Year Two of PB in Chicago

Chicago's 49th Ward recently completed its second year of participatory budgeting. See the 49th Ward website for a list of the results.

As Alderman Joe Moore announced afterward:
"Aproximately 1,000 residents of our community cast ballots in this historic election to vote on how to spend the 49th Ward's 2011 capital improvement budget. The voters decided that slightly over half of this year's budget should be devoted to street resurfacing. For the remaining portion of the budget, the voters selected a wide range of proposals, including safety improvements to the Ridge, Touhy, Rogers intersection; new bike lanes and bike racks; upgrades to several Metra viaducts; and improvements to our parks."

RogersPark.com reporters prepared a video on the process this year, with lots of interviews of participants:

The PB Project is working with other Aldermen to launch new PB processes in additional wards this year. 5th Ward Alderman Leslie Hairston recently introduced her PB plans in her Spring 2011 Newsletter.