Boston residents now have a direct hand in deciding how the city spends $2 million, after Mayor Michelle Wu reopened the municipal participatory budgeting program, “Ideas in Action,” for a third year and invited people in every neighborhood to propose projects through the end of July.
The idea-collection window opened July 1 and runs through July 31. During that period, residents can put forward proposals online at participate.boston.gov, by calling a multilingual phone line at (617) 635-3059, in person at City Hall and selected Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) community centers, or by attending Idea Collection Workshops hosted by community-based organizations across the city.
The initiative gives ordinary Bostonians — not just elected officials or department heads — a say in how a portion of public money is spent. Under the model, residents submit ideas, help shape the strongest ones into formal ballot proposals, and later vote on which projects the city should fund. It is a small share of overall municipal spending, but a symbolically significant one, placing budget decisions directly in the hands of the people those decisions affect…