Participatory Budgeting
You Have a Date with Democracy--
Decide How Your Tax Dollars Will Be
Spent in the 49th Ward
Introduction to the 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting Project from Alderman Joe Moore
Dear Neighbor,
Around the United States and here in Chicago, city leaders are increasingly asking residents for suggestions about budget spending. Here in the 49th Ward, we're going one step further. Through a novel experiment in democracy, I'm not just asking for your opinion--I'm asking you to make real decisions about how we spend our money.
Over the past two years, I've asked my constituents--the residents of the 49th Ward--to decide how to spend over $1 million in tax dollars.
Each alderman in Chicago gets over $1 million a year to allocate for various infrastructure improvements in his or her ward. This so-called "menu money" goes to resurface streets and alleys, repair sidewalks and curbs and gutters, put in new streetlights, and the like. I've also used the money to subsidize special infrastructure projects, such as the Harold Washington Playlot and the Willye White Community Center. This menu money is spent at the total discretion of each alderman.
Beginning with the 2009-10 budget cycle, I have ceded my decision-making authority to the residents of my ward through a process known as Participatory Budgeting in which all 49th Ward residents are eligible to vote directly on the infrastructure projects that are funded in our community.
The 49th Ward is the first political jurisdiction in the nation to adopt such an approach to public spending, and it's been so well-received that I have pledged to make it a permanent fixture in the ward. Word of our success has spread nationwide and other cities in the U.S., including New York City, are emulating our participatory budgeting model.
Participatory budgeting is a process of democratic deliberation and decision-making in which ordinary residents decide how to allocate part of a municipal budget. In essence, how it works is that the municipal authorities turn over a portion of their budget to community residents who decide the spending priorities.
To learn more about participatory budgeting and its implementation worldwide, visit the website of the Particpatory Budgeting Project: http://www.participatorybudgeting.org
In April 2009, I brought together leaders of over 50 civic, religious and community organizations in the 49th Ward, and asked them 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. The Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee was chaired by Jamiko Rose, Executive Director of the Organization of the Northeast.
An organization known as The Participatory Budgeting Project, led by Gianpaolo Baiocchi (Brown University), and Josh Lerner (The New School for Social Research), provided guidance and technical assistance for this initiative. Additional support was provided by the Institute for Policy Studies, the Watson Institute, and the New World Foundation.
After several months of meetings, the Steering Committee developed a process and timetable that culminated in a ward-wide election in April, 2010, when over 1,600 49th Ward residents voted on the 49th Ward infrastructure spending priorities for 2010.
For a copy of the results of the 2010 and 2011 elections, CLICK HERE.
The 2012 Participatory Budgeting process has begun with a format that tracks closely the four-step process we've employed the previous two years. A "Leadership Committee" consisting of individuals who served either on last year's Steering Committee or as a Community Representative will oversee the process. The process is as follows:
Step 1--Neighborhood Assembly Meetings (October and November, 2011)
The ward is organized into eight sections or areas, with a "neighborhood assembly" held in each area. In addition, a Spanish language assembly is held. The neighborhood assemblies are open to any 49th Ward resident. At each neighborhood assembly, the attendees will be given brief description of the infrastructure menu program and the participatory budgeting process. Meeting attendees will then be asked to brainstorm ideas for possible uses of the infrastructure menu money.
At the conclusion of each meeting, we will ask for volunteers to serve as "community representatives" who will be charged with developing proposals for spending the 49th Ward's 2012 infrastructure menu allocation.
We ask that you attend the neighborhood assembly in your area. However, if that's not possible, you are free to attend a neighborhood assembly in another area. Free pizza and refreshments courtesy of JB Alberto's Pizza will be provided at all Neighborhood Assembly meetings.
For a map of the community areas and a schedule of the Neighborhood Assemblies, CLICK HERE.
Step 2--Community Representative Meetings (November, 2011-February, 2012)
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--Final Round of Neighborhood Assembly Meetings to Present Project Proposals to the Community (March, 2012)
The community representatives will present their preliminary proposals for the 2012 Aldermanic Menu at two Neighborhood Assemblies held in the north and south sections of the 49th Ward. Based on community input provided at the neighborhood assemblies, the community representatives may refine their proposals before submitting them to a final vote at the April 2012 election.
Step 4--Election to Determine the 2012 Infrastructure Spending Priorities (April 2012)
In the final step of the process, community residents will gather at a ward-wide assembly to deliberate and vote on the 2012 infrastructure spending priorities for the 49th Ward.
This experiment in democracy will not work unless we have full and complete participation from all sectors of our diverse community, so I urge you to attend one of the neighborhood assemblies and bring your 49th Ward friends and neighbors. Most importantly, I urge you to bring your ideas.
I have full faith that the residents of the 49th Ward can decide what's best for our neighborhood, when given enough time, information, and support.
Sincerely,
Joe Moore
Ward Map and Neighborhood Assembly Schedule for Step 1 of the 2011-12 Participatory Budgeting Process
Neighborhood Assembly Schedule (by area)
(Note: Complimentary pizza will be provided at 6:30 p.m. before all meetings. The meetings will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m.)
Area A: Thursday, Nov. 17, Willye White Park Fieldhouse, 1610 W. Howard
Area B: Wednesday, Oct. 19, St. Margaret Mary Church Activity Center, 7311 N. Claremont
Area C: Thursday, Oct. 20, Pottawattomie Park Fieldhouse, 7340 N. Rogers
Area D: Wednesday, Nov. 16, Alden Village North, 7464 N. Sheridan
Area E: Thursday, Oct. 27, New Field School, 1707 W. Morse
Area F: Monday, Oct. 24, Loyola Park Fieldhouse, 1230 W. Greenleaf, 2nd Floor
Area G: Thursday, Nov. 3, United Church of Rogers Park, 1545 W. Morse, 3rd Floor
Area H: Tuesday, Nov. 1, Loyola University, Campion Hall, 6525 N. Sheridan
En Español: Martes, 15 de Nov. Iglesia San Jerónimo, Centro Parroquial, 1709 W. Lunt
Neighborhood Assembly Schedule (in chronological order)
Wednesday, Oct. 19, St. Margaret Mary Church Activity Center, 7311 N. Claremont (Area B)
Thursday, Oct. 20, Pottawattomie Park Fieldhouse, 7340 N. Rogers (Area C)
Monday, Oct. 24, Loyola Park Fieldhouse, 1230 W. Greenleaf, 2nd Floor (Area F)
Thursday, Oct. 27, New Field School, 1707 W. Morse (Area E)
Tuesday, Nov. 1, Loyola University, Campion Hall, 6525 N. Sheridan (Area H)
Thursday, Nov. 3, United Church of Rogers Park, 1545 W. Morse, 3rd Floor (Area G)
Martes, 15 de Nov. Iglesia San Jerónimo, Centro Parroquial, 1709 W. Lunt (En Español)
Wednesday, Nov. 16, Alden Village North, 7464 N. Sheridan (Area D)
Thursday, Nov. 17, Willye White Park Fieldhouse, 1610 W. Howard (Area A)
Election Results
For complete election results for the 2010 and 2011 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting Elections, including descriptions of the proposed projects and the number of votes each proposal received, click on the attachments below:
2011_Election_Results.pdf (109 KB)
2010_Election_Results.pdf (152 KB)
Update on the Implementation of the 2010 Winning Projects
For the latest update on the implementation of the projects that were approved by the voters last April, click on the attachment below:
Participatory_Budgeting--UpdateOct2010.pdf (141 KB)
What Types of Projects are Eligible for Funding in the 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting Process?
The "Aldermanic Menu" funds that are subject to the Participatory Budgeting process can be spent on any project that acquires, develops, maintains or improves a publicly owned capital asset, often called "infrastructure."
Eligible projects include:
- Street resurfacing
- Street lights
- Sidewalks
- Curb and gutters
- Catwalks and courtesy walks
- Guardrails
- Traffic signals
- Benches
- Bike racks
- Playgrounds
- Security cameras
- Catwalks and courtesy walks
- Trash cans
- Community gardens
- Artistic murals
- El platform/station improvements
- Construction of or major renovations to public buildings
Note: This list is NOT inclusive of all of the projects eligible for funding under the "Aldermanic Menu" program. Menu money can be spent on capital projects only, but you can propose project ideas beyond what is listed here. This list is meant only to offer examples of the type of projects that the Aldermanic Menu money has funded in previous years. |
The "Aldermanic Menu" funds cannot be used to subsidize personnel costs, services, programs and other operational costs, nor can they be used to improve privately owned capital assets.
Projects NOT eligible for funding include:
- Personnel costs (e.g., salaries and benefits for teachers, police, fire, health care workers and any other public or private employees)
- Services (e.g., health care services, homeless services, "Meals on Wheels," etc.)
- Programs (e.g., after school programs, day care, tutoring, sports activities, etc.)
- Minor repairs to public buildings
- Extended hours at parks/libraries and other public facilities
- Improvements to facilities owned by not-for-profit organizations, houses of worship, and privately owned homes and businesses
How to Submit a Project Proposal or Suggestion
If you have a proposal or suggestion for a particular project that you believe qualifies for funding under the 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting process, please visit the 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting blog and post your idea in the Comments section:
http://participatorybudgeting49.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/suggest-your-projects-here/
Alternatively, contact Cecelia Salinas, Alderman Joe Moore's Participatory Budgeting liaison at ward49@cityofchicago.org or 773-338-5796.
Previous Years' "Aldermanic Menu" Expenditures
2009
| Type of Project | Locations | Amount Spent | %of Total Expenditure |
| Street Resurfacing | 10 | $937,278 | 61% |
| Street Lighting | 4 | $325,000 | 21% |
| Sidewalk Repairs | 7 | $92,889 | 6% |
| Morse Ave. Design | 1 | $65,000 | 4% |
| Curbs and Gutters | 6 | $60,143 | 4% |
| Alley Resurfacing | 2 | $48,596 | 3% |
| Alley Speed Humps | 10 | $8,225 | 1% |
| Street Speed Humps | 1 | $3,500 | <1% |
| Total Expenditure | $1,540,631 |
2008
| Type of Project | Locations | Amount Spent | % of Total Expenditure |
| Street Lighting | 8 | $1,001,300 | 73% |
| Street Resurfacing | 6 | $181,219 | 13% |
| Sidewalks | 9 | $88,744 | 6% |
| Alley Resurfacing | 1 | $44,637 | 3% |
| Police Camera | 1 | $36,000 | 3% |
| Curbs/Gutters | 3 | $23,091 | 2% |
| Alley Speed Humps | 5 | $2,500 | <1% |
| Bollard | 1 | $1,428 | <1% |
| Total Expenditure | $1,378,919 |
2007
| Type of Project | Locations | Amount Spent | % of Total Expenditure |
| Street Lighting | 6 | $705,000 | 51% |
| Alley Resurfacing | 7 | $199,614 | 14% |
| Street Resurfacing | 2 | $195,877 | 14% |
| Sidewalks | 11 | $126,144 | 9% |
| Curbs/Gutters | 5 | $92,943 | 7% |
| Morse Ave. Design | 1 | $65,000 | 5% |
| Street Speed Humps | 2 | $4,950 | <1% |
| Alley Speed Humps | 3 | $3,000 | <1% |
| Guardrail | 1 | $2,089 | <1% |
| Total Expenditure | $1,394,617 |
2006
| Type of Project | Locations | Amount Spent | % of Total Expenditure |
| Street Lighting | 12 | $764,000 | 53% |
| Gale Community Center | 1 | $400,000 | 28% |
| Police Camera | 2 | $72,000 | 5% |
| Sidewalks | 4 | $52,500 | 4% |
| Curbs/Gutters | 1 | $50,634 | 4% |
| Speed Humps | 10 | $24,250 | 2% |
| Tree Gates | 1 | $24,045 | 2% |
| Street Resurfacing | 1 | $23,434 | 2% |
| Alley Resurfacing | 4 | $20,560 | 1% |
| Alley Speed Humps | 5 | $2,500 | <1% |
| Bollard | 1 | $1,293 | <1% |
| Total Expenditure | $1,435,216 |
2005
| Type of Project | Locations | Amount Spent | % of Total Expenditure |
| Street Lighting | 13 | $983,736 | 75% |
| Street Resurfacing | 10 | $243,713 | 19% |
| Sidewalk Repairs | 3 | $48,352 | 4% |
| Curb/Gutter Repairs | 1 | $32,324 | 2% |
| Street Speed Humps | 5 | $7,500 | <1% |
| Alley Speed Humps | 3 | $4,375 | <1% |
| Total Expenditure | $1,315,625 |
2004
| Type of Project | Amount Spent | %of Total Expenditure |
| Street Lighting | $1,044,700 | 89% |
| Chicago Park District | $127,500 | 11% |
| Total Expenditure | $1,172,200 |
Allocation of a specific percentage of the Aldermanic Menu budget to Street Resurfacing
At the conclusion of the 2010 participatory budgeting process, Alderman Moore asked for volunteers who had worked on the process to serve on a "Leadership Committee" to evaluate the process and come up with recommendations for improvement. This volunteer group of neighborhood residents recommended one significant change to the process--that a specific percentage of the 49th Ward aldermanic infrastructure budget be allocated to street resurfacing.
Reasons for the Recommendation
Though most neighborhood residents support the participatory budgeting process, many expressed concern that traditional "nuts and bolts" infrastructure improvements, such as street resurfacing, may not have received the attention and funding they deserved. Of the seven street resurfacing proposals on the ballot, only one garnered enough votes to receive funding out of the 2010 aldermanic menu. This is likely because most of the winning proposals, such as artistic murals and dog friendly areas, had a ward-wide constituency, whereas the constituency for a specific street resurfacing proposal is limited to those who live on or use that street.
Most of the residential streets in the 49th Ward were last resurfaced in the late 1990s and are beginning to show their wear. Though most residents agree that our residential streets deserve attention, the participatory budgeting vote process was set up in a way that may have unintentionally shortchanged block-specific proposals.
How the 2010 Participatory Budgeting Election Worked
Thirty-six individual proposals appeared on the April 2010 participatory budgeting ballot. Each voter was entitled to vote for up to eight projects. The project proposals that won the most votes up to the 49th Ward's $1.3 million capital budget allocation were submitted to the City of Chicago and its sister agencies for implementation.
How the Election Process Now Works
Just as in the 2010 election, a list of individual project proposals, including street resurfacing proposals, appears on the participatory budgeting ballot and voters will be asked to vote for up eight projects.
In addition, a separate question appears on the ballot asking voters to vote on a specific percentage of the aldermanic menu budget that should be devoted exclusively to street resurfacing. The voters are asked to vote for one of eleven options ranging from 0% to 100% (i.e., 0%, 10%, 20 %, 30 % and so on up to 100%). To enable the voters to make an informed decision, the ballot question will include the estimated cost of resurfacing an average block in the ward (this year it was $32,000) and the number of resurfaced blocks and budget amount each percentage represents.
This is how the ballot question appears on the ballot:
Once the polls have closed, the votes on this separate question is tallied and an average calculated. That average will determine the percentage of the aldermanic menu budget that will be devoted exclusively to street resurfacing.
The street resurfacing proposals that win the most votes up to that percentage allocation will be submitted to the City for resurfacing. The remaining budget percentage will be allocated to the other project proposals that win the most votes.
Here's an example of how it might work: Let's say the voters collectively determined on average that 30% of the ward's menu money should be allocated to street resurfacing. That means that 30% of my $1.3 million aldermanic menu budget, or $390,000, would be set aside for street resurfacing only. Under that scenario, and using 2010 cost estimates, approximately 12 city blocks would be resurfaced.
The remainder of the 49th Ward aldermanic menu budget, or $910,000, would be allocated to the other top vote-getting proposals.
Though this recommendation might appear rather confusing at first, the Leadership Committee and Alderman Moore believe it allows for a way to address a basic ward infrastructure need while still remaining true to the spirit of participatory budgeting of allowing the residents to determine how their tax dollars will be spent.
Articles and Blog Posts on the 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting Project
"4 Council Members, Each With $1 Million, Will Let Public Decide How It's Spent"
New York Times
September 13, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/nyregion/4-on-ny-city-council-will-let-public-decide-some-spending.html?_r=1
"Participatory Budgeting Proposed for Greensboro"
Yes! Weekly
June 22, 2011
http://www.yesweekly.com/triad/article-12260-participatory-budgeting-proposed-for-greensboro.html
"The Year's Top Underreported Stories of Hope and Creative Change: Citizen Budgeting Comes to the U.S."
Yes! Magazine Project Censored Awards 2009-10
September 13, 2010
http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/yes-magazine-project-censored-awards-2009-2010
"Choose Your Own Budget: Chicagoans Cut Out the Elected Middle Man to Improve Their Neighborhood With $1.3 million in Taxes"
In These Times
May 17, 2010
http://inthesetimes.com/article/5985/choose_your_own_budget
"How to Make Democracy Bloom: Participatory Government Works Well, But it Only Lasts When it is Enshrined in Law"
Chicago Journal
April 21, 2010
http://www.chicagojournal.com/News/04-21-2010/How_to_make_democracy_bloom
"Residents Vote on RoPo Spending"
Loyola Phoenix
April 21, 2010
http://www.loyolaphoenix.com/2.541/news/residents-vote-on-ropo-spending-1.1375061
"Chicago's $1.3 Million Experiment in Democracy"
Yes! Magazine
April 20, 2010
http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/chicagos-1.3-million-experiment-in-democracy
"Alderman Gives Residents Choice"
Columbia Chronicle
April 19, 2010
http://columbiachronicle.com/alderman-gives-residents-choice/
"Citizens Speak; Alderman to Improve Rogers Park Rail Stations With City Funds"
CTA Tattler
April 14, 2010
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/cta-tattler/2010/04/citizens-speak-alderman-to-improve-rogers-park-rail-stations-with-city-funds.html
"Rogers Park Supports Her Artists
Rogers Park Examiner
April 13, 2010
http://www.examiner.com/rogers-park-in-chicago/49th-ward-supports-her-artists
"Voters Choose to Improve CTA Red Line"
Going Public
April 11, 2010
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/going-public/2010/04/voters-choose-to-improve-cta-red-line.html
"Chicago Alderman Lets Voters Decide Spending"
Fox Chicago News
April 10, 2010
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/20100410-chicago_alderman_moore_voters_ward_spending
"Residents Participate in Spending Tax Dollars"
Chicago Breaking News Center
April 10, 2010
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/04/ward-residents-participate-in-spending-tax-dollars.html
"49th Ward Residents Vote on Budget"
WBEZ Radio
April 10, 2010
http://www.wbez.org/story/news/49th-ward-residents-vote-budget
"Chicago Ward Residents Take Democracy Into Their Own Hands"
Medill Reports
April 8, 2010
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=162752&print=1
"Want a Train Station Bench? Ask Your Alderman"
CTA Tattler
April 8, 2010
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/cta-tattler/2010/04/want-a-station-bench-ask-your-alderman.html
"Spending Out In the Open for 49th Ward"
By Alderman Joe Moore
Chicago Tribune
March 31, 2010
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-03-31/news/ct-oped-0331-democracy-20100331_1_49th-ward-government-budget-spending
"Chicago Ward Tries Citizen Budgeting"
Yes! Magazine
February 26, 2010
http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/america-the-remix/chicago-ward-tries-citizen-budgeting
"Participatory Budgeting #2 - At the Neighborhood Assembly"
Prairie State Blue
December 3, 2009
http://www.prairiestateblue.com/diary/5248/participatory-budgeting-2-at-the-neighborhood-assembly
"A 'Grand Experiment' in Budgeting"
Progress Illinois
December 3, 2009
http://progressillinois.com/2009/12/3/a-grand-experiment-in-budgeting
Alderman Joe Moore's Op Ed on the 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting Project
Spending Out in the Open for 49th Ward
Chicago Tribune
March 31, 2010
by Alderman Joe Moore
From Chicago's City Hall to the halls of Congress, important policy and spending decisions have been made for far too long by a handful of politicians behind closed doors working in concert with corporations and special interests. This old way of doing the public's business has bred anger and mistrust of all levels of government.
It shouldn't come as any surprise, then, that only 1 out of 5 Americans trusts government to do what is right most of the time. Citizens don't believe their government listens to them and they don't believe they have any power to affect public policy.
This anger and mistrust aren't healthy for democracy. We need a new governance model, one that empowers people to make real decisions about policy and spending decisions.
As a Chicago alderman, I have embarked on an innovative alternative to the old style of decision-making. In an experiment in democracy, transparent governance and economic reform, I'm letting the residents of the 49th Ward in the Rogers Park and Edgewater communities decide how to spend my entire discretionary capital budget of more than $1.3 million.
Known as "participatory budgeting," this form of democracy is being used worldwide, from Brazil to the United Kingdom and Canada. It lets the community decide how to spend part of a government budget, through a series of meetings and ultimately a final, binding vote.
Though I'm the first elected official in the U.S. to implement participatory budgeting, it's not a whole lot different than the old New England town meetings in which residents would gather to vote directly on the spending decisions of their town.
Residents in my ward have met for the past year - developing a rule book for the process, gathering project ideas from their neighbors and researching and budgeting project ideas. These range from public art to street resurfacing and police cameras to bike paths. The residents then pitched their proposals to their neighbors at a series of neighborhood "assemblies" held throughout the ward.
The process will culminate in an election on April 10, in which all 49th Ward residents 16 and older, regardless of citizenship or voter registration status, are invited to gather at a local high school to vote for up to eight projects, one vote per project. This process is binding. The projects that win the most votes will be funded up to $1.3 million.
Though the process isn't yet complete, it's already yielding positive results. Hundreds of residents in the 49th Ward, many of whom had never before been involved in a civic activity, have become engaged in the participatory budgeting process. Rather than being passive observers of government they've become active participants in governing.
More important, they know they have the power to make decisions, and that their government is not just hearing them but actually following their mandate.
Empowering people to make real decisions openly and transparently is the first step toward restoring public trust in government.
Joe Moore is the alderman for Chicago's 49th Ward.
Videos on the 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting Process
"Democracy in Action, Participatory Budgeting in the 49th Ward"Documentary (approx. 5 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc-wLfOtfVM&feature=related
"Chicago Alderman Lets Voters Decide Spending"
Fox Chicago News
April 10, 2010
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/20100410-chicago_alderman_moore_voters_ward_spending
"Rogers Park Residents Vote on Spending"
Loyola Phoenix News
April 20, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edZs4d3adH8
Learn More About Participatory Budgeting
Alderman Joe Moore and the 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee received invaluable assistance and guidance from the Participatory Budgeting Project, a non-profit organization that supports participatory budgeting in North America. For more information on participatory budgeting and the Participatory Budgeting Project visit:
http://www.participatorybudgeting.org/
Visit Our 49th Ward Participatory Budgeting Blog
Share your participatory budgeting ideas with my office and your neighbors on the 49th Ward's Participatory Budgeting Blog at:
http://participatorybudgeting49.wordpress.com/
Alderman Joe Moore's Participatory Budgeting Powerpoint Presentation
Participatory_Budgeting_Nov_2011.pdf (695 KB)
For actual PPT version, please contact us.
