Our PB committee will meet the last Thursday of each month between September and January from 5:30-7:00pm at the 33rd Ward Office at 4747 N Sawyer Ave:
In the 33rd Ward, the Participatory Budgeting program began in September 2019 with the guidance and collaboration of the UIC Great Cities Institute. Last year, we joined seven other wards engaging in the Participatory Budgeting process to allow residents to decide how their Alderman will allocate their annual “Aldermanic Menu Funds”. Menu funds are the only funds that Aldermen have for infrastructure improvements including all streets, alley, and sidewalk resurfacing.
What is Participatory Budgeting? Is a democratic process by which community members decide how to spend part of a public budget. PB is a civic engagement initiative aiming to increase transparency and participation in our communities with greatest needs. Residents work together to generate ideas about infrastructure improvements they’d like to see in the 33rd Ward, then vote on which project they wish to see receive funding. You can read more about PB Chicago here.
How do I join the Participatory Budgeting (PB) Leadership Committee? Residents who are interested in joining our PB Leadership Committee please complete our volunteer form. Be sure to indicate your interest in joining the PB Committee. In order to join the committee, you must be a resident of the 33rd Ward and over 14 years of age.
The PB Process: Participatory Budgeting has 5 different phases:
PHASE 1: IDEA COLLECTION
Neighbors brainstorm ideas of things they would like to see in their communities
PHASE 2: PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
Volunteers from the PB Committee take these ideas and turn them into feasible projects.
PHASE 3: PROJECT EXPOS
Volunteers develop open expositions of the proposed projects so people have a better understanding of the potential improvements to their communities.
PHASE 4: VOTING
Residents of the 33rd Ward submit their votes. Any resident can vote regardless of immigration status as long as they are age 13 and older.
PHASE 5: IMPLEMENTATION
Aldermanic office works with necessary city agencies to submit and schedule construction of projects according to neighbor’s votes.
Timeline for Participatory Budgeting 2024-25
Recruitment for Committee: January – September
Phase 1 – Idea Collection: January – September
Phase 2 – Proposal development: September – December
