Cambridge City HallPhoto: Madison Rogers/WBZ NewsRadio
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Government truly is a participatory sport in Cambridge where city residents are deciding how to divvy up a million dollars of the city budget.
This is the eleventh year that Cambridge residents compiled a list of worthy proposals to be funded.
Those ideas are now being whittled down to the top 20 that will split a million dollars.
Melissa Liu is Cambridge's Participatory Budgeting and Engagement Coordinator.
She said this year's ideas to improve the city run the gamut. "From submersible wheelchairs for the Gold Star Pool, to EV chargers, to funding to support high school clubs," Liu said.
Boston just started its own version of participatory budgeting.
Cambridge has been at it for more than a decade starting the participatory process back when Liu was in middle school. "I distinctly remember having a chance to vote, and the impact I think it has on our young people in Cambridge... it's pretty incredible."
What started as about 1,300 suggestions, there are now 20 contenders to split the budget cash.
Voting to determine the top 20 city improvement ideas is now underway until Mar.16.
Cambridge residents 12 years and older are eligible to vote in person or online.
WBZ NewsRadio's Madison Rogers (@MadisonWBZ) reports.