Dear Mayor Wu and Boston City Councilors, As community, business, non-profit, political and faith leaders across Boston, we call on our elected officials to devote at least $40 million (-1%) of Boston's tax dollars to the City's new Participatory Budgeting (PB) process. As you know, in 2021, Boston voters overwhelmingly approved Question 1. This reformed our city constitution to establish an Office of Participatory Budgeting and give all Bostonians a right to vote on a portion of our budget. In participatory budgeting, neighbors talk to each other about our biggest problems and create real proposals to solve them together. Then we can review and vote to fund the ideas that best reflect our dreams for our city. From New York to London to Barcelona, PB is practiced in major cities around the world. In Paris, 5.0% of the city budget is controlled by the people. And in fact, since 2013, the late Mayor Menino established PB for Boston's youth, who receive $1 million per year to decide how to spend. Disappointingly, Mayor Wu's draft budget proposal only gives $2 million for the entirety of our city to use for PB. This is less than 0.05% of Boston's annual operating budget, and falls gravely short of the expectations of voters. Across the globe, PB processes without meaningful funding result in depressed engagement and turnout. June 5, 2023 Given Boston's history of racial and ethnic exclusion, PB has the promise of being an inclusive and equalizing force to better meet the needs of all of our communities. As our elected officials, we implore you to honor the will of the voters and meaningfully fund Boston's Participatory Budgeting process this year. We envision a city where decisions are made for and by the people, and Boston becomes a national beacon for robust local democracy. Sincerely, Aaron Tanaka, Executive Director, Center for Economic Democracy Andrea James, Founder, Families for Justice as Healing Founder and Executive Director of The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls Angela Williams Mitchell, President, Boston Jobs Coalition Anna Leslie, Executive Director, Allston Brighton Health Collaborative Betty Francisco, CEO, Boston Impact Initiative Carolyn Chou, Co-Executive Director, Asian American Resource Workshop Deborah Frieze, Founder and President, Boston Impact Initiative Elaine Ng, President & CEO, Third Sector New England Enid Eckstein, Community leader, PILOT coalition organizer Exy Love, Lead Coordinator, Neighbors United for a Better East Boston Eric Esteves Dwaign Tyndal, Executive Director, Alterna tives for Community and Environment Gabriel Camacho, Political Director, UFCW Local 1445 George Lee, Noica Verdien, Khalil Howe Youth Justice and Power Union Harry Smith, Community leader Irene Li, CEO and Cofounder, Mei Mei Dumplings, Prest Jeff Gang. Interim Executive Director, Boston Cyclists Union Jessica Tang, President, Boston Teachers Union John Smith, Executive Director, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative Juan Leyton, Community leader Justin Stell, Associate Professor, MIT Kalila Barnett, Community leader Karen Chen, Executive Director, Chinese Progressice Association Kelly Bates, Activist Ketarah Brewster, Executive Director, I Have a Future Khalida Smalls, Board Member Center for Economic Democracy Lee Matunda, Executive Director, Community Labor United Maria Jobin Leeds, Guillermo Quinteros Partnership for Democracy and Education Mike Leyba, Co-Executive Director, City Life/Vida Urbana Mimi Ramos, Executive Director, New England United for Justice Nia Evans, Executive Director Boston Ujima Project Pamela Leins, Co-Owner Cut Barbershop Executive Director, Boston Education Fund (BEDF) Penn Loh, Senior Lecturer and Director of Community Practice, Tufts University Rita Lara, Kaylee Aguilar, Maverick Landing Community Services Samuel Gebru, Managing Director, Black Lion Strategies Shanique Spalding, Executive Director, Massachusetts Vater Table Shavelle Olivier, Executive Director Mattapan Food and Fitness Sonia Kowal, President, Zevin Asset Management Stacy Thompson, Executive Director Livable Streets Alliance Vicki DiLorenzo, Executive Director, Right to the City Boston Vetto Casado, Assistant Director of Programs, The Boston Foundation ABBA BETTER BUDGET ALLIANCE Dear Mayor Wu and Boston City Councilors , As community , business , non - profit , political and faith leaders across Boston , we call on our elected officials to devote at least $ 40 million ( -1 % ) of Boston's tax dollars to the City's new Participatory Budgeting ( PB ) process . As you know , in 2021 , Boston voters overwhelmingly approved Question 1. This reformed our city constitution to establish an Office of Participatory Budgeting and give all Bostonians a right to vote on a portion of our budget . In participatory budgeting , neighbors talk to each other about our biggest problems and create real proposals to solve them together . Then we can review and vote to fund the ideas that best reflect our dreams for our city . From New York to London to Barcelona , PB is practiced in major cities around the world . In Paris , 5.0 % of the city budget is controlled by the people . And in fact , since 2013 , the late Mayor Menino established PB for Boston's youth , who receive $ 1 million per year to decide how to spend . Disappointingly , Mayor Wu's draft budget proposal only gives $ 2 million for the entirety of our city to use for PB . This is less than 0.05 % of Boston's annual operating budget , and falls gravely short of the expectations of voters . Across the globe , PB processes without meaningful funding result in depressed engagement and turnout . June 5 , 2023 Given Boston's history of racial and ethnic exclusion , PB has the promise of being an inclusive and equalizing force to better meet the needs of all of our communities . As our elected officials , we implore you to honor the will of the voters and meaningfully fund Boston's Participatory Budgeting process this year . We envision a city where decisions are made for and by the people , and Boston becomes a national beacon for robust local democracy . Sincerely , Aaron Tanaka , Executive Director , Center for Economic Democracy Andrea James , Founder , Families for Justice as Healing Founder and Executive Director of The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls Angela Williams Mitchell , President , Boston Jobs Coalition Anna Leslie , Executive Director , Allston Brighton Health Collaborative Betty Francisco , CEO , Boston Impact Initiative Carolyn Chou , Co - Executive Director , Asian American Resource Workshop Deborah Frieze , Founder and President , Boston Impact Initiative Elaine Ng , President & CEO , Third Sector New England Enid Eckstein , Community leader , PILOT coalition organizer Exy Love , Lead Coordinator , Neighbors United for a Better East Boston Eric Esteves Dwaign Tyndal , Executive Director , Alterna tives for Community and Environment Gabriel Camacho , Political Director , UFCW Local 1445 George Lee , Noica Verdien , Khalil Howe Youth Justice and Power Union Harry Smith , Community leader Irene Li , CEO and Cofounder , Mei Mei Dumplings , Prest Jeff Gang . Interim Executive Director , Boston Cyclists Union Jessica Tang , President , Boston Teachers Union John Smith , Executive Director , Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative Juan Leyton , Community leader Justin Stell , Associate Professor , MIT Kalila Barnett , Community leader Karen Chen , Executive Director , Chinese Progressice Association Kelly Bates , Activist Ketarah Brewster , Executive Director , I Have a Future Khalida Smalls , Board Member Center for Economic Democracy Lee Matunda , Executive Director , Community Labor United Maria Jobin Leeds , Guillermo Quinteros Partnership for Democracy and Education Mike Leyba , Co - Executive Director , City Life / Vida Urbana Mimi Ramos , Executive Director , New England United for Justice Nia Evans , Executive Director Boston Ujima Project Pamela Leins , Co - Owner Cut Barbershop Executive Director , Boston Education Fund ( BEDF ) Penn Loh , Senior Lecturer and Director of Community Practice , Tufts University Rita Lara , Kaylee Aguilar , Maverick Landing Community Services Samuel Gebru , Managing Director , Black Lion Strategies Shanique Spalding , Executive Director , Massachusetts Vater Table Shavelle Olivier , Executive Director Mattapan Food and Fitness Sonia Kowal , President , Zevin Asset Management Stacy Thompson , Executive Director Livable Streets Alliance Vicki DiLorenzo , Executive Director , Right to the City Boston Vetto Casado , Assistant Director of Programs , The Boston Foundation ABBA BETTER BUDGET ALLIANCE