Seattle Office for Civil Rights announces community members can vote to decide how $27.25 million of the City of Seattle budget will be allocated
Seattle, WA – As the historic Participatory Budgeting (PB) process comes to a close, the Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR) and third-party administrators Participatory Budgeting Project (PBP) acknowledge and appreciate all the work the broader Seattle community has graciously offered to arrive at this point. This includes community members and groups that advocated for this major City investment in truly safe, healthy, and thriving community-driven solutions equaling $27.25 million. The PB process has been designed and led by communities that are often not included in critical decisions impacting their lives. SOCR and PBP thank them for their time and engagement.
To ensure that the PB process was genuinely community-driven, it moved at the pace of community. Intentional vetting and feasibility assessments of community-developed proposals were prioritized, leading to delays in the timeline. SOCR is grateful to the community for their patience and continued diligence during one of the largest participatory budgeting programs in the United States.
SOCR and PBP look forward to hearing from community members as they vote for their preferred proposals from October 10th to November 12th. In mid-November, PBP will announce the winning proposals, and in January 2024, the Seattle City Council will put forward standalone legislation appropriating the $27.25 million to the City departments implementing the proposals.
Seattle community members can visit PBSeattle.org link to vote and keep updated on PB events. Any person age 15 or above who lives, works, or plays in Seattle is eligible to vote. Voting is open from October 10th to November 12th.
Derrick Wheeler-Smith, Director, SOCR:
“It’s in the spirit of unity, participation, and progress that we will fund projects that reflect the voices of our community, making our shared dreams a tangible reality.”
About the Seattle Office for Civil Rights
The Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR) works to advance civil rights and end barriers to equity. SOCR enforces laws against illegal discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and contracting within Seattle city limits. SOCR leads the Race & Social Justice Initiative, a citywide effort to end institutional racism in City government and to achieve racial equity across our community.
