Scaling up Participatory Budgeting
as a Tool for
Direct Democracy in NYC
You decide how to spend millions
of dollars from the city budget!
Assembly Goals
Agenda

Get to know our neighbors

Learn about the City budget process,
participatory budgeting, and our city

Identify capital and expense project ideas
for our city

Gain knowledge about ideas for how Participatory
Budgeting could scale up in NYC under a new
administration
Assembly Agenda
1. Welcome and Icebreaker
2. Introduction to the City Budget &
Participatory Budgeting (Including a video!)
3. Questions & Answers
4. Breakout groups to brainstorm project ideas
5. Report-backs
6. Participatory Budgeting Expansion:
What It’ll Take & What It Can Be
City Budget Basics
 City Budget runs on a Fiscal Year
from July 1st to June 30th
 This year’s budget was
$70 Billion in Expense
$10 Billion in Capital
 Generally the Mayor
issues a budget and
the Council approves it
Mandatory and Discretionary Spending
 Mandatory Spending = > 80%
money that has to be spent
in a particular way
(e.g. committed contracts,
entitlement programs,
debt service, etc.)
 Discretionary Spending = ~ 10%
money that can be spent however decided
on a yearly basis based on need/ interest
Capital and Expense Budgets
Money that a city councilmember typically
There are
two different
City
budgets…
allocates
as he or she
sees
fit
Capital Funds
“Bricks and Mortar”
infrastructure projects
Expense Funds
“People and Services”
programs
What is Participatory Budgeting?
A democratic process
in which
community members
directly decide
how to spend
part of a
public budget
Participatory Budgeting Video
This Cycle PBNYC Districts
$12 million
CD8: Melissa Mark-Viverito (D)
CD33: Stephen Levin (D)
reaching
1.5 million
residents
CD39: Brad Lander (D)
CD23: Mark Weprin (D)
CD38: Carlos Menchaca (D)
CD31: Donovan
Richards (D)
CD44: David Greenfield (D)
CD45: Jumaane D. Williams (D)
CD32: Eric Ulrich (R)
How does PB work in NYC?
1. Neighborhood
Assemblies
(Sep-Oct)
identify community needs,
select delegates
5. Implementation
& Monitoring
of projects
4. Community Vote
(Mar-Apr)
vote on projects
2. Delegate Meetings
(Nov-Mar)
develop proposals
3. Project Expos
(Mar)
share proposals and get
community feedback
Why PB in NYC?
Our Goals:
1. Open Up Government
2. Expand Civic Engagement
3. Develop New Community Leaders
4. Build Community
5. Make Public Spending More Equitable
Last Cycle PBNYC Outcomes
 14,000 people participated in the 8 districts
 1,600 residents identified 1,700 project ideas
 275+ budget delegates developed 122 full
project proposals
 13,000 voters chose 45 winning projects
totaling $10 million
Who Participated?
 New Change Agents
 50% of people had not previously
worked for community change
 Diverse Constituency
 60% women
 38% people of color
 25% born outside of the US
 Higher rates than regular elections
 Among low-income people and POC
Demonstration Exercise
WHAT WOULD
YOU
DO WITH
$100 MILLION
DOLLARS?
Sample Discretionary Projects
Eligible projects must cost:
$35,000
$100 million
CAPITAL EXAMPLES
EXPENSE EXAMPLES
Building a library branch
Building a community center
Renovating a school
Revamping a park
Subsidized childcare slots
More teachers
Job Corps slots
After school programs
Some Sample Costs of Items
•
•
•
•
•
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Playground Improvements
Laptops for 8 schools
Solar-powered greenhouse
Park Enhancement
Dog Run
10 Jobs Corps Position
10 Childcare Subsidies
$250,000
$450,000
$300,000
$350,000
$450,000
$250,000
$150,000
Small Group Discussion Agenda
• Introductions
• Review City Map & Ground Rules
• Idea Brainstorm
• Rank Top 3 Ideas
• Prepare for Report Back
Large Group Report Back & Next Steps
• Let’s hear some ideas that came up!
• What would happen next?
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–
–
–
–
People would volunteer to be delegates
Budget delegates would meet in committees
Projects would be put on a ballot
The public would vote
Top projects would become part of the city budget
Ideas for the next Speaker
• Support to Expand Current Process
– Get more Council Members to participate!
• Nine (9) this cycle
• Twelve (12) more committed after recent elections
• That’s twenty-one (21) of fifty-one (51)
– Create Centralized Support Office in Council
– Provide Council Matching Funds for District Processes
– Allocate funds to be used for expense projects
Ideas for the next Mayor
• Expand beyond the current process
– Provide support for PB processes in Council
– Connect PB in Council with Additional NYC Budget Funds
– Pilot PB in a City Agency (NYCHA/ DYCD)
• Consider PB one tool to engage residents
–
–
Create Citizen Assemblies to decide few key issues
Create Office of Civic Engagement/ Community Democracy
Where do you see PB in NYC?
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•
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Take a minute
Think about your own vision
Write down your thoughts
Share with a neighbor
Bring it back for a wrap up
Ways to Get Involved!
 Get involved
o Participate in or support a process
o Advocate for a new one to start
 Help spread the word
 Keep informed through our list-serves
 Visit www.pbnyc.org!