Today Is The Deadline To Submit Ideas Online For Participatory Budgeting — Extensions for Districts 40, 44 & 45

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 participating City Council members, like the 40th District’s Mathieu Eugene. Each participating Councilmember allocates at least $1 million from their individual budget, which is awarded to projects decided upon by the whole community.

Do you have ideas for projects in our community that could be funded via PB? Please submit your ideas here by midnight today — September 30th. Council Members Mathieu Eugene (District 40), David Greenfield (District 44) and Jumaane D. Williams (District 45) will be accepting submissions after the online deadline.

District 39 (Windsor Terrace, Kensington, and Borough Park): Kensington neighbors were invited to partake in several local neighborhood assemblies, the final meeting took place on Wednesday, September 28 at P.S. 230. If you missed the meetings you can still provide your input for projects in our community that could be funded via PB. Please submit your ideas here by tonight— September 30.

District 40 (Ditmas Park, Kensington, Prospect-Lefferts; parts of Flatbush and East Flatbush): Council Member Mathieu Eugene will be accepting submissions after September 30. To submit your ideas, attend one of the three neighborhood assembly meetings planned for District 40, or call Eugene’s office at (718) 287-8762 for more info on how to submit online.

PB Neighborhood Assemblies for District 40:
When: October 5, from 6:30pm to 9pm.
Where: Public school 339 at 2707 Albermarle Road.or

When: October 13 from 6:30pm to 9pm.
Where: Public School 92, 601 Parkside Avenue.

When: Sunday, October 16 from 5 to 7:30pm.
Where: Royal Community Center at 818 Coney Island Avenue.

District 44 (Parts of Kensington, Midwood and Borough Park): Council Member Greenfield’s office says that they will continue to accept ideas directly after tonight — at least for the first two weeks of October. You can submit them by phone at (718) 853-2704 or by email at DGreenfield@council.nyc.gov.

District 45 (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Flatlands, and parts of Midwood) — Council Member Jumaane D. Williams’ office will be accepting submissions until October 10. Submit your ideas via email to FLOUIS@council.nyc.gov, or attend the neighborhood assembly.

PB Neighborhood Assembly for District 45:
When: October 10 at 3pm.
Where: The Flatbush YMCA, 1401 Flatbush Avenue.

Last Spring, residents of the 40th Council district voted directly on a variety of capital projects proposed by their neighbors. The projects that won include an update the computer labs at public schools 249, 245, 139, and 6 ($140,000); replace the Aquatic Weed Harvester “Lake Mess Monster” ($70,000); make a Kensington Dog Run ($135,000) and many more.

Any resident of Districts 39, 40, 44 and 45 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.

Confirm who your City Council Member is here. Find out if they are participating in PB here.

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.

Sixty-seven thousand New Yorkers voted this Spring on how to spend a total of $38 million 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.

Additional reporting by Carly Miller.