Over 99,250 New Yorkers voted for locally-developed capital projects across the city

City Hall, New York – Today, Speaker Corey Johnson, Council Member Carlos Menchaca and the New York City Council announced the voting results and winning proposals of the 2017-2018 Participatory Budgeting cycle. During the voting period of April 7 through April 21, over 99,250 New Yorkers voted to allocate over $28.5 million in capital funding for locally developed capital projects across 27 Council Districts in New York City. In addition, Borough President Eric L. Adams also renewed his $1 million commitment to various projects in participating Council Member districts.

“The results of this year’s Participatory Budgeting show the beauty of democracy and the difference a person can make in their community when they become engaged,” said Speaker Corey Johnson. “I want to thank my colleagues, staff, partners in government and volunteers for their participation in PB Cycle 7 and congratulate everyone on a successful turnout. I encourage all New Yorkers to continue in civic engagement and I look forward to another successful PB cycle next year.”

“As the representative of diverse communities, I have observed Participatory Budgeting provide a path to civic engagement for people who are often excluded from City decision making processes,” said Council Member Carlos Menchaca, who has overseen Participatory Budgeting for all of the Council. “PB, however, isn’t just about choosing winning projects, it is also about creating opportunities for civic participation and building stronger communities. New Yorkers are eager to lead the decision processes on topics that directly affect them. The Youth leadership in PB is especially valuable, and the non-partisan, inclusive nature of PB allows for full participation and voting regardless of political affiliation, or immigration status. More than 11,000 District 38 PB voters this year – more than anywhere else in the city – also demonstrated a vote of confidence in the PB concept itself. After five years of running PB in District 38, residents are better informed about the City’s capital budget process, more savvy about interacting with City agencies, and empowered to find creative solutions to local needs.”

“Participatory budgeting is bringing democracy back to our communities and empowering individuals to make decisions on what gets funded at the hyperlocal level,” said Borough President Adams. “I thank all of the council members participating in this year’s process for their continued commitment to amplifying the voices of Brooklynites so our constituents have a direct say in where their taxpayer dollars get spent. From school technology to street safety, this year’s funded projects reflect that all Brooklynites seek safer places to raise healthy children and families. Let’s continue to advance these shared priorities and get more people involved in the PB process, so that everyone has a stake in Brooklyn’s future.”

Along with traditional paper ballots, residents in participating districts were also able to vote online, through the 1,700 Link kiosks throughout the five boroughs using the touch screen tablet thanks to a partnership with LinkNYC and the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) for vote promotion. The Participatory Budget app was opened on Link over 5,000 times in the course of 7 days during the voting period. The average number of voters participating per district for Cycle 7 was 3,676.  New Yorkers cast 29,465 online votes and 69,787 paper ballots in the 2017-2018 Participatory Budgeting cycle.

“We always envisioned LinkNYC as a platform for civic engagement and a way to bring the democratic process to streets across the city. We were excited to support the City Council’s Participatory Budgeting efforts this year, enabling New Yorkers to vote for projects that will directly improve their quality of life,” said Jen Hensley, President of Link.

Ballots for the 2017-2018 Participatory Budgeting cycle were available in various languages other than English (86%)—Spanish (7.9%), Chinese (5.4%), Bangla (0.3), French Creole (0.2%), Russian (0.2), other 8 (0.4)—based on local demographics in participating districts. Every district featured digital voting stations at poll sites as well as pop-up mobile voting sites on commercial strips, in community centers and building lobbies using mobile electronic devices provided by Microsoft and Google.

Voting in Participatory Budgeting is open to all residents of participating districts 11 years of age and older. The sole identification requirement is proof of residency in the district, removing traditional obstacles to full civic participation such as youth, income status, English-language proficiency and citizenship status.

“PBNYC proves that you’re never too young for democracy and civic engagement. I’m excited to see PB empower even more young people in making the decisions that directly impact their lives, as it expands to high schools across NYC next year. I look forward to more Council Members joining PBNYC this summer, to show their support for real democracy,” Josh Lerner, Co-Executive Director, Participatory Budgeting Project.

“Through the efforts of the PB Youth Fellows and the support of our City Council partners, we were pleased to see youth voting totals increase from 11.5% to 16.6% of the vote this year,” said Coro Executive Director, Scott Millstein. “More importantly, we showed that young people can and should be part of all aspects of the PB process.  Who better to help the city decide how to spend millions on schools, parks, and playgrounds than the young people who know the needs of their community best?”

For the 2017-2018 cycle, 27 Council Members facilitated Participatory Budgeting in their districts. Below are the winning projects for each district:

District 3: Council Member Corey Johnson

Project Votes Funding Amount
Technology Upgrade for Public Shcools 2,289 $350,000
Tech Library Upgrade 2,205 $200,000
Tree Guards to Promote the Health of New and Established Trees 1,533 $242, 000

District 5: Council Member Ben Kallos

Project Votes Funding Amount
P.S. 290 MNS Re-Construct Kindergarten Bathroom Laptops for Public Schools 792 $200,000
NYPL District Libraries 712 $200,000
P.S. 183 HVAC for Cafeteria and Community Space 666 $600,000

 

District 6: Council Member Helen Rosenthal

Project Votes Funding Amount
Technology Upgrade for 3 U.W.S Libraries 2,472 $200,000
P.S. 166 Technology Upgrades 2,065 $250,000
Tree Guards and Neighborhood Beautification 1,733 $42,000
Window Replacement at Engine Company 74 Firehouse 1,578 $500,000

 

District 7: Council Member Mark Levine

Project Votes Funding Amount
District 7 Libraries Upgrades 1,353 $200,000
P.S 36 Technology Upgrade 800 $200,000
M.S. 54 Technology Upgrade 193 $200,000
External Lighting at Grant Houses 780 $500,000
Broadway Avenue Countdown Clocks 748 $60,000

 

District 8 (Manhattan): Council Member Diana Ayala

Project Votes Funding Amount
Technology Upgrades for District 8 Libraries 1,538 $200,000
Water Fountain Upgrades for 9 East Harlem Schools 1,243 $360,000
South Bronx Prep Gym Renovation 1,184 $600,000
Basketball Court Renovations at Patterson Houses 1,083 $500,000

 

District 8 (Bronx): Council Member Diana Ayala

Project Votes Funding Amount
Technology Upgrades at P.S 698 $150,000

 

District 10: Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez

Project Votes Funding Amount
District Libraries Technology Upgrades 1,274 $200,000
Dyckman Houses Building #4 980 $500,000
Dyckman Houses Community Center ADA Ramp 959 $300,000

 

District 11: Council Member Andrew Cohen

Project Votes Funding Amount
Bus Countdown Clocks 1,523 $100,000
District 11 Schools Technology Upgrade 1,480 $480,000
Moshoulu Library Structural Upgrades 1,361 $300,000
Security Cameras for Local Police Precinct 1,243 $300,000

 

District 15: Council Member Ritchie Torres

Project Votes Funding Amount
Laptops in Schools 3,869 $315,000
Smartboards in Schools 3,451 $315,000
New York Public Libraries Technological Upgrades 2,262 $200,000
Safe Routes to School 1,757 $100,000
M.S.118 Bathroom Renovations 1,751 $100,000

 

District 16: Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson

Project Votes Funding Amount
Security Cameras 1,776 $35,219
Security Cameras 1,458 $35,219
Science Lab for P.S./I.S. 218 1,379 $600,000
Technology Upgrade for NYPL Highbridge Library 1,348 $100,000
Countdown Clocks with Bus Time Technology 1,258 $40,000
Technology Upgrade for NYPL Morrisania Library 1,100 $100,000

 

District 17: Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr.

Project Votes Funding Amount
M.S. 302X Girls Prep Academy Auditorium Renovation 942 $600,000
Casita Maria Educational Kitchen Space 689 $600,000
Hunts Point Recreation Center Upgrades 454 $100,000
BX Charter School for Arts Technology 400 $150,000
M.S. 424X Stairs Lighting 332 $100,000

 

District 19: Council Member Paul Vallone

Project Votes Funding Amount
NYPD Security Cameras 2,086 $141,000
Bayside High School Music Rehearsal & Equipment Storage 1,954 $600,000
J.H.S. 194 Gymnasium Renovation 1,906 $300,000

 

District 22: Council Member Costa Constantinides

Project Votes Funding Amount
Road Repair and Resurfacing 1,667 $250,000
STEM Lab at I.S. 141 1,658 $300,000
Improving Children’s Area in Queens Library Astoria Branch 1,637 $300,000
Lighting at Astoria Houses Community Center 1,395 $150,000

 

District 26: Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer

Project Votes Funding Amount
Tech Upgrades for Schools 4,785 $500,000
Children’s Room/Auditorium Renovation 2,159 $500,000
Gymnasium Renovations 2,147 $900,000
Bus Countdown Clocks Throughout District 1,921 $300,000
Street Trees Throughout District 1,921 $300,000
Tech Upgrades Borden Avenue Veterans Shelter 1,182 $79,000

 

District 27: Council Member I. Daneek Miller

Project Votes Funding Amount
Mobile Laptop Computers & Arts 1,094 $300,000
Auditorium Upgrades 881 $375,000
Campus Magnet Gym Upgrades 747 $400,000
Football Field House Upgrades at Campus Magnet 691 $500,000
Water Fountains with Bottle Refilling Stations 672 $120,000

 

District 29: Council Member Karen Koslowitz

Project Votes Funding Amount
Water Fountains with Water Bottle Fill Stations 1,883 $120,000
Bathroom Renovations 1,878 $500,000
Bus Countdown Clocks 1,632 $350,000

 

District 30: Council Member Donovan Richards

Project Votes Funding Amount
P.S. 355/P.S. 356 Auditorium Repairs 1,235 $500,000
Springfield High School Bathroom Upgrade 1,199 $100,000 per bathroom
PS 355/PS 356 New PA System 1,097 $1,000,000
Part of 10 PS 132 Water Fountain Upgrade* 852 $50,000 *BK BP Funding Project

 

District 33: Council Member Steve Levin

Project Votes Funding Amount
Plant Trees in Bed Stuy 1,741 $210,000
Pedestrian Safety Improvements on Clay, Franklin and Commercial 1,698 $300,000
8 New Water Fountains (4 each) P.S./I.S. 157 and P.S. 318 1,516 80,000
Pedestrian and Bicycle Connector Improvements at Atlantic Avenue and Brooklyn Bridge Park 1,450 $300,000
Bathroom Renovation at George Westinghouse High School 1,403 $300,000
Provide 6 Laptop Carts to P.S/I.S. 157 1,352 $250,000 (BP Funding Project)

 

District 34: Council Member Antonio Reynoso

Project Votes Funding Amount
Green Up P.S. 147 2,074 $500,000
Street Tree Planting 743 $450,000
Hydroponic Farm at PS 274 620 $250,000
P.S. 299 Computer Lab 478 $150,000 (BP Funding Project)

 

District 35: Council Member Laurie Cumbo

Project Votes Funding Amount
Medgar Evers College Prep Technology Upgrades 2,524 $250,000
P.S. 20 Building Safety Upgrades 2,297 $250,000
Clinton Hill Library 1,772 $150,000
Ebbets Field Middle School 1,720 $175,000

 

District 36: Council Member Robert Cornegy

Project Votes Funding Amount
P.S. 23 Carter G. Woodson –Air Conditioning Installation 1,417 $450,000
Tompkins Childrens Park Upgrade 1,384 $500,000

 

District 38: Council Member Carlos Menchaca

Project Votes Funding Amount
SAV Technology for School Auditorium P.S.1, P.S. 105, P.S.169, M.S.821

 

6,337 $600,000
Better Technology for Classrooms & Libraries

 

6,047 $750,000
Renovation of Rainbow Playground

 

5,796 $500,000
P.S. 94 Security Camera

 

4,799 $450,000 (BP Funding Project)

 

District 39: Council Member Brad Lander

Project Votes Funding Amount
Replace Derelict Kindergarten Sinks at P.S 282

 

4,036 $200,000
Make P.S. 118 Schoolyard Accessible

 

3,808 $200,000
Senior Fitness Playground

 

3,357 $400,000
Harmony Playground Improvements

 

2,973 $450,000
Resurface the Soccer Field in Albemarle Playground

 

2,945 $500,000 (BP Funding Project)

 

District 40: Council Member Mathieu Eugene

Project Votes Funding Amount
New HVAC Unit for Ditmas Junior High School 1,545 $450,000
Flatbush Fit! Adult Fitness Area 972 $5000,000
School Library Upgrade at MS2 Parkside Prep 869 $150,000

 

District 44: Council Member Kalman Yeger

Project Votes Funding Amount
NYPD Security Cameras

 

1,508 $150,000
Bus Countdown Clocks

 

1,473 $250,000
Street Resurfacing 1,383 $250,000
Trench Restoration 1,236 $300,000
School Safety Measures 1,018 $250,000
Part of 8.Murrow TV Studio 849 $100,000
Trench Restoration & School Safety Measures   $300,000 & $$250,000 (BP Funding Project)

 

District 45: Council Member Jumaane Williams

Project Votes Funding Amount
P.S. 208 Computer Lab Upgrades

 

1,480 $350,000
I.S. 285 Auditorium Upgrade & Locker Installation

 

1,324 $500,000
P.S. 193 Library Upgrade 1,233 $450,000 (BP Funding Project)

 

District 47: Council Member Mark Treyger

Project Votes Funding Amount
Technology for P.S 212

 

971 $150,000
Security Cameras

 

696 $140,000
Coney Island Library Technology

 

691 $50,000
Ocean Parkway Malls

 

610 $500,000
Technology for P.S./I.S. 288 488 $150,000
I.S. 281 Auditorium Project 472 $500,000 (BP Funding Project)

 

District 49: Council Member Debi Rose

Project Votes Funding Amount
Advanced School Learning Upgrades (ASLU) 1,199 $475,000
North Shore District Libraries Technology Upgrade 981 $200,000
Mariners Harbor Basketball Court 707 $500,000

 

A map of winning projects and full voting results by district can be viewed at www.council.nyc.gov/pb