Call for Proposals for 2013 Participatory Budgeting Conference
Join us in Chicago May 3-5, 2013 for Building a Democratic City: The 2nd International Conference on Participatory Budgeting in the US and Canada! We are now accepting proposals for workshops, presentations, panels, and other sessions – please see the Call for Proposals and conference website for more information. The deadline for submissions is February […]
Launch of PB Chicago!
PBP is excited to announce the official launch of Participatory Budgeting Chicago! Together with the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago, we’re working four Aldermen and over 20 organizations to pilot a joint PB process in four Chicago wards. After working with Alderman Joe Moore to start PB in the 49th Ward […]
Cutting Democracy from Chicago's Budget?
Chicago’s new mayor, Rahm Emanuel, is considering cutting the discretionary funds allocated to Aldermen – the pot of money used for participatory budgeting in the city’s 49th Ward. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the $66 million budget – called menu money – could be eliminated. The funds are distributed equally to the city’s 50 Aldermen, […]
PB Discussion in Chicago
If you’re in the Chicago area, check out the following event: Roving Cafe Society with WBEZ: Participatory Budgeting Thursday, June 23 – 6:00 PM – WBEZ North Side Bureau (2913 West Devon Ave, Chicago) For the first time in the U.S., the city’s 49th Ward lets taxpayers directly decide how public money is spent. Residents […]
Year Two of PB in Chicago
Chicago’s 49th Ward recently completed its second year of participatory budgeting. See the 49th Ward website for a list of the results. As Alderman Joe Moore announced afterward: “Aproximately 1,000 residents of our community cast ballots in this historic election to vote on how to spend the 49th Ward’s 2011 capital improvement budget. The voters […]
More Good News from Chicago
The run-off municipal election in Chicago on April 5th brought into office at least two more Aldermen who have pledged to launch PB in their ward: James Cappleman (46th Ward) and Deborah Silverstein (50th Ward). Michelle Smith (43rd Ward) and John Arena (45th Ward), who also came out in support of PB, are leading in […]
Chicago Election Results
Chicago’s municipal elections this Tuesday delivered good news for participatory budgeting. Joe Moore won the 49th Ward in a landslide with 72% of the vote, after barely winning in a runoff last election. Amongst the other candidates who pledged to launch PB in their wards, 8 won office: 1st Ward: Proco “Joe” Moreno 5th Ward: […]