Boston: Mayor Wu Announces Second Year of City-wide Participatory Budgeting Initiative

~ Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has announced the return of the city's Participatory Budgeting initiative, 'Ideas in Action,' for a second year. The program, which allows residents to have a say in how $2.2 million of the city's budget is spent, was a success in its inaugural year with thousands of residents participating.

The program, open to all Boston residents, gives them the opportunity to submit ideas, draft ballot proposals, and vote for their favorite projects. This year's submission period will run from July 1st to July 31st and can be done online at boston.com/participate.

Mayor Wu expressed her excitement for the second year of 'Ideas in Action,' stating that it brings communities and city government together to create a collective vision for Boston. She also highlighted some of the successful projects from the first cycle, such as making fresh foods more accessible and supporting youth programs.

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The Office of Participatory Budgeting will once again partner with community-based organizations across the city to hold workshops this summer. These workshops will allow residents to share their project ideas both in person and online. In the fall, community forums will be held where residents can assist in developing proposals for a ballot. The final voting period will take place in January and February of 2026.

Renato Castelo, director of the Office of Participatory Budgeting, emphasized the broad level of engagement from residents in the first cycle with over 1,200 ideas submitted and nearly 4,500 votes cast for winning projects. He believes this shows a strong desire from residents to partner with the city in shaping their communities.

City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune praised Participatory Budgeting for its ability to engage all neighborhoods and generations of residents. She sees it as a model of governance that Boston can be proud of.

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Councilor Brian Worrell, Chair of the Committee on Ways & Means, also commended the program for addressing the needs and wants of residents. He noted that the City Council has increased investments for projects that were advocated for by residents, such as upgraded bus stops and improved rodent control.

Residents can participate in 'Ideas in Action' by submitting project ideas online, calling the multilingual PB Phone Line, visiting City Hall or any Boston Public Library branch, or attending in-person 'Idea Collection Workshops' organized by nonprofit organizations throughout the city.

The timeline for Year 2 of 'Ideas in Action' is as follows: idea collection will take place in July 2025, proposal development from October to December 2025, voting in January and February 2026, and funding and implementing winning ideas in spring 2026.

To see a list of winning projects funded in Cycle 1, residents can visit Boston.gov/participate. With the success of the first cycle and the return of 'Ideas in Action,' it is clear that Participatory Budgeting is helping to build a culture of civic engagement in Boston that includes all members of the community.

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