This week the City of Vallejo became the first in the US to adopt participatory budgeting city-wide. Through PB Vallejo, community members will vote on how to spend $3.2 million in tax dollars.

The City has contracted PBP to implement the initiative, together with a Steering Committee of 20 civic organizations. Community members will identify ideas for new infrastructure and programs, and budget delegates will then present the top proposals for a public vote in May. The proposals with the most votes will be submitted to City Council for approval. See the new PB Vallejo website, Facebook, and Twitter for more info on the public assemblies that began this week, and the official press release for some great quotes.

Breakout group discussion at the first PB Vallejo assembly

To learn more about how PB Vallejo started and get a peek at PBP’s bottom-up designer process, check out this video from the Community Media Center of Marin:

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