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➋ chicago Alderman Joe <br />Moore recently initiated a participa- <br />tory budgeting project in his district, <br />making the 49th Ward the first <br />political jurisdiction in America to <br />do so. All ward residents over age <br />sixteen, regardless of citizenship or <br />voter registration status, are invited <br />to research, propose and select pro- <br />jects to be funded with the ward’s <br />$1.3 million in discretionary funds. <br />In 2010, more than 1,600 citizens <br />cast ballots. <br />spending our Money <br />cities around the world are finding new ways to engage citizens <br />directly in their annual budget process. <br />One of the most important roles of <br />Toronto’s City Council is to collect <br />our money – and spend it. From <br />libraries and daycare to transit and <br />parks, the budget process shapes the <br />city around us. Each year, the City <br />provides an opportunity for public <br />input but the process often feels <br />rushed, polarized and simplistic. At <br />times, the public consultation even <br />feels like a formality, a secondary <br />thought that has no influence on <br />the budget process whatsoever. <br />Meaningful participation in the <br />budget process would ensure that <br />City services match the expectations <br />of residents in all neighbourhoods. <br />It would also give residents a deeper <br />understanding of where their <br />money goes – knowledge which <br />would reduce simplistic arguments <br />about ‘waste’. <br />There is much to learn from other <br />cities’ efforts to increase budget <br />outreach, education and participa- <br />tion. Some City Councils are even <br />experimenting with ‘Participatory <br />Budgets’ where citizens vote directly <br />on specific budget items. Globally, <br />more than 1,200 municipalities have <br />initiated some form of participatory <br />budgeting in an effort to fully en- <br />gage residents in monetary decisions <br />affecting their neighbourhoods. <br />➊ porto alegre, Brazil <br />hosted the world’s first full participa- <br />tory budgeting process in 1989 and <br />continues to do so annually. Tens <br />of thousands of citizens participate <br />each year, the majority of whom are <br />low income individuals. Through <br />this process, citizens allocate <br />roughly $200 million (over 20%) of <br />the city’s total budget. Municipal budget information painted on a wall in Brazil <br />chicago’s 49th Ward participatory budget