Newly added feature of participatory budgeting will now allow New Yorkers to vote electronically 

Brooklyn, NY – New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Members, and Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams today joined community residents at Grand Army Plaza to celebrate the start of Participatory Budgeting Vote Week.

Now in its 6th year, Participatory Budgeting, or PB, has grown to include 31 Council Members, representing Council Districts across the City. Participatory Budgeting is a community-driven process that increases the transparency of budgeting decisions and provides New Yorkers with a greater say in how their tax dollars are spent.

Participatory budgeting was launched in 2011 as part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to drive civic engagement and democratic participation across the diverse neighborhoods of New York City. This year, New Yorkers across 31 districts will be able to help directly decide how to allocate more than $34 million dollars in capital funding for neighborhood projects.

The start of the 2017 Participatory Budgeting Cycle marks the first time all districts will have access to a digital ballot to vote electronically.

“I am excited to kick off Vote Week for the 2017 cycle of Participatory Budgeting, which is now in its sixth year. Since its inception, PB has helped provide funding for public libraries, new recreation areas in local parks, technology and science lab upgrades in schools, and much more. This year, 31 districts will be participating and deciding how to spend at least $34 million in capital funding. It is crucial for our communities to have a say in shaping the budget—how our City spends its money is of the utmost importance,” said Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “Civic engagement is one of the core pillars of any democracy, and the more people who are active in the political process, the better. I would like to thank my colleagues on the Council who will be offering Participatory Budgeting in their districts and look forward to hearing from my constituents, as well as New Yorkers across all five boroughs.”

“I am so proud that this year District 16 will be among the 31 Council Districts engaging constituents in Participatory Budgeting. This program provides residents with an unparalleled opportunity to participate in how their tax dollars are spent and helps everyday New Yorkers gain a better understanding of what can be a complicated and opaque City budget process,” said Council Member Vanessa Gibson. “As Vote Week approaches, I urge New Yorkers – especially those in my district! – to make their voices heard by casting a vote at one of the many PB voting sites in their districts or voting online at the City Council’s website.”

“Participatory Budgeting is democracy in action and a great way for residents to have a direct say in how their tax dollars are spent. I’m delighted to bring back PB to Council District 15th for a third year and give residents the opportunity to choose the improvement projects for their communities. Voting is powerful, and the PB process gives everyone the chance to put that power into action,” said Council Member Ritchie Torres.

“Participatory Budgeting is democracy in action,” said Council Member Corey Johnson. “It gives every constituent an equal opportunity to take part in the budget process, and it gives them the tools and the forum to solve local issues in a grassroots way. PB engages young people, parents, NYCHA residents – just about anybody who has an idea of how to improve the community. It has already brought tremendous improvements to our neighborhoods, and that’s because of the creativity and the energy that the community puts into this process each year. I can’t wait to see how the 2017-2018 PB cycle unfolds!”

“Participatory Budgeting is the perfect opportunity for community residents to get involved and have a real say in what happens in our neighborhood,” said Council Member Ben Kallos. “I hope every resident 14 years – and older takes advantage of this and either vote online or comes to a poll site to cast a ballot.”

“PB is inclusive in every way, from start to finish, and I’m proud to bring PB to the Upper West Side for a third year. Unlike electoral voting, PB gives a voice to young people, non-U.S. citizens, and those who might have otherwise given up on the electoral process. PB brings residents into the decision-making process for funding city capital projects, both strengthening our local democracy and taking the mystery out of city bureaucracy,” said Council Member Helen Rosenthal.

“Participatory Budgeting engages people from all backgrounds in the governing process to generate ideas to improve their neighborhoods. Many of the innovative, locally driven initiatives that have emerged from this process would not have come to light without community input,” said Council Member Mark Levine. “This exercise in civic participation fosters the kind of collaboration between residents and local leaders that is absolutely necessary to create a more inclusive and transparent government. I am proud to offer the residents of the 7th Council District the chance to decide how $1 million of their own tax dollars will be spent for the third year in a row.”

“Participatory budgeting puts big decisions in the hands of our residents uptown,” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez. “I am proud to offer this opportunity to my community, bringing direct democracy to the capital budget process. I am always eager to hear what new ideas residents have about how to improve the neighborhood and I encourage everyone to come out and vote for this year’s great projects!”

“I’m thrilled to once again partner with Council Speaker Mark-Viverito and so many of our council members across the borough to launch another voting week of participatory budgeting fight here in Brooklyn,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. “For the second year in a row, I am committing $1 million in funding to support this innovative budgeting and government transparency process. I’m proud to uniquely be part of participatory budgeting, leading to the creation of additional projects in each council district and expanding the reach of participatory democracy throughout New York City.”

“The grassroots process of Participatory Budgeting is democracy at its best. Once again, I am pleased to have community members directly involved in earmarking one million dollars in discretionary funding to help our community. Last year, our winning projects helped provide science carts, laptops, and smart boards for students; upgrades for the Brower Park basketball court and, renovation of the Marcy Library’s Auditorium,” said Council Member Robert Cornegy. “This year, we are poised to do even more. Brandon Ortiz, my Legislative and Budget Aide, has done an excellent job working with participants who will vote on 10 different projects–giving real power to people who may have never been involved in the political process.”

“After five cycles, PBNYC has grown into a critical gateway for New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds to become more civic-minded. This year’s projects, the majority of which would improve our public schools, illustrate my constituency’s unwavering commitment to education and student success. As the 35th Council District embarks on its second year of PB, I look forward to the increased participation of volunteers and voters invested in the betterment of our community,” said Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo.

“The Participatory Budgeting Process is a tremendous opportunity for residents in the great city of New York to work together towards improving their respective communities, said Council Member Mathieu Eugene. “Not only are we providing a platform for the transformation of our schools, parks, and roadways, we are also creating a better quality of life in the process.”

“At this moment of very real threats to our democracy, Participatory Budgeting can help spark a renaissance of civic engagement that we urgently need. There is enormous evidence that the lack of ‘social trust’ is a big part of what is ailing our country. PB is part of the antidote to that,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “People care deeply about their parks, their schools, their branch libraries—and Participatory Budgeting engages populations that don’t usually get a chance to take part in voting, such as 14 – 18 year olds and non-citizens. In my district, we are especially glad to be able to add a category of smaller projects, like translation equipment for the PTAs at diverse neighborhood schools, which has really energized voters. This year, we are adding online voting, which will make it even easier for people to take part. But there’s still room for much more growth, and I’m excited to keep pushing until this process touches every New Yorker.”

“I am excited for Participatory Budgeting Vote Week 2017. With the continued involvement of the community and the hard work of our budget delegates, we have an excellent list of projects on our PB Ballot this year. I look forward to having the community vote on the projects they feel are important and need funding,” said Council Member Steve Levin. “This year we are making an even stronger effort to reach all our constituents throughout the district; with the implementation of online voting, we expect even more people to have a chance to express their priorities for how their tax dollars get spent.”

“Participatory Budgeting is true democracy in action. Results are better when residents decide how City dollars should be spent. Voting in our district will see ballots cast in many languages and by people who are often not included in community decision making,” said Council Member Carlos Menchaca. “I am proud of the worthy projects residents have nominated, and I also celebrate middle school students participating for the first time this year as full-fledged voters.”

“Participatory Budgeting vote week is the culmination of weeks and weeks of effort dedicated by budget delegates and volunteers to create proposals that will improve the 34th District. From beginning to end, budget delegates work towards a ballot in the same way the Council works towards finalizing the budget. We hear from community residents about what they would do with $1 million, and they decide directly how that money gets spent,” said Council Member Antonio Reynoso. “As an elected official, it is very rewarding to be able to give that access to the constituency I represent. I would like to thank all of this year’s volunteers and wish every district luck throughout vote week.”

“Participatory Budgeting helps turn New Yorkers from civic bystanders into active participants who can help direct how funds are distributed to help their neighborhoods. As a former civics teacher, I take a lot of pride in seeing my district take part in this invaluable program,” said Council Member Mark Treyger. “Participatory Budgeting is all about empowering people to take the future of their neighborhoods into their own hands. I encourage every New Yorker who has an opportunity to get involved with Participatory Budgeting to do just that. This is your chance to have your voice heard. Take advantage!”

“The budget process is one of the most important things I do as an elected official, and participatory budgeting is an empowering tool that puts power back into the hands of the people,” said Council Member Jumaane D. Williams. “Participatory budgeting gives people the opportunity to engage with and learn about the budget process. I am proud to have been a part of this process from its inception, and look forward to seeing which projects are funded this year.”

“I’m always inspired by the community centered process at the heart of Participatory Budgeting. Many of our neighbors have volunteered their time for months to narrow down hundreds of ideas to workable ballot projects. Each and every one of the projects on the ballot this year are worthy of funding and would be great improvements to our community, and now it’s time to get out and vote! I’m thrilled that for the first time in Participatory Budgeting history, voting will be available online, making voting easier and more accessible for everyone,” said Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer.

“Participatory Budgeting is a rewarding opportunity that brings the city budget process directly to our community members, and helps keep our neighborhood civically engaged. I am proud to once again provide this opportunity to our residents,” said Council Member Costa Constantinides. “This volunteer-driven process wouldn’t be possible without the help of everyone who became a budget delegate, joined a committee, and signed up to assist at a voting site. Thank you to all our volunteers for their hard work. I look forward to seeing how voters decide to invest $1 million on projects throughout our community.”

“I’m thrilled to bring this process to the district once again, and look forward to the results. It’s the residents who know their communities the best, so what better than to have them create a ballot, and vote on what projects they truly want to see done?” said Council Member Elizabeth Crowley. “Thank you to Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, our budget delegates and the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council for working so closely with our office to make this process the best it can be.”

“Participatory budgeting helps our community to come together and collaborate on projects for the district. The process allows community residents to be involved in the city budget and is a great way for young people to become civically engaged,” said Council Member Barry S. Grodenchik.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the hundreds of constituents in the 29th district who spent long hours in shaping and creating a Participatory Budget ballot. Without their noble and selfless contributions, this great democratic process could not take place. I would also like to thank our PB Director Alex Anderson, who does an outstanding job in coordinating this effort,” said Council Member Karen Koslowitz.

“This is our third year engaging constituents in civic participation, giving them the opportunity to see how their government works,” said Council Member I. Daneek Miller. “This program has helped organize residents so they have a unified voice in this multi-billion dollar budget, and every year, the number of submitted projects and participants has grown, because people realize these projects will have a direct impact on their families’ and neighbors’ quality of life.  I’m looking forward to Vote Week, and want to thank all the volunteers for making it possible.”

“Participatory Budgeting is civic and community engagement at its finest and helps to teach our youth about the excitement of getting involved in the democratic process at an early age,” said Council Member Donovan Richards. “Last year, PB was a huge success in the Rockaways as we brought in more than 3,000 votes resulting in some big improvements for Far Rockaway High School. I look forward to bringing PB back to both Southeast Queens and the Rockaways this year with $2 million dedicated to projects democratically chosen by the community. I’d like to thank Speaker Mark-Viverito for her leadership and all of the participants and delegates who have made this program thrive across the city.”

“I’m very excited as we kick off our third Participatory Budgeting voting period,” said Council Member Vallone. “Participatory budgeting is a great way to get a feel for the pulse of the community and see what everyone believes city dollars and resources should be spent on. Last year’s incredibly successful cycle, which garnered the most votes throughout Queens, shows the power and importance of this grassroots fueled process and I look forward to announcing this year’s winners.”

“Participatory budgeting is giving my constituents a direct say in how $1 million of City Council discretionary capital funds are spent,” said Council Member Debi Rose. “My hope is that this process is not only bringing funding of projects that the community needs and wants, but that my constituents have gained a better understanding of how local government works.”

“While Congress considers a federal budget that threatens to strip resources from communities that need them most, NYC residents are showing up to make local budgets more equitable,” said Melissa Appleton, Project Manager at the Participatory Budgeting Project (participatorybudgeting.org), the nonprofit organization leading the growth of participatory budgeting in North America. “PBNYC is breathing new life into our democracy. We applaud the New York City Council for opening voting to all residents over 14 years old, regardless of immigration status or federal voting registration. We look forward to working with city leaders as we expand participatory budgeting to schools and other budgets.”

“Democracy 21 is excited to be a part of another cycle of Participatory Budgeting in New York City,” said Asher Novek of Democracy 21. “The Council’s dedication to expanding digital voting processes displays a bold move towards inclusion. By promoting full remote and online voting, New Yorkers have the opportunity to participate in the budget process in more ways than ever before. D21 is proud to work with the Council on what is sure to be another successful PB cycle.”

The projects that have received funding in the past reflect the broad needs of communities across the City and enable neighborhoods to devote resources where they are needed most. A full list of project proposals and sample ballots can be viewed at http://council.nyc.gov/pb/.

Between March 27 and April 2, 2017, residents aged 14 years or older residing in any of the districts listed below can cast votes for up to five projects (within their own district) at the following locations:

MANHATTAN

Council Member Corey Johnson (District 3)

Council Member Ben Kallos (District 5)

Council Member Helen Rosenthal (District 6) 

Council Member Mark Levine (District 7)

Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito (District 8)

Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez (District 10)

 
BRONX

Council Member Andrew Cohen (District 11)

Council Member Ritchie Torres (District 15)

Council Member Vanessa Gibson (District 16)

BROOKLYN

Council Member Steve Levin (District 33)

Council Member Antonio Reynoso (District 34)

Council Member Laurie Cumbo (District 35)

Council Member Robert Cornegy (District 36)

Council Member Carlos Menchaca (District 38)

Council Member Brad Lander (District 39)

Council Member Mathieu Eugene (District 40)

Council Member David Greenfield (District 44)

Council Member Jumaane Williams (District 45)

Council Member Mark Treyger (District 47)

Council Member Deborah Rose (District 49)

QUEENS

Council Member Paul Vallone (District 19)

Council Member Costa Constantinides (District 22)

Council Member Barry Grodenchik (District 23)

Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer (District 26)

Council Member I. Daneek Miller (District 27)

Council Member Karen Koslowitz (District 29)

Council Member Elizabeth Crowley (District 30)

Council Member Donovan Richards (District 31)

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