Participatory Budgeting Assembly Meets Thursday At Park Slope Library

The participatory budgeting process gives New Yorkers the power to decide how to spend tax dollars in our neighborhoods.

Every year, the participatory budgeting (PB) process begins with an idea collection phase, which is facilitated by our local City Council members. If you are a resident of Councilmember Brad Lander’s district, come learn more about PB next week, find out how you can get involved in the process, and submit your idea for a project at one of two upcoming neighborhood assemblies.

Last Spring, residents of the 39th (Brad Lander), 40th (Mathieu Eugene), 44th (David Greenfield), and 45th (Jumaane Williams) Council districts voted directly for a wide variety of capital projects proposed by their neighbors, and decided how to spend at least 1 million dollars of their local Council Member’s discretionary funds.

Lander has actively engaged in the process for five years. Projects which won this past year include the new “Lake Mess Monster,” an Aquatic Weed Harvester ($140,000), Teen Space at Carroll Gardens Library ($350,000), “Mobile Studios” for Artists and Orgs in Gowanus ($150,000), and Curb Extension & Safer Crossing in Carroll Park ($150,000).

In addition, the Park Slope Library Reading Circle and Storytelling Garden — including literary details like a storytelling amphitheater and a statue of the children’s book character Knuffle Bunny — is in the works because of PBNYC funding.

Find out who your City Council Member is here.

Our neighborhood’s PB assembly for District 39 will be held at Park Slope Library on Thursday, September 22
6:30 pm
431 6th Avenue at 9th Street
RSVP for the Assembly at Park Slope Library here.

The next PB assembly for District 39 will be held at PS 230 on Wednesday, September 28.
6:30 pm
1 Albemarle Road (between Dahill Road and McDonald Avenue)
RSVP for the Assembly at PS 230 here.

Any resident of District 39 who is age 14 and older can vote in PB – even if you are not a registered voter. All you need is an ID (license, passport, IDNYC), a utility bill, or some other document stating your name and address.

Here’s how the PB process works:

1.) You and your neighbors come up with ideas for projects that will help our schools, libraries, parks, streets, and other shared spaces.

2.) Neighbors and elected officials work together to research the feasibility and need for each project, and finalize a list of projects to put on the ballot.

3.) A public vote is held on the projects in the Spring, and the community decides which ones will be funded.

Tens of thousands of New Yorkers voted this Spring on how to spend public dollars via Participatory Budgeting — the highest turnout ever. This year, 32 City Council districts are participating, up from just four when PB started six years ago.

What is Participatory Budgeting? from PBP on Vimeo.

Additional Reporting by Donny Levit.