Visit www.pbnyc.org!