BOSTON (TND) — A Boston city councilor on Tuesday denounced a budgeting process in which residents at least 11 years old can vote on how to spend some public funds.
The participatory budgeting process allows residents to submit project ideas to the Office of Participatory Budgeting, which then reviews and develops them into proposals before putting them on a January ballot. Residents can vote for up to five proposals to receive up to $2 million each in public funds.
Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn, District 2, urged Renato Castelo, director of the Office of Participatory Budgeting, to show Boston is “serious” about fiscal responsibility by reconsidering the process, which also allows 11-year-olds to submit and vote on projects addressing local needs.
“During this time of great fiscal uncertainty … now more than ever, it is critical that we show the taxpayers of Boston that we take our financial responsibilities seriously,” Flynn wrote in a letter. “Allowing children to decide the usage of taxpayer dollars would do just the opposite, and be viewed as tone deaf, unserious, and wholly inappropriate by my constituents.”
Flynn pointed to tax increases as an example of issues the children would be unable to appropriately address.
We’re going to be either potentially raising classification on businesses or residents’ taxpayer money. We’re going to raise property taxes on somebody,” he told Castelo during a hearing for Boston’s 2025 fiscal year budget. “But, is it really necessary to have 11-year-olds voting on the economic stability of the city of Boston?”
Castelo argued in a Tuesday hearing the process is an “exercise in democracy,” citing the city’s “Youth Lead the Change” participatory budgeting initiative that sets aside $1 million for projects proposed by children and young adults.
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“It’s just wonderful to see kids and youth being engaged in some of these decisions,” Castelo said. “Their process, I think, is between 12- and 22-year-olds, so we were trying to take that same reference.”
Castelo’s program formed in 2022 with Mayor Michelle Wu’s approval. It was aimed at promoting direct involvement in the city’s budget while improving public engagement.
“During economic difficult times, sometimes we have to change the rules. And, having 11-year-old kids voting on the city budget, in my opinion, is not appropriate,” Flynn said. “It’s a lot of money for young people to be deciding where taxpayer money is going. I just don’t support that.”
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