What is Participatory Budgeting (PB)?
Each year, the ward is allotted $1.5 million of the City’s budget to be used for a “menu” of infrastructure maintenance, projects, and improvements. The types of projects for this menu money necessitate a level of permanence, meaning that they should stand the test of time for at least 5 years. Some types of permanent infrastructure improvements include alley & street resurfacing, sidewalk repairs, park improvements, speed humps, public art, and more projects.
Alderman Andre Vasquez’s 40th Ward office, in an effort for inclusive and democratic governance, engages in a process of Participatory Budgeting. Through this process, $1 million of menu money is directed toward addressing infrastructure project proposals produced by residents and community committees, with viable projects that meet the needs of the community ultimately selected through a community vote. (The remaining $500,000 is held for emergency repairs and other needs that may arise during the year!)
The focus of Participatory Budgeting is to establish which priorities and issues are most important to our neighbors. Community input and cooperation aids us in directing our menu money budget to areas with the most need, which allows us to gain the most value for every dollar. In this way, we aspire to empower people with real power and control over real money. Our vision for Participatory Budgeting is to build a stronger community with an equitable distribution of public resources while simultaneously uplifting and strengthening the democratic process. We truly look forward to working together with all of you to help the 40th Ward grow greater each and every year!
We highly recommend subscribing to our newsletter at https://40thward.org/ to stay tuned for upcoming budget events that will go into more detail about the process and how to participate!
The History of PB in the 40th Ward:
In early March of 2020, our office held its first PB vote with 441 community members casting a ballot! The following projects were approved:
- $700,000 for Street & Alley Resurfacings
- $170,000 Public Safety Cameras
- $120,000 Water Fountain Installations & Improvements
- $60,000 Pedestrian Island on Western & Winnemac
Since then, you can view the map below to see the locations and details of menu money projects that are completed or upcoming in our ward (please note that 2021 projects may be pending Chicago Department of Transportation approval and can be toggled off in the sidebar)!
Please use the additional following links for information on previous PB expenses and voting results.
- Results of PB Voting
- Previous Years’ “Menu Money” Authorized Expenses
