Participatory Budgeting Vote Week is Coming Up!

Participatory Budgeting is back for its fifth year with a new set of proposals! This NYC Council initiative encourages its members to set aside a portion of their budget dedicated to funding proposals that are created, and voted on, by their constituents. Our representative Brad Lander was among the first four Council Members to bring this innovative process of community engagement to New York, and this year he will be joined by 27 of his peers.

Council Member Lander's office accepted proposals for PB capital projects through the fall. Since then, volunteer budget delegates have refined the proposals and had vetted them with the relevant city agencies. The 13 projects below will appear on the 2016 District 39 PB ballot, competing for $1.5 million in funds that CM Lander dedicated to the process. Any District 39 resident 14 years or older may vote for up to 5 proposals. Participants do not have to be a registered voters, they must only show proof of address.

• Create New Teen Space at Carroll Gardens Library
• Beautify Outdoor Space at Borough Park Library
• "Mobile Studios" for Artists and Orgs in Gowanus
• Retrofit 75 Auditorium Lights for Safety at PS 282
• PS 124 Dye Garden/Makerspace STEAM Enrichments 
• West Brooklyn Community HS Portable Laptop Lab
• New “Lake Mess Monster,” an aquatic weed harvester
• Year-round, freeze-resistant drinking fountains along Prospect Park Drive
• New Kensington Dog Run: Areas for Big and Small Dogs
• Curb extension & safer crossing near Carroll Park
• Pedestrian safety: Curb extension on Columbia St
• Replace painted cross-hatch with concrete on PPSW
• "Bus Clocks” on B67/B69: see when bus will arrive!

To view the full ballot with price estimates and short descriptions, visit: bradlander.nyc/2016-pbnyc-ballot

Participatory Budgeting Vote Week
March 28 - April 3
See here for the full list of voting sites

PBNYC Expo & Vote Kick Off
Tuesday, March 29th, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Park Slope Library
431 6th Ave., between 8th St. and 9th St.

The Voting times at our closest locations:
Brooklyn Borough Hall
209 Joralemon St. (at Court St)
Monday, March 28 - Friday, April 1
10am - 5pm

Carroll Gardens Library
396 Clinton St at Union St
Saturday, April 2
10 am – 6 pm

If you're interested in volunteering to help get out the vote, or run a voting site, visit: http://bradlander.nyc/pbVolunteer.

Watch this video for more about PBNYC

Participatory Budgeting Returns

What is Participatory Budgeting? from PBP on Vimeo.

Participatory budgeting is back this year offering residents the opportunity to tell our City Council Members what we want done in our communities. Over the next few weeks Council Member Brad Lander's office will be holding meetings to seek capital project proposals that total $1.5 million. Twenty four of the city's representatives have opted in to allot funds to PB, now in it's fifth year. For more information see CM Brad Lander's participatory budgeting page here. The first PB workshop is next Wednesday (details below). You may also contact the Council Member's office directly.

PB Assembly at PS 118

Wednesday, September 30th

6:30-8:30 p.m.

211 8th St (near 4th Avenue), Brooklyn, NY

RSVP for the PS 118 Assembly here.

'Fix the Ditch' with Participatory Democracy discussions

Last year, several city council members began a simple experiment. Rather than dictate every dollar they control in the city budget, they would instead give New Yorkers the power to decide how to spend $1 million of their tax dollars on projects in the neighborhood. Local Councilman Brad Lander led the effort in our own district and had over 3,000 people participate. The seven projects with the most votes are now approved, money is allocated, and they will be coming to fruition soon.

Now Councilman Lander is again starting the process with another million dollars and the Cobble Hill Association encourages residents to come out, participate, and help push forward a ling standing idea of ours - the need to 'Fix the Ditch' with pedestrian enhancements along Hicks Street to better connect our neighborhood and Carol Gardens to the Columbia Waterfront, currently cut off by the BQE trench. The first neighborhood assembly he is holding will be just a few blocks away, at the Carroll Gardens Library, this coming Monday. We hope many of you will attend and take part in this democratic process. If you didn't participate last year, or want to be reminded of the fun, check out our new video.

Neighborhood Assembly

Monday, September 24th  6:30 PM
Carroll Gardens Library  396 Clinton St. (at Union St.)
RSVP here