Tue 9/26 @ 6PM
The People’s Budget, a charter amendment to allocate 2% percent of the city’s annual budget to be voted on by the public, will be on the November ballot in the city of Cleveland as Issue 38 after citizens gathered enough signatures to do so. If it passes, ideas will be proposed by city residents and put to a vote to decide which will get funded. The idea, called Participatory Budgeting, has been used in hundreds of cities globally.
It’s strongly opposed by many, including some current members of Cleveland City Council, as a recipe for chaos, expensive and unaccountable. It’s been suggested that, given low voter turnout in regular elections, a very small group of people would decide where city money goes in these irregular elections. Read the case for it here and against it here.
If you’d like to learn more, there will be a debate on the People’s Budget, taking place at Public Hall’s Little Theater. People’s Budget steering committee members Aleena Starks of Ohio Working Families Party and Jonathan Welle of Cleveland Owns will speak in favor, while Cleveland City Councilmember Kris Harsh and strategy consultant Jerry J. Primm II will take the anti side.
Doors are at 5:30; the program begins at 6pm. It’s free and open to all.