CONTACT: Helen "Homefries" Matthews, Communications Director, Center for Economic Democracy, homefries@economicdemocracy.us, 617-784-1731
Boston, MA – Boston City Council overwhelmingly passed a resolution yesterday to support the full disbursement of unspent funds for participatory budgeting, which would make $5M available for this groundbreaking initiative that empowers residents to directly decide how a portion of city funds are spent. Eight councilors voted to pass the resolution, while only three voted against it and one voted “present”. This momentous decision marks a significant step towards greater community control and accountability in local governance.
The decision about how to respond to the Council’s resolution now sits with Mayor Wu, who has released only $2M of the total participatory budgeting funds. Mayor Wu can implement the resolution and give Bostonians access to the full funding available for the projects they have already proposed, workshopped, and finalized through a robust city-wide process.
“The mayor made the choice to restrict the full amount of money from the people. She could still make the choice to empower residents by releasing the money to fund the amazing projects that people have proposed,” said Kathy Henriquez of the Better Budget Alliance, a grassroots coalition in Boston that has advocated for strong participatory budgeting.
“This resolution shows that councilors support residents’ wisdom and agency in spending City dollars,” added Henriquez.
Councilors Liz Breadon, Julia Mejia, and Brian Worrell championed the successful resolution, responding to the community's call for increased funding transparency and accountability. Their leadership reflects a commitment to ensuring that the participatory budgeting process not only honors the voices of Boston residents but also maximizes the impact of these funds in the community.
“The council's resolution is a testament to their commitment to fostering a budget that genuinely reflects the needs and dreams of Boston's residents,” said Helen Matthews from the Better Budget Alliance.
For months, the Better Budget Alliance, a coalition of dozens of community-based organizations in Boston, has advocated for making all of the approximately $5 million set aside for participatory budgeting available for resident-proposed projects this year.
Members of the Youth Justice and Power Union, a member of the Better Budget Alliance, called on Mayor Wu to fully fund participatory budgeting at a community meeting in November 2024.
Among the anticipated projects on that ballot: aid for residents struggling with substance abuse, support for low-income entrepreneurs, expansion of youth job opportunities, and assistance for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youth.
This first cycle of participatory budgeting has already generated significant interest, with the City collecting 1,238 ideas from 789 residents on how to utilize the allocated funds. As Boston embarks on this journey towards resident empowerment, many councilors aim to reflect the priorities and values of its communities in the budgeting process.
“The pilot project has had its ups and downs, but the Office of Participatory Budgeting and resident Oversight Board did what was in their power to meaningfully engage residents. Residents were heavily involved in the creation of ideas and narrowing of priorities, and now we should be funding their leadership and needs,” said Henriquez.
Councilor Mejia remarked, "Boston residents voted overwhelmingly to put the power in the hands of the people," highlighting the successful 2021 ballot question that established participatory budgeting in Boston. Mejia called on the Council to increase funding for residents’ solutions.
Looking ahead, The Better Budget Alliance will continue to engage with residents, the City's Office of Participatory Budgeting and the Participatory Budgeting Oversight Board, to maintain an open dialogue and strengthen participatory budgeting.
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