Boston People's Budget

What is a people's budget?

A People’s Budget is the collective vision and demand for how we, the people of Boston, want to spend our tax money.

Normally, Boston’s budget is drafted entirely by the Mayor and then modified and approved by the City Council, with little input from residents. The People’s Budget will be a way to show our leaders how we actually want our money to be spent.

Boston’s People’s Budget is a community-led process in which residents put forward a proposal for the entire city budget that invests in the health, safety, wellness and economic stability of BIPOC, working class communities and divests from harm, policing and extraction.

The People’s Budget is our vision for a Boston where resources go to the people who need them most. It is a demand, not a request. A people’s budget is a tool for measuring the people’s stated needs against where those in power are putting our tax dollars.

THE people's budget survey

The People’s Budget survey was created by the Better Budget Alliance to gather resident needs and hopes for the City of Boston’s budget. In 2025, hundreds of Bostonians completed the survey, responding to questions about community needs and budget priorities. 82% of respondents said they are dissatisfied with current city spending priorities and overwhelmingly called for increased investment in immigration support, affordable housing, and food access.

Survey results were presented at the first People’s Budget Assembly and have been compiled into a full report that is currently being shared with Boston city councilors. This report will help inform how we’ll continue to organize to ensure that Boston’s budget involves resident decision-making and better meets our everyday needs.

our goals

BUILD STRONG COMMUNITY POWER across communities, issues, and movements.
BUILD A BUDGET THAT IS RESPONSIVE to ongoing and emerging community needs.
CREATE A TRANSPARENT, COMMUNITY-LED PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROCESS that advances racial and economic equity.

JOIN US AT THE ASSEMBLY

upcoming events

Take action: we all have a role to play

Boston
residents

Join the People’s Budget Assembly on March 14

Get involved with a working group

Attend actions, hearings and contact your Councilor about People’s Budget priorities

Follow @bba_boston on social media

Community, labor and faith organizations

Host a workshop for your members on the budget!

Join the BBA and connect your existing advocacy/organizing to proposals in the People’s Budget.

Contact the BBA at betterbudgetalliance.org to set up a workshop or learn more.

Mayor Wu and City Councilors

Ensure the FY27 budget reflects the People’s Budget priorities

Sponsor and support budget amendments to invest in priority areas and participatory budgeting and work together to ensure they are passed

Sign the BBA pledge to support the People’s Budget.

CONNECTION TO PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING

How is the people's budget related to participatory budgeting?