Readers Support Participatory Budgeting

In last week’s poll readers showed support for Participatory Budgeting:

Participatory budgeting (PB) is a different way to manage public money, and to engage people in government. It is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. It enables taxpayers to work with government to make the budget decisions that affect their lives.

However, three candidates backing PB failed to win their primaries. Will those in office open up the decision-making process or keep it hidden behind closed doors?

Here are the results:

Q: Do you support the idea of “Participatory Budgeting” in St. Louis?

1. Yes 46 [56.1%]
2. No 12 [14.63%]
3. Maybe 11 [13.41%]
4. Unsure/no opinion 9 [10.98%]
5. Other: 4 [4.88%]

The four “other” answers:

1. have no idea what “participatory bugeting” is.
2. what’s the $ amount? If we’re “participating” over chump change it’s moot
3. Could be risky–especially if you’re living in a “developing” area!
4. Aldermen will still be corrupt either way, and can CDBGs be allocated that way?

I’m not going to hold my breath until our elected officials begin doing this.

— Steve Patterson