Make It Make Cents: District 6 Activates Participatory Budgeting

by Kai Warrior

City Councilor Nichole Rogers has brought Albuquerque into the world of Participatory Budgeting, a.k.a. PB. Participatory Budgeting started in 1989 in Porto Alegre, Brazil when its Leftist working-class party asked everyday people to decide how some city money should be spent. This Democratic, community-led process can now be found across the globe as well as right here in District 6.

Puttin’ $1.5M to Work

Since October 2024, Rogers and her team have met with community members and organizations across District 6, asking what they think should be done with $1.5 million recently allocated by the city. Within these meetings, residents also come to realize how little $1.5 million adds up to in the grand scheme of things.

Wish List for the ’Hood

For example, $1.5 million could fund one block of ADA-accessible sidewalk ($200,000), a public restroom ($800,000), and a playground renovation ($500,000). Or, if spread out differently, it could pay for two parks with trees and five shade structures ($240,500), 20 water bottle-filling fountains ($240,000), one road sign in a neighborhood ($7,500), one solar panel-street light ($11,000), and one half-mile of complete street repaving for four lanes of traffic ($1 million).

Future Squad Goals

District 6’s last Project Refinement Meeting was held Jan. 9 and resulted in final project proposals. Community came out to share stories and ideas and sort through over 240 submissions, regrouping and rerouting those into 16 proposals. Rogers takes pride in the team that stands alongside her, consisting of city employees and volunteer Budget Delegators and Steering Committee Members. Regardless of their titles, the team is full of people who want to create a better life for themselves and their neighbors.

A “One-Stop Shop”?

Current UNM student Brenyn Dils serves as a District 6 Steering Committee Member. Born and raised in the International District, Dils witnessed various injustices plaguing this community and saw PB as an opportunity to give back. Dils’ favorite idea proposed at the latest meeting was a “One-Stop Shop.” The current iteration of that idea is to provide a bench where people can rest or lay down that has: a phone charging station / emergency safety box / streetlight pole (similar to those on UNM campus); first aid supplies provided by Albuquerque Community Safety; showering / washing stations; and access to fresh and nonperishable foods.

PB’s Ripple Effect

For now, Rogers is the only Councilor implementing the Participatory Budgeting strategy in Albuquerque but she believes others are becoming interested in the idea. The final words Rogers shared with UpLift Chronicles revolved around her hope that city leaders and residents living in ivory towers will join these conversations. Rogers says that Mayor Tim Keller has $174 million in the capital budget that he can allocate and disperse through Participatory Budgeting. What Rogers can do with $1.5 million may be just a drop in the bucket, but she believes there’s bound to be a ripple effect. Learn more at pbabq.org.