REIMAGINE Public Budgets
when We reimagine public budgets…
We imagine a future where public budgets are moral documents in service of equity and the common good. As part of this, we envision on-going and robust investments in our communities-- specifically Black, Indigenous, and communities of color who have been historically oppressed,marginalized, criminalized, under-resourced and discriminated against in our systems. We imagine fully-resourced public institutions and systems that ensure everyone has the freedom to thrive and operate with transparency, accountability and equity. We imagine that elements of common infrastructure -- including internet access, basic utilities, quality public education -- are accessible to everyone and remain under the auspices of public-decision making because they contribute to shared success and prosperity. We imagine a world where public dollars are raised and spent in service of the public good. We imagine significant engagement from the federal government to provide local and state governments the support they need to ensure solvency and vitality.
Today, it is more critical than ever for us as a society to recognize that public budgets are moral documents. In a time with falling state and local revenue, localities are focused on raising progressive revenue and ensuring that our most vulnerable communities are our highest priority. For decades localities have increased budget allocations for policing, incarceration, and other punitive systems. We must reverse this pattern, repair harm, and invest in the services and supports our communities need to be safe and thrive. As federal assistance programs carve out our most vulnerable, localities are stepping up to make sure essential workers — who are largely Black and Brown — are able to afford food and shelter. And in some places, as money flows from city agencies to community investments, many local governments are making these critical funding decisions in response to participatory budgeting processes that center residents’ voices.
Here are ten examples of the work already being done, laying the foundation for a more just and equitable future:
the work continues.
As we continue this work, we must continue asking ourselves the hard questions and pushing ourselves to answer them.
Our framework seeks to answer these questions and pushes us to continue asking ourselves about what we want our future to look like:
How can we center racial equity and increase investments in vital services and infrastructure that serve and support our most vulnerable communities, even as we face increasing pressure to implement austerity measures?
How can we reduce expenditures and regressive revenue sources that do not serve our communities, including ones driven by failed strategies of over-policing and mass incarceration, immigration enforcement, privatization, and corporate tax subsidies?
How can we raise revenue for local governments to provide and expand essential services in ways that reflect a commitment to equity and justice?
How can we manage the finances and budgets of cities, counties, school districts, and other local governments to promote the common good?
How can we change the budgeting processes to increase accountability, transparency, equity, and community participation?
additional resources
Public policy can be a tool for advancing equity and justice. Here are additional resources from the Local Progress policy book that address a range of ideas and issues that are essential for creating thriving communities:
KEEP EXPLORING
Dare to Reimagine showcases more than 50 policy wins and organizing efforts across 22 states and DC that are moving us towards a more just and equitable future.