New York City Council’s Participatory Budget vote week is here! You have the opportunity to vote on how $1 million of capital funding will be spent in District 2 in this year’s budget. Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a great way to engage New Yorkers as young as middle school-age and motivates our neighbors to engage in the civic process and make decisions by sharing ideas, developing proposals, and voting on community projects. Carlina was the first Council Member to bring PB to District 2 and she is excited to have our community vote to allocate public money to improve our public spaces.
This funding can go towards technology upgrades for our Libraries, new bathrooms in public schools, and even to help maintain local parks like the Union Square Park. Voting starts April 6 which you can do online or in person at our District Office, local voting sites, and pop up events.
Where to vote: From April 6 to 14 you will have the opportunity to vote online through this link or in person at the following sites:
• Council Member Carlina Rivera’s District Office, 254 E 4th Street
• GOLES, 171 Avenue B
• Kips Bay Library, 446 3rd Avenue
• Epiphany Library, 228 East 23rd Street
• Tompkins Square Library, 331 East 10th Street
• Ottendorfer Library, 135 2nd Avenue
If you’re interested in volunteering with our office for PB, please sign up by clicking this link or e-mail us at district2@council.nyc.gov.
What is participatory budgeting?
Participatory budgeting is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend $1 million on capital projects. Qualifying projects must cost at least $50,000 and have a lifespan of at least 5 years. Funds for this program can be used for physical improvements that benefit the public.
PB funds physical infrastructure projects like improvements to schools, parks, libraries, public housing, streets and more.
How does participatory budgeting work?
District residents design and submit project ideas. Then, volunteers join delegate committees to develop those suggestions into project proposals, and work with city agencies to estimate project costs. The projects with the most votes are included in next year’s city budget, to be built or implemented over the next few years.
To learn about the NYC Civic Engagement Commission’s PB process, click here.