Towards a “PB+” Leveraging Participatory Budgeting to Amplify Impact and Mass Governance

Abstract

This memo argues that the Mamdani administration should retool New York City’s participatory budgeting from a scattered, small-dollar program into “PB+”: a central instrument for mass governance and “campaigning from government.” It contends that while existing PB has demonstrated genuine democratic promise, including expanding participation and strengthening subsequent electoral engagement, it has been constrained by limited resources, inconsistent executive support since the 2018 Charter changes, and a narrow project menu that encourages residents to “think small.” PB+ would connect PB cycles to the larger city budget and major policy fights, using the process to identify neglected infrastructure needs, convert unmet basic demands into coordinated public campaigns, and expand the public imagination toward climate, equity, and solidarity investments. To deliver PB+ at scale, the memo calls for strengthening the Office of Civic Engagement and the Civic Engagement Commission to set citywide standards, coordinate agencies, and shift PB from gatekeeping toward shared decision-making, supported by serious evaluation and more flexible rules on eligibility and outreach.