At the first public comment session of 2023, supporters of Participatory Budgeting Cleveland stepped up to the microphone in City Council chambers to support a process that would give residents a say in city spending on some community projects. Legislation for the pilot program was introduced and will be considered by council.
The Public Comment CLE website has all of the week’s comments and transcripts, edited by Cleveland Documenter Carolyn Cooper. Read more about the meeting, which was covered by Documenters Yorel Warr and Chau Tang.
Register to make a public comment or learn more about the process in our guide to public comment at Cleveland City Council.
Participatory budgeting
Ayat Amin, a Ward 3 resident, talked about her parents, who didn’t have a say in their government before they became U.S. citizens. If a process such as participatory budgeting had existed, they could have had a voice. Her mother may have asked for more trees on her street because her brother had asthma. Her father might have worked with neighbors to bring more Halal food options to the area.
And that [is] really the beauty of participatory budgeting. It include[s]new people to participate in our government. Immigrants like my parents, high schoolers, folks with unstable housing.”
Ayat Amin, Ward 3
Karim Ragab, of Ward 4, said he had recently learned about participatory budgeting and had been apathetic to politics but liked the idea of young people having a say and being able to propose ideas to make their city better.
My work is a teacher in my day job. And I think it’d be cool as a teacher to do a project where, you know, kids could think about their communities in a critical way. And like think about problem solving and things that could benefit them and their parents. And their uncles and aunts. And their community.”
Karim Ragab, Ward 4
George Hrbek of Ward 3 told council members that participatory budgeting is in keeping with council’s commitment to involve people in making decisions that impact their own lives. He said it would also increase participation in civic life and potentially boost voter turnout.
So what I hope, we’re not afraid of the people. Are we afraid of the people? I don’t think you’re afraid of the people. And do we really believe, do we really believe that this is a city of the people, and by the people, and for the people? Do we really believe that this is a city of the people, by the people and for the people? And if so, that we’re all going to get behind participatory budgeting.”
George Hrbek, Ward 3