Lake View Helps Spend $1 Million of Ward’s Money

Lake View residents of Ald. James Cappleman’s (46^th) ward on the north side of the neighborhood gathered Wednesday night at Anshe Emet Synagogue to brainstorm how to spend more than $1 million in funds.

It’s called participatory budgeting, and it’s something new not only to Chicago, but the United States. According to ward officials, Ald. Joe Moore of the 49^th Ward in Rogers Park was the first to implement the program where residents decide how to spend their tax dollars.

Now, three years and three success stories later, Cappleman wants to join Moore in the participatory budgeting phenomenon. He and Moore, along with aldermen in the 45^th and 5^th ward, are asking residents to decide what capital improvement plans they’d like to fund.

“My first year in office I was shocked and stunned by the process that is used to determine which streets and alleys need repaving,” Cappleman said. “…The process was extremely inefficient and just a guess, so I wanted a process that would hear from people that have eyes on the streets, and that’s residents. You have a better idea of what the issues are than I ever could.”

The meeting at Anshe Emet in Lake View was the first of many where residents will brainstorm and plan where to spend money in the ward. The process, which goes until May of 2013, ends with a vote where anyone 16 or older in the 46^th ward can vote on how to spend their money.

"You have a better idea of what the issues are than I ever could.”

In years past, the 49^th ward has voted to spend almost $200,000 on new bike lanes, $150,000 on sidewalk repair, and $75,000 to plant more than 100 trees in parks, among other things.

But some residents at the meeting were skeptical. Who wants to rally and plan for almost eight months to get potholes filled or new lighting installed, some wondered? However, project organizer Maria Hadden says you’d be surprised.

“You might be skeptical about peoples’ willingness to do this, but time and time again it happens,” Hadden explained. “… It’s proven over the years that people look at real needs and make smart decisions (about how to spend the money).”

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Although there’s technically $1.32 million in the alderman’s menu funds, or discretionary money, the alderman put a cap on planning for just $1 million as to not accidentally run over. In addition, after a resident questioned why the ward couldn’t simply help to reduce the deficit by giving the money back, Hadden said it's not that easy. This is bond money, meaning the ward has to spend it.

After breaking into small groups to brainstorm, common issues arose like more lighting and security, and more bike paths.

And while this was just the first step in the process, organizers urged residents to attend the upcoming meeting at Thorek Hospital on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. To make the process a community effort, and to spend the money wisely, everyone’s voice must be heard.

For more information on upcoming meetings and the participatory budgeting process, visit the group’s website.  

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