Policymakers’ Perceptions of the Benefits of Citizen-Budgeting Activities

Abstract

Citizen budgeting has become an increasingly common practice in municipalities across the United States. It offers an alternative to traditionally technocratic budgeting processes, and can connect and engage citizens in decisions about services and funding. Little research has been conducted on how local policymakers perceive citizen budgeting and outcomes. This study examined the benefits local policymakers identified following two successive years of a citizen-budgeting process in a mid-sized Midwestern city. Interviews with 23 local policymakers (a mayor, city council members, and city department heads) identified nine types of benefits produced by the citizen-budgeting process. The study demonstrates that identifying perceived benefits of citizen budgeting processes can shed light on the question of the extent to which such budgeting methods are citizen-driven, leader-driven, or a combination of both.

Factors Explaining Government Officials' Perceptions of Citizen Engagement in the Municipal Strategic Planning Process

“…Wang (2001) employs a quantitative survey of municipalities with populations over 50,000 citizens across the United States, and notes that citizen engagement in local government budgeting processes results in positive perceptions for government officials, and an increased ability for city leaders to fulfill public desires. Furthermore, the study's findings conclude that when government officials are involved with citizens in the engagement process, there is an increased level of trust, additional support for policy objectives, successful implementation of policy goals, and the ability to minimize problems within the community for all members involved in the process (Abdel-Monem et al, 2016;Kweit & Kweit, 2007;Lowndes et al, 2001;Wang, 2001). In other words, when citizens and government officials are both involved in the citizen engagement process, this results in constructive outcomes and positive perceptions for all members involved.…”

“…Public policy and administration scholars interested in PPA and government officials' perceptions of citizen engagement have primarily focused on three areas: What citizen and government officials' perceptions mean for public policy outcomes (see Abdel-Monem, et al, 2016;Kweit & Kweit, 2007;Wang, 2001), the difference between citizens' perceptions and government officials' perceptions of the same citizen engagement process (see Goss, 1999;Lowndes et al, 2001;Mariana, 2008;Mohammadi, et al, 2017;Wilfred et al, 1973), and why sometimes citizens just want their perspectives acknowledged instead of implemented (Kweit & Kweit, 2007). Given the limited studies investigating government officials' perceptions of citizen engagement at the municipal level, this is a unique opportunity to fill a gap in the literature.…”

“…The first area scholars have focused on is investigating government officials' and citizen perceptions of the engagement process, and what these perceptions mean for public policy outcomes at the municipal level of government (Abdel-Monem et al, 2016;Kweit & Kweit, 2007;Wang, 2001). The studies used qualitative interviews (see Abdel-Monem et al, 2016;Kweit & Kweit, 2007) with citizens, mayors, city council members, and department heads to better understand methods and processes for citizen engagement.…”

“…Some scholars have argued that government officials should understand that sometimes citizens just want their perceptions heard (see Kweit & Kweit, 2007;King & Stivers, 1998), and citizens should understand that government officials want to control the power and process (Mohammadi, et al, 2017). Other scholars have argued that if both citizens and government officials work together in a process-oriented approach, such collaboration may result in an increased level of trust, additional support for policy objectives, and increased communication between citizens and government officials (Abdel-Monem, Herian, Hoppe, Pytlikzillig, and Tomkins, 2016). Ultimately, citizens and government officials' perceptions can have long-term impacts on public policy outcomes (Goss 1999;Lowndes et al, 2001;Mohammadi, et al, 2017;Wilfred et al, 1973).…”

“…PPA scholarship has increasingly come to embrace citizen engagement as an important democratic practice. However, there is a lack of research that examines government officials' perceptions of citizen engagement at the municipal level of government (Abdel-Monem, Herian, Hoppe, Pytlikzillig, and Tomkins, 2016). Next, I review literature related to strategic planning and citizen engagement (Brody, Godschalk, & Burby, 2003;Bryson, 2011;Hendrick, 2003;Wheeland, 2003).…”