Shifting Priorities

Participatory Budgeting in New York City is Associated with Increased Investments in Schools, Street and Traffic Improvements, and Public Housing

Datos Bibliográficos

ID6308355
AutoresCarolin Hagelskamp (0000-0002-2640-7015, Berlin School of Economics and Law, autor de correspondencia), Rebecca Silliman (Public Agenda, New York City, NY, USA), Rebecca A Silliman (0000-0001-9958-8403, Public Agenda), Erin B Godfrey (0000-0001-8073-6824, Applied Psychology, New York University, New York City, NY, USA), David Schleifer (0000-0002-7341-6897, Public Agenda, New York City, NY, USA)
Año2020
Volumen42
Número2
Páginas171-196
Fecha de publicación2020-06-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaNew Political Science (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0739-3148 • E-ISSN: 1469-9931
EditorialDuke University Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1080/07393148.2020.1773689
OpenAlexW3042865402
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas10

In participatory budgeting (PB), residents instead of public officials decide how public money is spent. PB may reveal that residents prioritize different investments than public officials, which could lead to more socially just spending. However, little research has examined whether and how PB shifts spending priorities. This study leverages publicly available records on New York City council districts’ capital project allocations over ten years (2009 through 2018), comparing spending within and across PB and non-PB districts. Multi-level regression models show that, on average, when council districts adopted PB, greater proportions of their discretionary capital budgets were allocated to schools, streets and traffic improvements, and public housing. PB was associated with decreases in spending on parks and recreation projects and housing preservation and development projects. The article shows that priorities shift when residents are directly involved in budgeting. Implications for equity and community well-being, and directions for future research are discussed

Business · Capital expenditure · Citizen journalism · Economic growth · Economics · Equity (law · Participatory budgeting · Political science · Politics · Recreation · Revenue · Local Government Finance and Decentralization · Public Administration · Public Policy and Administration Research · Finance