BOSTON – Here’s a million-dollar question: Should high school students have a say in how your tax dollars are spent?
What is Youth Lead the Change?
In 2014, Boston became the first city in the country to launch the Youth Lead the Change initiative, giving young people ages 12 to 22 real power to decide how to spend $1 million of the city’s budget.
“A lot of times, kids aren’t involved in really big decisions that could affect them,” 12-year-old Maryam Herrera told WBZ-TV as she filled out her youth ballot.
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The initiative allows young people to vote on projects that will renovate homeless shelters, expand free Wi-Fi in public spaces, improve the streets of Boston’s Chinatown, among other ideas created by children.
“I think many adults underestimate a child’s interest in this. This is very important and interesting, and I like to do this,” says 14-year-old Suhaylah Herrera.
Ed Flynn wants the initiative to end
Boston Councilman Ed Flynn wants the initiative to end. “No offense to the kids of Boston, but I just don’t think they should be making these decisions,” he said.
Councilman Flynn added that during tough economic times, every tax dollar counts.
“Giving children the opportunity to vote on different aspects of the budget, in my opinion, does not demonstrate that we are serious about our finances,” Flynn said from Boston City Hall.
It’s a position the Herrera sisters say is a bit unfair.
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“The kids here are also citizens of Boston, so they should have a say in how they’re going to use the money,” Maryam says.
Polls are open online and in person if you can find a green youth ballot box. The two projects with the most votes will split the $1 million in funding.
And while young people have been dreaming up these ballot initiatives for about a decade, Flynn believes they can practice civic engagement in other ways that don’t require any actual money. “It’s not helpful, it’s not practical,” Flynn said.
