3,700 residents vote on over $2 million in capital funding for projects in East Harlem and the South Bronx<\/p>\n
Today, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito joined with residents to announce the results of participatory budgeting in East Harlem and the South Bronx. After a year-long process of neighborhood assemblies, delegate meetings, and project expositions, 3,700 residents voted to fund over $2 million for capital projects that address longstanding community needs in New York City\u2019s 8th Council District.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe level of engagement and enthusiasm in this year\u2019s participatory budgeting process was unprecedented and thoroughly rewarding,\u201d said Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. \u201cIn East Harlem and the South Bronx, residents of all ages and backgrounds came together to make their neighborhoods a better place to call home. Participatory budgeting breaks down barriers that New Yorkers may face at the polls\u2014including youth, income status, English-language proficiency and citizenship status\u2014resulting in a civic dialogue that is truly inclusive and representative of the diversity of this community and this city. I thank everyone who took part in this year\u2019s process and helped make participatory budgeting a success.\u201d<\/p>\n
Winning projects in the 8th Council District:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Wilson Houses: Basketball Court Renovations (1,095 votes: $375,000)
\n\u2022 School Technology upgrades (998 votes: $500,000)
\n\u2022 125th Street Library: ADA Ramp (963 votes: $500,000)
\n\u2022 Boys & Girls Harbor: Playground Renovations (844 votes: $275,000)
\n\u2022 Air conditioning at Bronx Schools (786 votes: $500,000)<\/p>\n
Participatory budgeting voting in the 8th Council District took place April 11th to April 19th at over 27 poll sites across the district. Voting was open to all residents 14 years of age and older, and ballots were available in English, Spanish, and Chinese. Speaker Mark-Viverito\u2019s district also featured feature digital voting stations at poll sites as well as pop-up mobile voting sites on commercial strips, in community centers and building lobbies using touch-screen tablets.<\/p>\n
Several community-based organizations in East Harlem and the South Bronx served as invaluable partners in organizing and mobilizing participatory budgeting and applauded the success of this year\u2019s process.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important to be involved in participatory budgeting because it allows individuals, the community and organizations to focus on what is important to them. Participatory budgeting has allowed the participants of BronxWorks Betances Cornerstone Community Center to exercise their voices, opinions and to give an insight on what they would like enhanced in their center and community. Being a part of the process it allowed participants to speak up and challenge the changes they would like to see. It allowed those who were shy to be more actively involved in community organizing, learning more about politics and overall being a representative for their peers. Overall I wish this can be a process that is done throughout the Bronx because other communities need this type of setting to make small but significant changes,\u201d said Suzette Walker-Camara, Site Director of BronxWorks Betances Cornerstone Community Center.
\n\u201cNow that voting for the fourth cycle of Participatory Budgeting has concluded, Community Voices Heard is excited to see all the winning projects across the 24 participating districts. Leading up to and during the week of the vote, it was important that ALL residents hear about the proposed projects for their community and come out to vote on which ones were important to them. EVERYONE had a voice! Youth as young as 14, low-income, undocumented, and formerly incarcerated community residents showed up to vote and have their voice heard. Through PB we give power to people that too often are left out of decision-making processes in our communities,\u201d said Aaron Jones of Community Voices Heard.
\n\u201cParticipatory budgeting has taught our students invaluable lessons about being active and engaged citizens in a democratic society. Through this process they were able to conceptualize project that will make a huge differences in their educational lives, present it in various public forums, and rally community support behind it. It was a beautiful and inspiring process to have been a part of – hands on learning about community empowerment at its best,\u201d said Dr. Suzy Ort, Assistant Principal of Park East High School.
\nAt its best, participatory budgeting can be transformative for communities. In Porto Alegre, Brazil, there have been dramatic improvements in infrastructure for so many local residents through PB. Here in El Barrio, PB embodies the possibility of real civic engagement for members of our community who are left out of the political process, due to their youth, immigration status, language access, or past criminal history. It’s important for us, as individual community members, to be involved in this process to help PB live up to its potential in NYC, to engage and support new community leaders and to ensure that East Harlem’s needs are addressed by funding sorely needed projects,\u201d said East Harlem Budget Delegate Marie Winfield.
\n\u201cIt is important to be involved in PB because it allows you to get to know your neighbors and community organizations. The whole process makes you feel so empowered. It also allows you to get to know the staff of your local council person, and this can all lead to further collaborations in the future,\u201d said East Harlem Budget Delegate Tiffany Vega.
\n\u201cParticipatory budgeting is very important in our community to enhance, enlighten and advance our schools, community based organizations and our future. The children in our community wiill appreciate our parks, new technology and understand why we as a community must express and work hard for our needs. The involvement of the youth was amazing, our library saw over 100+ students voting for their neighborhood projects. It was an absolute joy to see!\u201d said Jeanine Thomas, Library Manager of the Mott Haven Library.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe importance of participatory budgeting is that the people in the community get to select the project(s) that they think is important. Then they, with the help of the staff and other agencies can find what it takes to get the project done. It gives the community some worth of what is going on in the community, so when the voting starts the whole community gets an uplifting. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of the process,\u201d said Bronx Budget Delegate Carlton Curry.<\/p>\n
\u201cParticipatory budgeting or PB allows people in the community to be engaged in improving their neighborhood. People from all walks of life can have ideas about how to improve their community, but most of the time they do not have the resources to implement them. PB allows for those ideas to come into fruition. Properly done can have a great impact on how people perceive and take care of their communities. This is the closest we have to true democracy. It is the stepping stone to changing our neighborhoods for the better,\u201d said Bronx Budget Delegate Cesar Yoc.
\n\u201cParticipatory budgeting is important to communities because it allows their voices to be heard and to be part of a process, which strengthens communities and promotes stronger advocacy for positive change in all communities throughout New York City,\u201d said Bronx Budget Delegate Zonia Ortiz.<\/p>\n
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3,700 residents vote on over $2 million in capital funding for projects in East Harlem and the South Bronx<\/p>\n
Today, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito joined with residents to announce the results of participatory budgeting in East Harlem and the South Bronx. After a year-long process of neighborhood assemblies, delegate meetings, and project expositions, 3,700 residents voted to fund over $2 million for capital projects that address longstanding community needs in New York City\u2019s 8th Council District.<\/p>\n
…<\/p>\n