District 35 Participatory Budgeting 2018: Winning Projects

Majority Leader Cumbo visited Medgar Evers Prep yesterday to announce results and present oversized checks for winning projects (Via @NYC Council Twitter)

CROWN HEIGHTS – City Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo paid a visit to a Crown Heights high school to announce the winning projects from Participatory Budgeting Cycle 7 in her 35th District, unveiling the results and presenting oversized checks at Medgar Evers Prep on Tuesday, May 22.

In a statement championing an “unprecedented” 63% increase in votes cast over last year’s cycle of budgeting, Councilmember Cumbo wrote that participatory budgeting is “an incredible opportunity to engage and empower people of all backgrounds to collectively decide how we can spend $1 million to fund capital projects that will strengthen our community.”

The winning projects were:

Bklyner reporting is supported by our subscribers and:

Technology Upgrade at Medgar Evers College Preparatory School – $250,000
Funding for 8 classroom sets and 35 smart boards which would “provide students with the necessary technology tools for a better education”

Building Safety for P.S. 20/Academy of Arts & Letters – $250,000
School construction upgrades including water filtration, AC/heating, doors, gym safety padding, and plumbing “to create a safer environment”

Electric Upgrade for Clinton Hill Library – $150,000
Electrical upgrades that would “improve space efficiency for the use of technology” at the Clinton Hill Library

Technology Upgrade for Ebbets Field Middle School – $175,000
Funding for 160 new laptops to “replace outdated ones, and serve growing population of students”

Refurbish P.S. 9’s Auditorium – $250,000
Installing new lighting, sound system, paint job, curtains, chairs and stage floor in the auditorium.

Five of the seven proposed projects received funding from voters, who were less enthused by upgrading the auditoriums at either M.S. 113 or P.S. 705. Maybe next cycle…

The projects were selected based on the votes of 4,478 constituents in District 35. Of course, at the last census, roughly 86,000 people were eligible to vote on participatory budgeting in District 35, which means even though turnout was up, something around 5% of the eligible voters actually bothered.

With $1,000,000 of funding on the line for each district, each vote in District 35 was essentially worth $223. Not bad for spending a little of your day all the polls!

Paul Stremple

Bklyner

May 23, 2018

Get Out and Vote: Participatory Budgeting Vote Week Ends Sunday, April 15!

The end of Participatory Budgeting Vote Week is almost here. The response so far has been great and there’s still a chance to vote.

You can see where to vote and which projects are on the ballot by clicking here: https://on.nyc.gov/2G3qnPs. 

You can make sure you live in my district by clicking here: https://on.nyc.gov/2u5MCAS, and typing in your address.

If you can’t make it to a poll site, you can vote on line by clicking here: https://bit.ly/2ICH4lC.

Any resident of district 35 age 11 (or in the 6th grade) and older can vote – even if you’re not a registered voter.  Don’t miss out on your opportunity to be among the legion of residents who want to have a say in making our community better.

PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING VOTE WEEK ENDS ON APRIL 15

Thank you for your response so far to Participatory Budgeting (PB) Vote Week. You’ve been terrific. The cycle ends on April 15 so there’s still more time to vote. If you can’t make it to a site, you can vote on line by clicking here: https://bit.ly/2ICH4lC

Any resident of my district age 11 (or in the 6th grade) and older can vote – even if you are not a registered voter. All you need is an ID (license, passport, IDNYC), a utility bill, or some other document stating your name and address.

So get out and vote! And thanks for you continued partnership.

PBNYC Cycle 7 Vote Week D35 Voting Sites

Download the full-size PBNYC Cycle 7 Poll Sites flyer

VOLUNTEER FOR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING POSTER MAKING WORKSHOP

VOLUNTEER FOR THE PB Poster Making Workshop!

We’re in the homestretch of preparing for the 7th annual Participatory Budgeting vote. During April 7–15, our community will choose which local projects get a piece of $1 million dollars in discretionary funding.

 

The posters visually communicate the value and importance of the projects to the institutions that would benefit from funding, and to our community. And we need your help in developing them.

 

If you’d like to volunteer, please see this flyer for more information.  Your efforts help to give real power to people eager to be involved in the political process, resulting in better budget decisions — because who knows the needs of our community better than the people who live here.

PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING VOTE WEEK STARTS APRIL 7

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Participatory Budgeting Vote Week is April 7-April 15.

 

Voting binds us all together and helps us exercise our freedom for a better life. Here are 3 reasons you should come out to vote:

• You build your community with votes
• Voting creates hope for a better tomorrow
• Democracy must be more than 2 wolves and 1 sheep voting on what to have for dinner (James Bovard)

Ballots will be announced very soon. The projects that receive the highest amount of votes will receive capital funding.

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS FOR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING VOTE WEEK

VOLUNTEER FOR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING DURING VOTE WEEK

WE NEED YOU! Vote Week for Participatory Budgeting (PB) 2018 is April 7 – April 15.

If you would like to volunteer, sign up using the link provided here or contact Darrell Oliver at 718.260.9191. 

VOTE WEEK FOR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IS ALMOST HERE

Vote Week for Participatory Budgeting (PB) 2018 is April 7 – April 15! 

There are eight (8) projects on the ballot this year.  The complete list of projects and the locations for the voting sites will be announced very soon!  And don’t worry if you can’t make it out to one of the sites, you’ll be able to cast your vote online.

If you have any questions about PB or would like to volunteer to support Vote Week, contact Darrell Oliver at 718.260.9191. 

Participatory Budgeting in District 35

Dear neighbors,

Cycle 7 of the Participatory Budgeting process is now underway!

You, the residents of this district who I believe are the most diverse and creative in the city, will decide how to spend $1 million of public funds in our community. Come to an assembly or public meeting nearest you on one of the following days: Wednesday, October 4 at Willoughby Senior Center or the Clinton Hill Public Library; Thursday, October 5 at Medgar Evers College; or Friday, October 6 at the Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza.

Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a public process where residents lead discussions, propose projects, and then vote to decide which improvements to parks, schools, libraries, and streets should be funded. Last year one school was funded for safer routes, while another was funded for technology upgrades.

If you cannot attend these assemblies, you can submit your project ideas right now online at: http://ideas.pbnyc.org/page/about. The deadline for ideas is October 13.

Everyone in the district who is at least 14 years old is eligible to participate and vote.
Kindly RSVP by contacting Darrell Oliver, at 718.260.9191. I hope you’ll attend to help improve our community. I look forward to your participation.