Participatory Budgeting

Participatory Budgeting admin Fri, 03/07/2014 - 10:52am

What is Participatory Budgeting?

Participatory budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. In other words, the people who pay taxes decide how tax dollars get spent. Participatory budgeting is grassroots democracy at its best. It helps make budget decisions clear and accessible. It gives real power to people who have never before been involved in the political process. And it results in better budget decisions - because who better knows the needs of our community than the people who live there?

In 2011, four New York City Council Members launched a PB process to let residents allocate part of their capital discretionary funds. This year, twenty-eight Council Members are participating in the process, giving the community real decision-making power over almost $30 million in taxpayer money.

The Brazilian city of Porto Alegre started the first full PB process in 1989, for its municipal budget. Since then, PB has spread to more than 1,500 cities around the world. Its usually used for city budgets, but states, counties, schools, universities, housing authorities, and coalitions of community groups have also used PB to open up spending decisions to the people.

How does it work?

PB lets the whole community participate in decision-making. It’s a yearlong process of public meetings, to make sure that people have the time and resources to make wise decisions. Community members discuss local needs and develop proposals to meet these needs. Through a public vote, residents then decide which proposals to fund.

For more information on participatory budgeting and how it has worked elsewhere, visit the website of The Participatory Budgeting Project

What Kind of Projects can be Funded?

Discretionary funds are money that the City Council Member allocates. There are two types of discretionary funds. Expense funds are used to pay for salaries and services. Capital funds are used to pay for physical infrastructure - for “bricks and mortar” projects.

For the time being, PBNYC only deals with CAPITAL money. That means community members can propose projects like improvements to schools, parks, libraries, public housing, and other public or community spaces.

What happens when?

Neighborhood Canvassing: July - August

Volunteers go to street fairs, parks and community meetings throughout the district to hear from about the community's needs.

Neighborhood Assemblies: September

At public meetings in each district, community members learn about PB and discuss their community’s needs. They then brainstorm project ideas and volunteer to be budget delegates.

Delegate Orientations: October

Volunteer budget delegates learn about the budget process, project development, and key spending areas, then form committees.

Delegate Meetings: October - January

Delegates meet in committees to transform the community’s initial project ideas into full proposals, with support from Council Member staff and other experts.

Community Voting: March

Residents vote on which projects to fund at voting sites throughout the district.

Implementation & Monitoring: April onwards

The Council Members submit their spending priorities to the City Council’s Finance Division, including the winning PB projects, for inclusion in the City budget. Community members evaluate the process, and oversee the implementation of projects. Research and Evaluation happens throughout these stages, to improve the process for next year.

To learn more about participatory budgeting or the budget delegate process, please contact Sushant Harite at 212-860-1950 or SHarite@BenKallos.com

Pledge to Vote

Project Expos

Project Expos admin Fri, 03/07/2014 - 11:15am

Pledge to vote and learn more about the projects and meet the budget delegates who have helped in the process!

 

Pledge to Vote

Voting Dates and Locations

Voting Dates and Locations

Each year residents in my district ages 11 or at least in the 6th grade may vote on how to spend one million dollars in the community through Participatory Budgeting. You can see the ballot at BenKallos.com/pb/ballot, which was decided with the process is run by residents just like you who volunteer as Delegates. Learn more at BenKallos.com/PB

VOTING

Pledge to Votehttp://benkallos.com/pb/pledge
Vote Online by Digital Ballot from Saturday through Sunday: 
http://benkallos.com/pb/digital

Vote in our District Office, 244 E. 93rd Street:
Monday – Friday, 03/30 - 04/03, 9AM - 5PM

Mobile Voting:

We will also make voting more convenient by bringing the ballots closer to you at mobile voting sites throughout the district with help from this cycle’s budget delegates who will be sponsoring even more vote sites as they continue to shepherd the process. We hope you will consider volunteering or voting at one of these sites:

 

MOBILE POLL SITES

East 67th Street Farmers Market, Saturday, 03/28/20, 1000-1400 - RSVP
Carl Schurz Park, Sunday, 03/29/20, 1200-1600 - RSVP
Roosevelt Island Farmers Market, Saturday, 04/04/20, 1000-1400 - RSVP
East 82nd Street Greenmarket, Saturday, 04/04/20, 1000-1400 - RSVP
District Office, Sunday, 04/05/20, 1200-1600 - RSVP

Cancelled Due to Coronavirus

 

admin Fri, 03/07/2014 - 11:15am

Can I Vote?

Can I Vote? admin Fri, 03/25/2016 - 7:23pm

To vote, you must be at least 11 years old and live within Council District 5.

In order to vote, you'll need documents proving your name, current address and age.

These may include:

  • A document with name and current address from a local, state, or US government agency such as IDNYC, a state driver’s license or non-driver ID, consular ID, passport, EBT card, military ID card
  • Voter registration card
  • Utility, medical, credit card bill with name and current address
  • Current lease
  • Paycheck or paycheck stub from an employer or a W-2 statement
  • Bank statement or bank-issued credit card statement
  • Student ID
  • Employee ID
  • Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) or other Immigration Documentation
  • Residency Letter or Identification issued by a homeless shelter, halfway house, etc
  • Passport or other ID issued by a foreign government
  • Social Security Card or Social Security benefit statements or check
  • Employment Authorization Document
  • Medicare or other insurance document with address
  • Tax forms
  • School records (or naming the parents of children attending school and the parents’ address
  • Title to any property (automobiles, house, etc.) with address
  • Birth or marriage certificate
  • Union Membership Card

Individuals who cannot present the above documents should contact their Council Member’s office to discuss how they can participate.

Pledge to Vote

Pledge to Vote admin Fri, 03/07/2014 - 11:19am

Participatory budgeting empowers you to decide how money gets spent in your neighborhood. Whether you’re passionate about green space, improving housing conditions or senior services, participatory budgeting allows you to champion your causes for the good of the community. Other Council Districts have piloted participatory budgeting with resounding success, and now I’m bringing it to our neighborhood. I have set aside a million dollars so you can vote on projects that are important to you.

Petition Signature
Address

Absentee Ballot Request

Absentee Ballot Request

Any resident of Council District 5, 11+ years of age, may vote.
Absentee Ballot Request Deadline: March,19 
Absentee Ballot must be received no later than Sunday, April 1
(Please complete once for each member of your household)

admin Sat, 02/27/2016 - 1:42pm

Digital Voting

Digital Voting

2021 Ballot 

 

Please vote at peoplesbudgetnyc.decision21.org

The 2021 voting period begins on Monday, April 5th and ends on Wednesday, April 14th.

Any resident of Council District 5, 11 years old or at least in 6th grade, may vote. Each member of your household may vote once.

 

admin Sat, 03/25/2017 - 8:16am

Absentee Ballott 2020

Absentee Ballott 2020 admin Tue, 03/03/2020 - 11:53pm

Cancelled Due to Coronavirus

Vote on how to spend $1 million in the neighborhood
March 28 through April 5 by mail, in person at our District Office,
or online at BenKallos.com/PB/Digital

Name: ______________________________________________

 

Email: ______________________________________________

◻ I am 11 years or older and live in Council District 5.

 

Pick up to 5
◻ $220,000 – Mechanical Cleaner and Plow for Bike Lanes
◻ $90,000 – Composting for Roosevelt Island
◻ $800,000 – Playground Renovation for Lexington Houses
◻ $500,000 – Laptops & STEM for Public Schools
◻ $550,000 – Video Camera and Security System for P.S. 151
◻ $285,000 – NYPD Security Cameras
◻ $225,000 – Trees with Guards
◻ $100,000 – All Gender Bathroom for P.S. 77/198
◻ $500,000 – Ruppert Park Renovation
◻ $186,000 – Fire Battalion Vehicle


Mail to Council Member Ben Kallos at 244 East 93rd Street, New York, NY 10128 by April 1, 2020

Results

Results admin Sat, 03/21/2015 - 11:26am

PB Results for 2014

PB Results for 2014 admin Sat, 03/21/2015 - 11:29am
  • District-wide Priorities: Senior Centers ($250,000): $250,000 additional funds for NYC’s seniors for a total of nearly a million dollars. This includes a new security system for senior public housing home Robbins Plaza, a new accessible door for Robbins Plaza and a large grant to Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, which serves seniors in need.
  • Bus Time: West Bound Crosstown Bus Stops ($300,000): Fifteen electronic signs will be installed along the M96, M86, M79 and M66 crosstown routes to tell riders when the next bus will arrive in real-time.
  • District-wide Priorities: Public Schools ($250,000):  $250,000 additional funds for NYC’s public schools, including more than a million dollars to fund science, technology, engineering and math education in schools, the sectors with the most promising job opportunities for young adults. The funding includes:
    • MS 114 East Side Middle School ($105,540): Purchase 128 laptops and 8 laptop carts.
    • PS 151 Yorkville Community School ($52,400): Classroom Laptops and Carts- 30 Laptops and a cart per class
    • PS 158 Bayard Taylor School ($117,627): Replace 144 ibooks in 4 carts of 36 each that are now past useful life and cannot run current software. Purchase 144 Lenovo X131E laptops (longer useful life of 6-10 years), divided into 9 carts of 16 laptops each. 
    • PS 217 The Roosevelt Island School ($225,000): Technology update to further support the STEM programs that will be incorporated into the curriculum. Need of updated Active Boards, computers, laptops, smart devices including tablets, iPads, chrome books, and document cameras.
    •  PS 290 -The Manhattan New School ($40,000): One laptop cart
    • PS 183 - Robert Louis Stevenson School ($104,305): 4 Mobile Laptop Computer Storage Carts and Mac Server
    • MS 167 – Robert Wagner School ($150,000): Science lab upgrade for 8th grade classroom
    • Manhattan International High School ($164,632 ): 30 laptop computers and cart for each of 4 teams of teachers (120 laptops and 4 carts). 
    • PS 183 Robert Louis Stevenson School ($115,349): 4 mobile carts for K-2 classrooms, 1 Macbook Pro per classroom (13 total), 1 server.

But the money set aside for participatory budgeting was not sufficient to fund the great projects that you selected in our neighborhood. Discretionary funds were allocated to other top vote-getters on the ballot, including:

  • Bus Time: M31 Downtown & Crosstown Timers ($340,000): Downtown buses to receive bus clocks.
  • Cleaner Parks: Maintenance Machine ($65,000): A “tool cat” multi-purpose vehicle to help keep parks clean through tough weather conditions.
  • A Safer Library: Replace 67th Street Library Branch Security System($40,000): The old CCTV security system updated with a full turn-key security system.
  • A Greener Stanley Isaacs & Holmes Towers: New Gardens ($150,000): Old planting throughout the residence replaced with fresh, vibrant gardens.
  • Lexington Houses: New Fridges & Stoves ($430,000): Out of date fridges and stoves for Lexington Houses residents replaced (4 buildings with 448 apartments).

PB Results for 2015

PB Results for 2015

Thank you for voting in participatory budgeting! Over the course of 10 days, 2,140 of you turned out to vote a total for a total of 6,963 votes. I am pleased to announce the top vote getters for the $1,000,000 were green roofs for PS/IS 217 and PS 151. Both projects will cost more than the $500,000 that each won this year and are likely to be back on the ballot next year or until they are fully funded.

So that you can learn more and better organize for next year, we are releasing the total votes for each project as well as paper ballot results by project and poll site. Wherever a project was tied to a physical location, we did our best to bring at least one poll site to that location. You can see the more detailed results below or download the Excel Spreadsheet or the Open Document Format Spreadsheet which can be viewed and edited for free using LibreOffice.

Learn more about Participatory Budgeting and if you are interested in becoming a Participatory Budgeting Delegate next year or simply becoming more engaged in the process, please contact 212-860-1950 or bkallos@benkallos.com.

Congratulations to the winners and all who participated. Profiles of our winners--and how they successfully mobilized the community--are below:

 

PS/IS 217

PS/IS 217, a unique international school on Roosevelt Island serving pre-k through eighth grade, wanted additional outdoor space and an educational green roof for their 543 students. Roosevelt Island is a tight-knit and highly-engaged community, so they mobilized together. 

The PS/IS 217 PTA, Girl Scouts troops 3001 and 3244, Roosevelt Island Garden Club, Roosevelt Island Parents' Network and Sharon Bermon from the NYPL Roosevelt Island Branch were just a few of the community members who came together to support the students.

Principal Mandana Beckman acknowledged the community efforts, saying " It truly does take a village and we have a great one here on Roosevelt Island.The Principal explained:

"Our PTA co-presidents used the 217 PTA website parent blog to deliver frequent messages about the project and the voting process.  Flyers, memos, even bookmarks were printed as reminders and sources of information.  The Main Street Wire and the Roosevelt Islander blog, featured several articles on the Green Roof and voting information. RI Residents Association (RIRA) discussed the process and the project in their regular news Wire column.  Nearly every business, club, group or organization, participated in spreading the word about the project and the opportunity to vote.  Flyers were also published and distributed on the Upper East Side and Midtown East to explain and support this project on New York’s other Island.  RI’s Earth Day Celebration drew in a large voting crowd on one of the ballot days. City Council Member Ben Kallos and his teams came out to the Island to meet with the community to talk about the project and encourage voters to participate."

"217PTA was thrilled to have the opportunity to engage our parents and students in Council member Ben Kallos’ Participatory Budget process," said PTA co-presidents Olga Shchuchinov and Natalia Starkova.

"The green roof will serve as a great educational resource for the community." Ali Schwayri, President of the Roosevelt Island Garden Club, said, "We believe in the benefits of the Green Roof for our community, and I speak for secretary, Julia Ferguson, and the entire membership, when I say we all look forward to sharing our expertise and passion."

Eva Bosbach, the Founder of the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network, and Jeff Escobar, President of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association both also noted how excited they were to support the projects. Community member Sharon Bermon said, "Dozens of individuals and organizations worked together to increase awareness of the Participatory Balloting process and to convince people to take the time to vote."

Local girl scouts on the Island also poured their energy into the project. Their troop leaders, Janine Schaefer of troup 3244 and Aiesha Eleusizov, leader of troup 3001, said:

"Girl Scout Troops 3001 and 3244 dedicated countless hours at the subway, in front of the school, at our community's Earth Day event and simply walking down the street passing out bookmarks about the community projects, meeting with constituents at our local Expo, drawing pictures about the Green Roof, making and posting on social media a YouTube video to encourage voting, and simply spreading the word to encourage Roosevelt Island residents to exercise their right to vote for the Green Roof project at PS/IS 217...This has been an excellent opportunity for our youth to learn first hand the power of the vote, the community and working hard to achieve your dreams."

Council Member Kallos did multiple mobile sessions on Roosevelt Island, as he did at dozens of locations across the district.

Congratulations, PS/IS 217!

 

PS 151

PS 151, or the Yorkville Community School, is a K-5 school that opened its doors in 2009 and now has around 500 students. The children were crunched for space to play, move, and enjoy the outdoors. Parent leaders, along with Principal Samantha Kaplan, became involved in the participatory budgeting process to gain the funds for the school green roof.

PTA Co-Presidents Nesli Ciner and Michael Rawlings, along with other parent leaders, got involved.

Council Member Kallos' office offered mobile sites to all locations with projects on the ballot--and PS 151 scheduled one. This mobile voting location was the most well-attended of all the mobile sites, thanks to the hard work of community activists, volunteers and students who peppered their

neighbors' doors with material advertising the vote.

Principal Samantha Kaplan said:

"This multi-step process began with me presenting my YCS roof top recreational space project plan to Council Member Kallos, as well as the PTA Executive Board. From there, three members of the Exec. board took the reigns and ensured that our school's project plan was present at all Participatory Budget Expos, as well as sharing with the larger community through varied messaging. This team effort helped to educate our community in regards to the specific needs this project would fulfill for our school and how their voice mattered through the process. The Participatory Budget allocation will now be combined with Capital funding we have received in the past, to begin planning for our new educational/recreational roof top space."

She stated that the school was extremely excited to have participatory budgeting through a strong show of neighborhood support.

"Yorkville Community School is ecstatic to have won the Participatory Budget Vote. Thanks to the  community support, ourstudents will now be able to enjoy a much needed outdoor play space and educational garden. I would also like to thank Council Member Kallos for providing the opportunity to engage in this community centered process."

Both green roof winners acknowledged that this was the beginning of a multi-year funding process that they were excited to embark upon. Council Member Kallos' office looks forward to working with them to make the green roofs a reality.

 

Results

Download the Excel Spreadsheet or the Open Document Format Spreadsheet which can be viewed and edited for free using LibreOffice.

Digital and Paper Ballots

Ballot # Paper Votes Digital Votes Total Votes Project Name
1 354 127 481 Cool Reading
2 143 95 238 Bright Minds
3 364 377 741 Study of Sight and Sound
4 618 136 754 Rooftop Recreation for PS 151
5 453 392 845 Green Roof for PS/IS 217
6 348 124 472 School Stage for Eleanor Roosevelt High
7 231 118 349 School's Cool for PS198/PS 77
8 256 140 396 STEM Education for High School
9 182 101 283 Security Cameras for Holmes Towers
10 378 106 484 Security Cameras for Lexington Houses
11 195 107 302 Community Garden for Lexington Houses
12 152 87 239 Full Court Press
13 215 121 336 Irrigate the Esplanade
14 311 160 471 Esplanade Greenway
15 118 97 215 Fun Fountain at St. Catherine's Park
16 247 110 357 Bus Bulbs on E86th St
Total Votes 4,565 2,398 6,963  
Total Ballots 1,420 720 2,140  

Paper Ballots by Poll Site

Ballot Items DO Carl Schurz Park Eleanor Roosevelt
HS
John Jay Park Lenox Hill Lexington Houses 67th Street NYPL PS 151 PS/IS 217 R.I. NYPL R.I. Senior Center R.I. Visitor Center R.I. St. Cath. Park Stanley Isaacs Webster NYPL  
1 69 39 21 7 4   8 75 11 2 10 6 8   21 74 Cool Reading
2 29 5 4 5 3 1 14 32 7   9 2 7 4 3 18 Bright Minds
3 21 9 5 3 3 1   21 51 12 106 60 57   5 10 Study of Sight and Sound
4 76 57 11 7 3   3 353 12 2 15 6 15 2 32 26 Rooftop Recreation for PS 151
5 29 12 6 4 2   4 33 78 13 102 66 84 2 9 9 Green Roof for PS/IS 217
6 47 51 131 9 1   6 28 6   14   6 3 12 35 School Stage for Eleanor Roosevelt High
7 91 15 8 9 4 2   32 7 2 12 7 9 4 22 9 School's Cool for PS198/PS 77
8 60 27 14 7 5 1 3 40 9 2 22 17 10 3 16 21 STEM Education for High School
9 41 18 8 1 1 4 7 34 6 2 10 12 9   13 17 Security Cameras for Holmes Towers
10 72 39 15 2 5 1 4 132 1 2 4 7 3   69 25 Security Cameras for Lexington Houses
11 53 16 9 1 5 3 1 41 3 2 5 5 5 2 34 11 Community Garden for Lexington Houses
12 45 10 6 9 2   7 29 4 1 7 2 3 4 6 19 Full Court Press
13 63 30 7 4   1 8 23 5   7 4 11 2 18 33 Irrigate the Esplanade
14 86 46 15 5 2 2 9 52 7 1 15 11 7 2 17 35 Esplanade Greenway
15 26 6 7 2 2   7 14 6 1 7 8 4 9 8 12 Fun Fountain at St. Catherine's Park
16 56 15 12 3 2 1 3 60 7 1 11 4 6 2 37 28 Bus Bulbs on E86th St
Total Votes 864  395 279 78 44 17 84 999   220 43 356 217 244   39 322 382  
Total Ballots 231  94 137 19 9 4 18 367  79 16 112 69 86 9 75 98  
Votes Per Ballot 3.7 4.2 2.0 4.1 4.9 4.3 4.7 2.7 2.8 2.7 3.2 3.1 2.8 4.3 4.3 3.9  

Additional funding decisions will be made by July, and you are encouraged to check back then.

admin Wed, 04/29/2015 - 12:40pm

PB Results for 2016

PB Results for 2016

Nearly 2,000 Upper East Side residents 14 and over turned out in person or online to vote on how to spend $1 million in tax dollars to improve the community as part of “Participatory Budgeting.” Residents were able to vote in the district office 7 days a week as well as at 17 mobile “pop-up” voting locations, by absentee and even online. This is the third year of Participatory Budgeting and the results were:

  • $500,000 – 802 votes – Green Roof at P.S. 290  the Manhattan New School (MNS)
  • $350,000 – 768 votes – Laptop Carts for 10 schools on the Upper East Side P.S. 77, P.S 198, P.S 290, P.S/I.S 217, M. 225, Eleanor Roosevelt, Urban Academy, Vanguard, Manhattan International and Life Sciences serving over 5,000 students.

The $500,000 for P.S. 290 adds to $1 million previously allocated by Council Member Kallos for a green roof at the location, where the project cost is estimated at $2.8 million. This allocation brings the school to the half-way point during Kallos’ third year in office.
 
This is the second year that STEM investments like laptop carts topped Participatory Budgeting, with a previous win in the first year for $250,000 to be distributed to schools throughout the district. This brings the total investment by Council Member Kallos in “STEM schools” to $2 million.
 
The third highest vote getter, which exceeded the $1 million for Participatory budgeting was:

  • $500,000 – 751 votes – Green Roof at P.S/I.S. 217

Due to the strong showing of support for Green Roofs two years in a row, Council Member Kallos will allocate the full $500,000 for the Green Roof at P.S./I.S. 217, which combines with his previous allocation of $500,000 and a minimum of $250,000 from Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. The project will begin scoping. 
“Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) continue to be where residents are voting to invest their tax dollars to prepare our children for the future,” said Council Member Ben Kallos. “Thank you to Participatory Budgeting Delegates for leading the process as well as residents 14 and over for voting.”
 
“I’m delighted that Councilmember Kallos will continue to join in supporting the Green Roof at P.S./I.S. 217," said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “Urban agriculture is a fresh approach to education and this funding will help sustain that approach."
 
“Thank you to Ben Kallos for working so closely with our school community to secure the funding needed for us to finally move forward with our dream of a rooftop science center and play space.   I am very excited that our students will have a chance to explore nature and play in the sunshine on the rooftop of their school in the heart of New York City,” saidDoreen Esposito Principal at P.S. 290 Manhattan New School.

"Thank you to all of the supporters from our community and the city for voting for the PS/IS 217 STEM Green Room. This Green Roof will further enhance the learning opportunities for the students and families of PS/IS 217 and the residents of Roosevelt Island," said Mandana Beckman Principal at PS/IS 217. 

"Each year we expand our STEM enrichment programming,” said 217PTA ­President,Olga Shchuchinov. “So this deep support from the city, combined with the Participatory Budget funding, allows us to move forward and design our 21st century teaching hub on the roof."
 
Council Member Ben Kallos is one of eight Council Members to adopt Participatory Budgeting in 2014, which has since grown to 28 Council Districts allocating nearly $32 million citywide. Participatory Budgeting is a democratic process where Council Members pledge to allocate their discretionary funds however residents 14 and over vote. These funds are capital and can only be used to pay for physical infrastructure projects proposed by community members called “Delegates” such as improvements to schools, parks, libraries, public housing, and other public or community spaces.

About the Winners: 

  • P.S. 290 The Manhattan New School (MNS) originally built in 1903 and relaunched in 1991 has 36 teachers and over 600 students comprised of children from many countries with over 20 different languages are spoken at home. The P.S. 290 PTA mobilized parents to vote by mail, online, and one morning for drop off where over one hundred parents waited in the rain for 5 - 10 minutes to vote.
  • P.S./I.S. 217 on Roosevelt Island serves Pre-k through eighth grade. The school wanted additional outdoor space and an educational green roof for their 543 students, so for the second year in a row P.S./I.S. 217 placed a green roof project on the ballot. Roosevelt Island is a tight-knit and highly-engaged community, so they mobilized together and succeeded in being one of the top vote getters. The P.S./I.S. 217 PTA, Girl Scouts troops 3001 and 3244, Roosevelt Island Garden Club, Roosevelt Island Parents' Network and Sharon Bermon from the NYPL Roosevelt Island Branch were just a few of the community members who came together to support the students.Principal Mandana Beckman managed to get the vote out and the money in.

Results for Other Projects on the Ballot:
694 - $225,000 - P.S. 290 Bathrooms
553 - $1,000,000 - Parks Greening for John Jay Park
479 - $350,000 - Library Modernization for Eleanor Roosevelt H.S.
466 - $700,000 - Lexington Houses East & West Playground
427 - $500,000 - Lexington Houses Security Upgrade
408 - $600,000 - Webster Library HVAC Improvements
389 - $350,000 - HVAC for P.S.198 and P.S.77
344 - $500,000 - Center at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Entrance
292 - $600,000 - 67th Street Library HVAC Improvements
282 - $250,000 - Renovate Auditorium for Eleanor Roosevelt H.S.
104 - $85,000 - Sound System at Julia Richman JREC Auditorium

Learn more about Participatory Budgeting at BenKallos.com/PB

admin Sat, 07/02/2016 - 10:26pm

PB Results for 2017

PB Results for 2017 admin Thu, 05/04/2017 - 6:51am

Digital Votes: 1,913
Paper Ballots: 508
Total Votes: 2,421

 

  Project VOTES COST CATEGORY
1 P.S. 183 Green Science and STEM Lab Classroom 1514 $600,000 Education
2 P.S. 198/77 Playground Renovation 1139 $500,000 Education
3 Bus Clocks for Northbound M15 and M31 911 $350,000 Transit
4 Irrigate the Esplanade 813 $1,000,000 Parks & Recreation
5 P.S. 77 Music Room Renovation 645 $500,000 Education
6 Eleanor Roosevelt H.S. Auditorium Renovation 629 $750,000 Education
7 Lexington Houses West Playground Renovation 584 $500,000 Housing
8 Security Cameras for Holmes Towers 515 $500,000 Housing
9 JREC Auditorium Renovation 358 $750,000 Education
10 Stanley Isaacs Layered Access 265 $500,000 Housing
11 Lexington Houses Layered Access 232 $500,000 Housing

 

PB Results for 2019

PB Results for 2019 admin Tue, 04/30/2019 - 11:06pm

Total Votes Cast: 1,308

# Project Category Cost Votes
1 Fund Parks Districtwide for $250,000 Parks & Recreation $250,000 757
2 New Trees and Guards for Sidewalks Parks & Recreation $225,000 714
3 Laptops for 10 Public Schools Education $350,000 680
4 Lexington Houses NYCHA Playground Renovation Parks & Recreation $800,000 474
5 NYPD Security Cameras for Parks Public Safety $397,733 427
6 East 79th Street Curb Extensions Public Safety $300,000 390
7 R.I. Lighthouse Restoration for Public Access Parks & Recreation $800,000 345
8 NYPD Public Safety Security Cameras Public Safety $170,457 317
9 P.S. 527 Security Cameras Education $300,000 315
10 JREC Auditorium Renovation Education $750,000 280
11 NYPD Security Cameras for Transportation Public Safety $170,457 241
12 NYPD Mobile Command Post Public Safety $400,000 105

PB Results for 2020 (Canceled)

PB Results for 2020 (Canceled)

The 2020 Participatory Budgeting cycle was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kaela Shelby Mon, 05/03/2021 - 1:31pm

PB Results for 2021

PB Results for 2021

Total Votes Cast: 537

# Project Votes Cost
1 New Trees and Guards for Sidewalk 276 votes (51%) $187,000
2 Laptops/STEM for 15 Public Schools 193 votes (36%) $750,000

 

Kaela Shelby Mon, 05/03/2021 - 12:52pm

Participatory Budgeting Ballot

Participatory Budgeting Ballot admin Thu, 03/14/2019 - 4:50pm

$220,000 – Mechanical Cleaner and Plow for Bike Lanes
$90,000 – Composting for Roosevelt Island
$800,000 – Playground Renovation for Lexington Houses
$500,000 – Laptops & STEM for Public Schools
$550,000 – Video Camera and Security System for P.S. 151
$285,000 – NYPD Security Cameras
$225,000 – Trees with Guards
$100,000 – All Gender Bathroom for P.S. 77/198
$500,000 – Ruppert Park Renovation
$186,000 – Fire Battalion Vehicle

Projects on the Ballot (2016)

Projects on the Ballot (2016) admin Fri, 03/07/2014 - 11:15am

2016 Voter Guide

HOUSING

Lexington Houses Security Upgrade
$500,000
Purchase and install layered security system to ensure residents’ safety in light of growing issues and incidents and the rise in neighborhood homeless population, which has caused security problems.
East Lexington Avenue between 98-99 Streets

YOUTH

Lexington Houses East & West Playground
Renovation

$700,000
Provide safety-compliant resurfacing and equipment for two community playgrounds, serving a large mix of resident families, with features that appeal to children from 6 months to 15 years old.
E. 98 St. between 3rd & Lex/ Lex & Park Aves.

PARKS & RECREATION

Parks Greening

$1,000,000
Install new and improve existing plantings – trees, shrubs, flowers and grass - around perimeters and entrances of John Jay Park.
John Jay Park

EDUCATION

STEM Green Roof for P.S./I.S. 217

$500,000
Finalize funding to build a STEM Green Roof atop P.S. /I.S. 217. Transform 6,750 square feet of unused P.S./I.S. 217 school roof into an outdoor learning hub for science, math, nutrition and the arts.
645 Main Street, Roosevelt Island

Library Modernization for Eleanor Roosevelt H.S.
$350,000
Create flexible learning space with access to computers, listening center, digital and print media, separate quiet and group spaces. Currently cannot support number of students and technology needs.
411 East 76th Street

Renovate Auditorium for Eleanor Roosevelt H.S.
$250,000
Extend stage and replace seating and flooring to improve view, increase capacity, and support gym activities. Replace antiquated control board, install acoustical panels and simplify lighting system.
411 East 76th Street

Rooftop Greenhouse at P.S. 290
$500,000
Construction of a greenhouse as part of the green
roof project at PS290. The 800sf greenhouse will
provide opportunities to enhance the school’s
STEAM curricula & create desperately needed
play space.
311 East 82nd Street

P.S. 290 Bathrooms
$225,000
Replace toilets and sinks with age-appropriate fixtures and fittings. Remove unused urinals in boys bathrooms.
311 East 82nd Street

Computer Carts for 10 Schools
$350,000
32 computers per cart for: P.S. 77, P.S. 198, P.S.
290, P.S./I.S. 217, M. 225, Eleanor Roosevelt,
Urban Academy, Vanguard, Manhattan
International, and Life Sciences, serving over
5000 students.
NYC Schools (District wide)

HVAC for P.S.198 and P.S.77
$350,000
Installing a split level air-conditioning system for the auditorium and cafeteria at P.S.198 and P.S.77.
1700 3rd Avenue (Upper East Side)

Sound System at Julia Richman JREC Auditorium
$85,000
This project will address the acoustical needs of the auditorium and update the sound system to correct the reverberation and an inability to hear and understand speakers.
317 East 67th Street (Upper East Side)

SENIORS

Center at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Entrance
$500,000
Automatic doors for the Center at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House to enable ease of access and egress for senior center members, Robbins Plaza senior residents, visitors and staff.
343 E 70 St, between 1st and 2nd Avenues

ARTS, CULTURE & COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Webster Library HVAC Improvements
$600,000
Upgrade or replacement of air-conditioning system. This library is a designated NYC cooling center.
1465 York Avenue (Upper East Side)

67th Street Library HVAC Improvements
$600,000
Replacement or upgrade of the boiler to provide
adequate heat.
328 East 67th Street (Upper East Side)

Download the Voter Guide

Download the Ballot

 

 

Projects on the Ballot (2018)

Projects on the Ballot (2018) Josh Jamieson Wed, 03/01/2017 - 12:19pm

Decide how to spend one million of your tax dollars in your neighborhood.

Vote for up to 5 projects.

Arts, Culture & Community 

1. NYPL District Libraries Technology Upgrade 
 E. 67th St, Webster & Roosevelt Island($200,000)
New computers, printers, self-checkout kiosks, phone systems, network equipment and free high-speed WiFi. 

2. NYPL Webster Branch Electrical System
1465 York Ave ($500,000)
Upgrades to the library branch's electrical system. 

3. NYPL Webster Branch HVAC System  
1465 York Ave ($600,000)
Designated as an OEM Cooling Center, this will provide a safe environment for patrons during periods of extreme heat.

Education

4. Laptops for Public Schools
Districtwide ($350,000)
Purchasing laptop carts for ten District 5 public schools.

5. PS 183 HVAC for Cafeteria and Community Space
 419 E. 66th St  ($600,000)
The cafeteria is used by school and community organizations year-round. HVAC would limit excessive heat in warmer months.

6. PS 290 MNS Re-construct Kindergarten Bathroom 311 E. 82nd St ($200,000)
 Re-construct K bathroom to have age appropriate height stalls and sinks to improve sanitary and safety conditions.

7. PS/IS 217 Cafeteria Renovations
 645 Main St, Roosevelt Island ($300,000)
Re-tiling cafeteria floors and fixing cracks.

Parks & Recreation

8. Lexington Houses NYCHA Playground Renovation
Lexington Ave. between E. 98th & 99th St ($500,000)
New play and safety equipment for a playground.

9. Ruppert Park New Children's Play Area
1741 2nd Ave  ($500,000)
 Expansion of the children's play area in Ruppert Park.

10. St. Catherine's Park Water Park
 1245 1st Ave ($460,000)
Replace the existing fountains with new plumbing, interactive spray heads and sports coating for kids to play in water.

Public Safety 

11. NYPD Security Cameras for East 86th Street Subways
East 86th Street Subways ($141,000)
East 86th Street Subway stop entroances and surrounding area would have added security of NYPD cameras.

☐ 12. NYPD Security Cameras for East River Esplanade
East River Esplanade ($160,000)
Connect Rockefeller University & Hospital for Special Surgery security cameras facing Esplanade to NYPD security system. 

☐ 13.  NYPD Security Cameras at Sutton Place Parks
Sutton Place at 54, 55, 56, 57 58th St ($247,000) 
Cameras will cover the parks to make the space more secure and to reduce crime and address quality of life concerns

Download the sample ballot as PDF

 

Projects on the Ballot (2019)

Projects on the Ballot (2019) Josh Jamieson Wed, 03/01/2017 - 12:19pm

Decide how to spend one million of your tax dollars in your neighborhood.

Vote for up to 5 projects.

 

Education

1. P.S. 527 Security Cameras

323 East 91st St($300,000)

Install additional security cameras in P.S. 527

2. JREC Auditorium Renovation

317 East 67th St($750,000)

Auditorium renovation in the Julia Richman Education Complex

3. Laptops for 10 Public Schools

Districtwide ($350,000)

Purchase laptop carts for ten public schools in the council district

 

Parks & Recreation

4.  New Trees and Guards for Sidewalks

Districtwide ($222,000)

Plant 60 new trees with guards on sidewalks throughout district

5. R.I. Lighthouse Restoration for Public Access

900 Main St.($800,000)

Restore the Roosevelt Island lighthouse to allow for public access

6. Fund Parks Districtwide

Districtwide ($250,000)

Fund capital improvements in parks in the district

7. Lexington Houses NYCHA Playground Renovations

Lexington Avenue at East 98th Street($800,000)

Lexington Houses NYCHA Playground Renovation

 

Public Safety

8. East 79th Street Curb Extension

East 79th Street at York and First Ave.($300,000)

Build curb extensions to enhance pedestrian safety and visibility along the East 79th Street SBS corridor

9. NYPD Public Safety Security Cameras

Districtwide ($170,457)

Install additional NYPD camera boxes at high traffic intersections

10.NYPD Security Cameras for Parks.  

Parks Districtwide ($397,733)

Install NYPD security cameras at the entrances to 7 parks across the district

11.NYPD Mobile Command Post  

162 East 102nd Street($400,000)

Purchase small sprinter Command Post vehicle for 23rd precinct