Democracia no orçamento público em Fortaleza: uma avaliação do ciclo de planejamento participativo (2016 - 2023)

Abstract

This dissertation evaluates the participatory public policy known as the Participatory Budget, which in the municipality of Fortaleza is currently referred to as the Participatory Planning Cycle of Fortaleza. This policy allows residents to annually contribute to and vote on proposals deemed priorities for their region, which may be incorporated into the Annual Budget Law (LOA) of the following year. The main objective of this evaluative research is to assess how the methodology of the Participatory Planning Cycle functions as a tool for promoting democratic management within the municipal budgeting process in Fortaleza. Employing Rodrigues's (2008) In-Depth Evaluation model and engaging with Raul Lejano's (2012) post constructivist counter-hegemonic paradigm, the study evaluates the policy through four dimensions: policy content, institutional trajectory, temporal and territorial scope, and context analysis of formulation, as well as the experiences of various stakeholders. Methodologically, the study is designed as a case study with no intention of generalization, following a bibliographic review, document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and systematic observation. To derive meanings from the collected data, a logical chain of evidence strategy was utilized (Gil, 2009). The evaluation found that the Participatory Planning Cycle methodology faces challenges due to abandonment by both the government and the public, who perceive a lack of tangible results. Budgetary complexity is a significant barrier, necessitating simplification and the use of technology to enhance engagement. Strengthening participation requires promoting social inclusion at various stages of the budgeting cycle, training participants, removing terminological obstacles, and leveraging technology for more comprehensive and effective interaction.