Forest Hills Councilwoman Nixes Participatory Budgeting

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — Residents of Forest Hills, Rego Park and Kew Gardens won't get to vote on local projects to fund this year.

City Council Member Karen Koslowitz said Wednesday that she will nix the annual tradition of participatory budgeting this year and put that money toward long-standing capital projects.

Koslowitz will instead spend the funds on upgrades to the Rego Park Library and Richmond Hill Library and various school-related projects, according to Queens Community Board 6's Prameet Kumar.

“This year, I’m not going to do participatory budgeting at all,” Koslowitz told Queens Community Board 6 members Wednesday night. “Since this is going to be my last budget, I have projects I need to take care of.”

Participatory budgeting enables New York City residents to propose and vote on projects in their City Council districts that would benefit the public, such as local improvements to schools, parks, libraries, public housing, streets and other public spaces.

Queens Community Board 6 Chair Alexa Weitzman said she was disappointed by the decision, particularly in light of budget cuts during the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's a shame that the literal participation is removed from the budgeting process in this district," Weitzman told Patch. "When funding is probably going to be reduced, I would hope that the needs of the community would be considered."