Seattle found only one candidate to run the city’s new $30 million participatory budgeting process. They got the job.
The Office of Civil Rights announced that a bid from the national Participatory Budgeting Project advocacy group has been selected to serve as the third-party administrator on the newly formed effort to shape a $30 million package hoped to address inequity by creating a system of more direct control of community spending in Seattle.
“Although we had hoped for more applicants, we were pleased to see a proposal from PBP, who were engaged in the application process and showed a deep understanding and experience with a community led PB process,” the announcement reads.
CHS reported here last summer on the Seattle City Council’s decision to pursue growing the city’s Participatory Budgeting resources under the Office of Civil Rights, breaking a logjam over what department might lead the effort forward.
The initiative was born along with the Black Brilliance Research Project out of 2020’s Black Lives Matter protests in Seattle. The $30 million falls under a $100 million package earmarked to address equity in the city by then-Mayor Jenny Durkan during 2020’s unrest in the city.
In its announcement, the city said the Brooklyn-headquartered Participatory Budgeting Project will align “closely to the Black Brilliance Research Project vision, deeply engaging with local communities, and hiring Seattle personnel.”
“PBP is committed to supporting communities who make decision on how to distribute public money and their aim is to create and support PB processes that deepen democracy, build strong communities, and make public budgets more equitable and effective,” the announcement reads.
The city says a rating panel “made up of community organizers, City and County staff, and were all individuals connected to Black community with diverse ages, sexuality, and gender expressions” signed off on PBP’s selection.
The contract will run through April 2023.
The city calls its effort “one of the largest participatory budgeting undertakings in the nation.”
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Let’s hope this isn’t a massive transfer payment, as was the case with the Black Brilliance Research Project.
I am curious about the Black Brilliance Research Project and the “massive transfer payment.” When did that happen? I know their mission but there is something missing.
Here’s a great summary of the project and some of the issues that were identified. The whole thing was bad stewardship and a great example why taxpayers should not trust this council with their money
https://sccinsight.com/2021/07/29/the-black-brilliance-research-project-beginning-to-end-part-1/
No cronyism or corruption. Nothing to see here.
Nothing like funneling $30M through a non-profit headquartered in Brooklyn NY to achieve “more direct control of community spending in Seattle.” Administration costs and overhead will probably keep 50-60% of that money in NY.
I often think of the Seattle City Council and a bunch of grifters who’s primary goal seems to be funneling tax payer money to special interests and activist that then repay the largess with campaign contributions. However, every once and a while I see a story like this and am reminded that they are all too dumb to be grifters, really they are just the easiest marks in the country.
I think there is a major story here tracking the massive and unprecedented money being funneled from the Seattle City Council to an NGO in Brooklyn nobody has ever heard with no strings attached and no accountability. It is curious that the Socialist Alternative party is also centered in Brooklyn. We need a good investigative journalist to pick up the story.
AGREED! Something smells a little fishy here. I’d do it for free if I knew what I was doing, but alas I don’t, sooo…anyone, anyone?
$30 million is approximately $40 per Seattle resident. How about leaving the $40 in our pockets to make our budget more effective and equitable?
Comrade Khama knows how to spend your money better than you.
Kshama, sorry comrade.