Community Controlled Budget

Budgets are the clearest expression of a government's priorities.

Too often, those priorities are decided behind closed doors, with little connection to public will.

 

The Community Controlled Budget (CCB) changes that—by giving citizens direct, continuous influence over how discretionary public funds are allocated.

CCB operates year-round, offering every resident a personal "share" of the discretionary budget to allocate across departments, programs, and special initiatives. Unlike traditional participatory budgeting efforts limited to one-off projects or tiny percentages of funds, CCB ties real money to real decisions, at scale.

 

How CCB Works

 

Personal Budget Shares

Every verified resident receives a virtual "share" representing a portion of the community’s discretionary spending. Using a live dashboard, citizens can allocate their share across service categories, capital projects, and special initiatives.

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Baseline Protections for Critical Services

Core operations like emergency services, essential maintenance, and mandated functions are funded first through a baseline budget. Citizens can influence discretionary enhancements, expansions, or cuts—but no essential functions are left to chance.

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Live Allocation and Feedback

Allocations update live. Departments, programs, and projects can track public support in real time. Funding levels shift dynamically as citizens adjust their shares, creating a continuous feedback loop between the public and public services.

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Annual Budget Snapshots

At the end of each fiscal year cycle, a snapshot is taken of the public’s final allocations. The official budget reflects these preferences within structural limits. Departments that receive broad support are empowered to expand; those that fall behind are expected to justify their value or adapt.

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Cascading Overflow Mechanism

If any category is significantly over- or under-allocated relative to operational needs, CCB’s cascading overflow logic redistributes limited funds toward maintaining basic functionality—ensuring stability without silencing public intent.

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Citizen Audit and Flagging

Any citizen can flag specific line items, departments, or projects for review. Flags do not freeze spending but trigger internal audits and public transparency reports, keeping public services visible, accountable, and competitive.

 

What CCB Creates

• True Public Influence: Citizens drive real budgeting priorities, not just comment after the fact.

• Departmental Accountability: Agencies must earn discretionary support through excellence, not politics.

• Continuous Engagement: Budgeting is a year-round conversation, not a once-a-decade fight.

• Transparent Operations: Spending, allocations, and departmental performance are fully visible to the public.

• Protected Stability: Core services are shielded from chaos through baseline budgets and overflow safeguards.

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Why CCB Matters

Budgets are how governments speak.
CCB gives communities the ability to answer back.

It does not destroy public services—it strengthens them by aligning them more closely with the people they exist to serve.
It does not politicize daily operations—it insulates them from hidden politics by making allocations explicit, transparent, and public.
And it does not create chaos—it transforms budgeting from a passive event into an active, continuous relationship between citizens and the services they fund.

CCB makes the community the primary stakeholder in its own future—not an observer, not a passive taxpayer, but an active allocator of resources and priorities.