Tomorrow Is The Deadline To Submit Ideas On-Line For Participatory Budgeting

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 35th District’s Laurie Cumbo. 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 the end of the day tomorrow — September 30th.

Last Spring, residents of the 35th Council district voted directly on a variety of capital projects proposed by their neighbors, and decided to allocate money to upgrading public school bathrooms and the HVAC system of a local senior center, along with new technology for high-need schools and learning walls at PS 20.

Any resident of District 35 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.