Encyklopedia Administracji Publicznej MW Pivot Skin

PARTICIPATORY BUDGET (also known as citizens’ budget) – a form of public participation, → local cohabitation, in which residents of local government units decide on the allocation of part of public funds. The first p.b. was established in 1989 in Porto Alegre (in the relatively wealthy Brazilian region of Rio Grande do Sul) under the banner of increasing the participation of citizens, especially from the poor districts, in public affairs. In Poland, the circulation of p.b. has been taken care of mostly by the → non-governmental organisations. One of the pioneers was the Centre for the Development of Social Initiatives from Rybnik, which from November 2009 to October 2010 realised the project “Two Poles – Different Outskirts of the City, Different Citizens”. The experiment in Rybnik was not initially continued and only in 2013 did the city authorities decide to introduce the p.b.; earlier, in 2011, Sopot became the first city that officially introduced the p.b. The functioning of p.b. is not subject to separate legal regulations – financial autonomy of local government units as a constitutional principle and provisions on → public consultations in the local government’s law are the basis for it. P.b. is formally a type of public consultation, of binding importance for the authorities because of its form. Decisions are made by the inhabitants in the form of a vote: both in the traditional way and in some municipalities via the Internet, the inhabitants vote for the most interesting/important projects, previously submitted by the members of the → local community. Various procedures may be adapted for the vote, adjusted to the local conditions, e.g., some local government units may allow the participation of minors, votes can be cast separately for small-district and large-city projects, etc. (→ participatory democracy) [ M. Sidor ].

Literature: Participatory budgeting. Public sector governance and accountability series, ed. A. Shah, Washington 2007 ■ M. Sidor, Budżet partycypacyjny – doświadczenia największych polskich miast [Participatory budget – the experience of the largest Polish cities], [in:] Miasta – społeczne aspekty funkcjonowania [Cities – social aspects of functioning], ed. K. Kuć-Czajkowska, M. Sidor, Lublin 2014.