In 2013, the city of Vallejo, California, became the first municipality in the United States to adopt a wide participatory budgeting, a process in which citizens decide to vote where a portion of their tax money can be allocated.
It is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the United States and has beautiful landscapes that include spring mountains, and waterfronts.
Measure B was adopted by the city council in 2011 and the major player and driving force behind the project was Councilwoman Marti Brown.
First, thirteen members of local civic organizations were selected by the City to serve on the Steering Committee, the main overseer of the project.
This organization was mandated by the Steering Committee’s Rule Book, a document that laid out the plans and regulations for the PB process.
In an interview with a local newspaper, a seventeen-year old girl commented that she was fascinated by the City’s presentation after having been dragged to the meeting by her father (Semuels, 2014, June 3 2015).
This position enabled them to attend meetings and to work intimately with the Steering Committee to suggest project proposals.