Participatory Budgeting in the United States A Guide for Local Governments

Although citizen engagement is a core public service value, few public administrators receive training on how to share leadership with people outside the government. Participatory Budgeting in the United States serves as a primer for those looking to understand a classic example of participatory governance, engaging local citizens in examining budgetary constraints and priorities before making recommendations to local government. Utilizing case studies and an original set of interviews with community members, elected officials, and city employees, this book provides a rare window onto the participatory budgeting process through the words and experiences of the very individuals involved. The central themes that emerge from these fascinating and detailed cases focus on three core areas: creating the participatory budgeting infrastructure; increasing citizen participation in participatory budgeting; and assessing and increasing the impact of participatory budgeting. This book provides students, local government elected officials, practitioners, and citizens with a comprehensive understanding of participatory budgeting and straightforward guidelines to enhance the process of civic engagement and democratic values in local communities.

1. Introduction 2. Participatory Budgeting in Context 3. The Physical and Digital Space of Participatory Budgeting 4. Research Approach 5. Case One: 49th Ward in Chicago, Illinois 6. Case Two: 6th Ward in St. Louis, Missouri 7. Case Three: Youth Initiative in Boston, Massachusetts 8. Case Four: Greensboro, North Carolina 9. Case Five: City of Clarkston, Georgia 10. Other Perspectives on the Participatory Budgeting Process 11. Lessons Learned: Best Practices for Communities

Victoria Gordon is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Director of the Master of Public Administration program at Western Kentucky University, USA. Jeffery L. Osgood, Jr. is Professor of Public Policy and Administration, Vice Provost, and Dean of Graduate Studies at West Chester University, USA. Daniel Boden is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Western Kentucky University, USA, and has professional experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.