Sep 20, 2016 2 min read Announcements

Participatory Budgeting Assembly Next Week At Kensington’s PS 230

participatory budgeting 2 — Participatory budgeting in action. (Photo: Ditmas Park Corner)

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 three 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.

Find out who your City Council Member is here.

The PB assembly for Kensington / Council 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.

What is Participatory Budgeting? from PBP on Vimeo.

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.