Government Consults Citizens on Investing 1,700 Million Pesos in Water and Education Projects
Guadalajara, Jalisco. The state government initiated the consultation process on Wednesday to allow residents from Jalisco’s 12 regions to decide how to allocate up to 1,700 million pesos in water and education projects.
Governor Pablo Lemus Emphasizes Direct Citizen Involvement
“The decisions regarding this budget within the Fideicomiso Fondo para la Infraestructura Educativa del Estado de Jalisco (FINEDUC) should be made by the girls, boys, and truly interested individuals,” stated Governor Pablo Lemus.
This unique state-level mechanism enables direct citizen participation in setting priorities and guiding public resources.
The First Statewide Participatory Budgeting (PAP) in Mexico
The Participatory Open Budget (PAP) 2026 for Jalisco is the first of its kind at the state level in Mexico, aiming to strengthen social responsibility and collective decision-making.
The PAP consists of three phases: citizen consultation, co-design, and social oversight. This ensures that participation extends beyond mere opinions to tangible decisions, monitoring, and concrete results.
Consultation Process Details
The citizen consultation, which began on February 4, will conclude on March 20. Participants can engage virtually through decidejalisco.mx or in-person via 12 mobile kiosks visiting all 12 regions of the state.
Secretary Cynthia Cantero Pacheco Highlights New Era of Participation
“Today, we embark on a new phase of open governance, a participatory process that advances from diagnosis to action. Our goal is to co-create the best public spaces, increase opportunities, and improve living conditions,” said Cynthia Cantero Pacheco, Secretary of Planning and Citizen Participation.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the Jalisco Participatory Open Budget (PAP)? It’s the first statewide participatory budgeting initiative in Mexico, allowing citizens to directly influence the allocation of 1,700 million pesos in water and education projects.
- What are the three phases of PAP? The three phases are citizen consultation, co-design, and social oversight. These phases ensure that public input translates into decisions, monitoring, and concrete outcomes.
- When and how can citizens participate? The consultation began on February 4 and concludes on March 20. Participants can engage virtually at decidejalisco.mx or in-person through mobile kiosks visiting all 12 regions.
- Who initiated this process? Governor Pablo Lemus and Secretary Cynthia Cantero Pacheco launched this initiative to promote citizen involvement in public resource allocation.
