Spanning 40 neighborhoods, participatory budgeting allows New Yorkers to directly decide how to allocate public funds

City Hall – City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Council Members today released locations where New Yorkers can cast a ballot in the week-long 2014 Participatory Budgeting vote. Launched in 2011, with the goal of making budgeting decisions more transparent and to give New Yorkers a greater say in how their tax dollars are spent, Participatory Budgeting has grown to encompass 10 Council Districts, allowing New Yorkers to directly decide how allocate more than $10 million dollars for neighborhood projects.

“Participatory budgeting helps engage New Yorkers with the Council by empowering community residents to make decisions about how City funds are spent,” said Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “I’m proud to have helped start this important initiative and encourage all New Yorkers in participating districts to cast their ballots for the projects they would like to see funded in the year ahead.”

Last fall, residents in Speaker Mark-Viverito, Council Member Weprin, Council Member Richards, Council Member Ulrich, Council Member Menchaca, Council Member Greenfield, Council Levin, Council Member Williams and Council Member Lander’s districts attended neighborhood town halls to identify community priorities and develop project proposals.

“I’m thrilled to see so many of our colleagues joining in this practice of revolutionary civics in action, and am humbled by the participation of thousands of my constituents in the PB process as creative, thoughtful, and engaged stewards of our public realm,” said Council Member Brad Lander.

“Participatory Budgeting is a unique opportunity to have a say in the future of our community and it has been great to see so many people get involved,” said Council Member Levin. “The projects that have been proposed by community members will have a real impact on the lives of residents and are generating a lot of excitement. I’m looking forward to seeing how many votes are cast by the end of the week and to see what projects are our winning vote-getters.”

“With Participatory Budgeting, my office was able to engage the community on a more personal level,” said Council Member Richards. “It was great to see neighbors reaching out to neighbors in an effort to improve the community. The process has been nothing but positive for the 31st Council district and I look forward to continuing this work next year!”

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 www.pbnyc.org.

“Nobody knows their block or neighborhood like the residents who live there, so it only makes sense to give the public more say over the city budget,” said Council Member David Greenfield. “That’s why I am proud to once again bring this great experiment in open government to the residents of my district and really give them a voice in how their tax dollars are reinvested in our community. This is a great way to get involved, so I urge everyone to take advantage of this unique opportunity and cast their ballot for their favorite projects.”

“I was proud to be the first elected official from Queens to give my constituents a real say in how their money is being spent,” said Council Member Eric Ulrich. “Today, I’m joined by nine of my colleagues throughout the five boroughs. This is a great chance for anyone who wants to have a voice in the decision-making process or has an idea for a project that would benefit the community to step up and get involved.”

“Participatory budgeting has proven to be a tremendous success in engaging and empowering local residents. I encourage everyone who is eligible to vote this week to do so,” said Council Member Mark Weprin.

“It has been truly inspiring to watch the 38th District community engage in their first inaugural year of participatory budgeting,” said Council Member Carlos Menchaca. “My hope is that everyone feels welcomed as we open the doors to our city government budget. The goals are simple: empower people to craft and make decisions to spend public funds for community projects and advocate for more accountability, equity and inclusion throughout other functions of city government.

“As one of the first Council Members to implement Participatory Budgeting, I’m glad that, once again, residents can go to a voting booth this week and cast their votes on the projects that they think deserve city funding,” said Council Member Jumaane D. Williams. “They have a direct say in the expenditure of one-million dollars, and I know that residents appreciate being able to give their input at their neighborhood assemblies and at the voting booth. The most important thing I do as a Council Member is to help pass a 70 billion dollar budget in the city council, however, it’s often the thing that the public is given the least amount of information about. Participatory Budgeting allows them to be a part of the process.”

“Participatory budgeting empowers residents directly to make decisions about how at least a million dollars gets spent in their neighborhoods,” said Council Member Ben Kallos. “Voting on how their tax dollars get spent allows people to support neighborhood infrastructure such as parks, schools and public housing for up to $500,000. Individuals should have a say in the decisions that affect their families, their streets and their daily lives.”

“Participatory Budgeting is an exciting new wave of democracy. It gives ordinary people power to make real decisions over public money for concrete projects needed in their communities,” said Sondra Youdelman, Executive Director, Community Voices Heard, Lead Community Engagement Partner for Participatory Budgeting NYC, Co-Chair of the Citywide Steering Committee. “It’s exciting to see new constituencies long alienated from our political process – low-income families, immigrants (both documented and undocumented), youth, and the formerly incarcerated – energized by what a democracy can look like that includes them.”

“With tens of thousands of people engaged in PBNYC, this is by far the largest participatory budgeting process in North America,” said Pam Jennings, Project Coordinator, The Participatory Budgeting Project. “The process would not be possible without the hundreds of amazing volunteers and dedicated city staff that make it tick. We are thrilled that PBNYC will double in size and impact in 2014, and that it has inspired the White House to lift up participatory budgeting as a best practice in civic engagement.

Until April 6, district residents 16 years of age or older can cast votes for up to five projects at the following locations:

District 5, Ben Kallos: (Midtown East, Upper East Side, El Barrio, Roosevelt Island)

Wednesday, April 2nd, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
92nd Street Y
1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128
Thursday, April 3rd, 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Lenox Neighborhood Houses (basement)
1773 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10029
Friday, April 4th, 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Carl Schurz Park
East 86th Street & East End Ave, New York, NY 10028
Saturday, April 5th, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Stanley Isaacs Senior Center, Room 6
1700 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10128

District 8, Melissa Mark-Viverito:
(East Harlem/El Barrio and Mott Haven in the Bronx)
Council Speaker Mark-Viverito’s District Office (Through April 6)
105 E. 116th Street, New York
11am-5pm

Wednesday, April 2nd:
Community Voices Heard (CVH), 115 E. 106th Street, New York
11am – 5pm
SCAN La Guardia, 307 E. 116th Street, New York
4-8pm
Mercy Center, 377 E. 145th Street, Bronx
3pm-7pm
Mott Haven Community Center, 375 E. 143rd St, Bronx
8am-12pm
Millbrook Houses, 201 St. Ann’s Ave, Bronx
5:30pm-8pm

Thursday, April 3rd:
Union Settlement, 237 E. 104th Street, New York
8:30am-1pm
Mercy Center, 377 E. 145th Street, Bronx
9am-1pm
Highbridge Life Center, 979 Ogden Ave, Bronx
10am-2pm
Abraham House, 340 Willis Ave., Bronx
10am- 2pm

Friday, April 4th:
Millbrook Houses, 201 St. Ann’s Ave, Bronx
9am – 1pm
Corsi Senior Center, 307 E.116th St., New York
9am -1pm

Saturday, April 5th , 9:30am – 2:30pm
Abraham House in the Bronx
340 Willis Ave, New York 10454

Sunday, April 6th , 12:00pm – 5:00pm
SCAN LaGuardia in East Harlem
307 East 116th St, New York

District 23, Mark S. Weprin (Fresh Meadows, Oakland Gardens, Queens Village, Glen Oaks, Douglaston, Bayside, Hollis):

Wednesday, April 2:
Council Member Weprin’s District Office (Through Friday)
73-03 Bell Boulevard, Queens 10 AM-6 PM
Glen Oaks Library, 256-04 Union Turnpike 2:30 PM- 6:30 PM
North Shore Towers 272-48 Grand Central Parkway 11 AM-3PM

Thursday, April 3, 2014:
District Office 73-03 Bell Boulevard 10 AM-6PM
Hilltop Village Co-op 87-15 204th Street, The Dover Building Basement 4 PM – 8 PM North Hills Branch Library 57-04 Marathon Parkway 2 PM – 6PM

Friday, April 4, 2014:
District Office, 73-03 Bell Boulevard 10 AM – 6 PM
Bayside Senior Center 221-15 Horace Harding Expressway 10 AM – 2PM
Red Mango 61-47 188th Street 3 PM – 6 PM

Saturday, April 5, 2014:
Cross Island Y 238-10 Hillside Avenue 11 AM – 3 PM

District 31, Donovan Richards (Arverne, Far Rockaway, Bayswater, Edgemere)

Far Rockaway Library
1637 Central Avenue, Far Rockaway, NY 11691
Through Friday, April 4th, 11am – 1pm and 4pm – 7pm
Saturday, April 5th, 10:00am – 5:30pm

Far Rockaway High School (Far Rockaway Educational Campus)
8-21 Bay 25th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691
Wednesday, April 2nd and Thursday, April 33rd 10am – 1pm (students only)

Council Member Richards’ Rockaway Office
1931 Mott Avenue, Suite 406, Far Rockaway, NY 11691
Through Friday, April 4th, 9am – 5pm

District 32, Eric Ulrich (Rockaway Beach, Rockaway Park, Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Neponsit, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, Woodhaven)
Councilman Eric Ulrich’s Office, 93-06 101st Avenue, Ozone Park, NY 11416
Through Friday, 9am-5pm
Saturday, 10am-1pm

Woodhaven Residents Block Association Office, 84-20 Jamaica Avenue, Woodhaven
Through Thursday – 4 PM – 8 PM
Friday and Saturday – 10 AM – 4 PM

Richmond Hill Block Association, 110-08 Jamaica Ave, Richmond Hill, NY
Friday- 12pm-5pm

Wednesday, April 2, 2014 7:00 AM-4:00 PM
Rockaway Park Office
7:00 PM-9:00 PM Colony Theater in Breezy Point
500 Bayside Avenue at NYC Build it Back Meeting

Thursday, April 3, 2014
9:00 AM-9:00 PM Rockaway Park Office
7:00-9:00 PM Rockaway Knights of Columbus 333 Beach 90th Street

Friday, April 4, 2014
9:00 AM-5:00 PM Rockaway Park Office

Saturday, April 5, 2014
10:00 AM-3:00 PM Rockaway Park Office

District 33, Stephen Levin (Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Boerum Hill, DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights)

April 2nd
10AM – 6PM
Greenpoint Library
107 Norman Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222

Councilmember Levin’s District Office
410 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217

April 2nd
9AM – 3PM
Cadman Towers
101 Clark Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
April 2nd
8AM – 9:30AM
PS 110
124 Monitor Street
Brooklyn, NY 11222

April 2nd
2PM – 7PM
Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow
25 Thornton Street
Brooklyn, NY 11206

April 3rd
1PM – 8PM
Greenpoint Library
107 Norman Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222
April 3rd
10AM – 6PM
Councilmember Levin’s District Office
410 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217

April 3rd
9AM – 3PM
Cadman Towers
101 Clark Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

April 3rd
8AM – 9:30AM / 2PM – 7:30PM
PS 110
124 Monitor Street
Brooklyn, NY 11222

April 4th
9AM – 3PM
Cadman Towers
101 Clark Street

April 4th
8AM – 10AM
PS 8
37 Hicks Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

PS 16
157 Wilson Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

April 4th
10AM – 6PM
Greenpoint Library
107 Norman Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222

Council Member Levin’s District Office
410 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217

April 5th
10AM – 4PM
Berry Street Houses
71 South 10th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11249

April 5th
12PM – 5PM
Gowanus Houses
420 Baltic Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217

April 5th
10AM – 5PM
BK Flea
Kent Avenue at North 7th
Brooklyn, NY 11249

April 5th
9AM – 1PM
PS 16
157 Wilson Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

April 5th
8AM – 2PM
McCarren Farmer’s Market
Union Avenue & Driggs Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222

April 5th
10AM – 5PM
Greenpoint Library
107 Norman Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222

April 6th
12PM – 5PM
Wyckoff Gardens
280 Wyckoff Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217

April 6th
12PM – 5PM
Independence Towers
114 Taylor Street
Brooklyn, NY 11249

April 6th
11AM – 4PM
McGorlick Farmer’s Market
129 Russell Street
Brooklyn, NY 11222

District 38, Carlos Menchaca (Sunset Park, Red Hook, Greenwood & parts of South Slope, Borough Park, Gowanus)

Through April 6th
8AM – 7PM
Council Member Menchaca’s Office
5601 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11220

April 2nd
3PM – 7PM
Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow
783 4th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11232

April 2nd
9AM – 2PM
Family Support Center
6025 6th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11220

April 3rd
3PM – 7PM
Miccio Center
110 West 9th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231

April 3rd
1PM – 6PM
Turning Point
5220 4th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11220

April 4th
3PM – 7PM
Outside HSBC
8th Avenue & 61st Street
Brooklyn, NY 11220

April 5th
12PM -5PM
Sunset Park Library
5108 4th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11220

Red Hook Initiatives
767 Hicks Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Sunset Park Recreation Center
7th Avenue & 43rd Street
Brooklyn, NY 11232

April 6th
12PM – 5PM
Council Member Menchaca’s Office
5601 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11220

Red Hook Initiatives
767 Hicks Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231

N Train Station – 8th Avenue Stop
8th Avenue & 61st Street
Brooklyn, NY 11220

District 39, Brad Lander (Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Gowanus, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, parts of Borough Park)
Through April 3rd
7:30AM – 8PM
Councilmember Lander’s District Office
456 5th Avenue
3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY

April 5th
10AM – 7PM
Carroll Gardens Library
396 Clinton Street
Brooklyn, NY 10002

Old Stone House
336 3rd Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215

PS 230 Lower School
425 McDonald Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11218

April 6th
10AM – 5PM
Carroll Park House
Beth Jacob Day Care
1371 46th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11220

Kings Bay Y at Windsor Terrace
1224 Prospect Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11218

Park Slope Armory YMCA
361 15th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215

District 44, David Greenfield (Borough Park, Midwood, Bensonhurst)
Councilman Greenfield’s District Office
4424 16th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11204
Through Wednesday, 9am – 6pm
Thursday, 9am – 9pm
Friday, 9am – 4pm

Community Board 12
5910 13th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219
Through Thursday, 9am – 5pm
Friday, 9am – 4pm

Community Board 11
2214, Bath Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11214
Through Friday, 9am – 5pm

Midwood Development Corp
416 Avenue M Suite 201, Brooklyn, NY 11230
Through Thursday, 9am – 5pm
Friday, 9am – 2pm

Borough Park Jewish Community Council
4912 14th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219

In addition, voting will be held at the four Brooklyn Public Library locations serving the district:
• Midwood Branch (975 E. 16th Street) – Tuesday 1:30 p.m.- 3:00 p.m.
• Ryder Branch (5902 23rd Avenue) – Friday 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
• Kensington Branch (4207 18th Avenue) – Wednesday 1-4 p.m.

District 45, Jumaane D. Williams (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Flatlands, parts of Midwood)

March 31st – April 4th
11AM – 7PM
Council Member William’s Office
4517 Avenue D
Brooklyn, NY 11203

March 29th – April 6th
12AM – 7PM
Flatbush Gardens
Mailing Room Area
Brooklyn, NY 11210

March 31st – April 4th
10AM – 4PM
Glenwood Senior Center
5701 Avenue H
Brooklyn, NY 11234
March 29th and April 5th
11AM – 6PM
Tilden High School
5800 Tilden Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11203

March 31st – April 4th
7:30 AM to 3:30AM
PS. 208
4801 Avenue D
Brooklyn, NY 11203

March 29th – April 6th
12AM – 6PM
Vanderveer Park Methodist Church
3114 Glenwood Road
Brooklyn, NY 11210

March 31st – April 4th
8AM – 4PM
Midwood Senior Center
4815 Avenue I
Brooklyn, NY 11234

March 31st – April 4th
10AM – 5PM
Rugby Public Library
1000 Utica Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11203

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