Listen Up, Councilman Eugene! Neighbors Call On Lawmaker To Change Stance On Participatory Budgeting

A group of neighbors have a message for Councilman Mathieu Eugene: it’s time to change your stance on participatory budgeting.

The neighbors — William Cerf, Anthony Finkel, Sarah Garvey, and Carmen Mason Browne — announced at last night’s Community Board 14 meeting that their new group, named The Residents of District 40 For Participatory Budgeting, has officially launched. Now, the members are signing up other neighbors to help them push for participatory budgeting, a city program that allows residents to directly vote on $1 million to $1.5 million in projects they’d like to see funded in their Council district (so, for example, legislators have funded projects like air conditioning in schools, computers at libraries, renovations at parks, and so on).

“We’re looking for people to join our team,” Browne told us after the meeting. “This really builds community.”

Participatory budgeting isn’t mandatory for City Council members, but plenty of lawmakers have jumped on board — this year, 24 Council members (nearly half of the City Council) are involved in it, including our area’s Council Members Jumaane Williams and Brad Lander.

However, Councilman Mathieu Eugene, who represents much of our neighborhood, is not involved in the participatory budgeting process — something which residents have long lamented as a problem.

We reached out to Eugene’s office this morning in regards to this issue but have yet to hear back from them.

If you’re interested in getting involved in The Residents of District 40 For Participatory Budgeting, you can email Carmen at masonbrowne@mac.com.