Tell Upper East Side Lawmaker What To Build In The Neighborhood

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Does a neighborhood park need a bit of love? Have an idea for a construction project at a local school or hospital?

If you live in East Side City Councilmember Keith Powers's district, consider submitting your idea through Powers's new survey, which coincides with the city's upcoming budget process.

Powers is asking constituents to share ideas for capital projects: work that involves new construction or upgrades, with a minimum budget of $50,000 each. Ideas must be submitted by March 18.

In last year's budget, capital projects funded by Powers included $300,000 for Robert Wagner Middle School, $160,000 for technology upgrades at P.S. 6 Lillie D. Blake and $184,000 for P.S. 169 Robert F. Kennedy.

Powers represents District 4, which covers Carnegie Hill, parts of Lenox Hill, and much of Midtown East. (Yorkville Councilmember Julie Menin has not announced any similar survey.)

"I hope you will all submit ideas to enhance our community’s parks, schools, libraries, and more," Powers said in an email. "We will be looking for the best ideas to fund that will solve problems and improve our quality of life across our neighborhoods."

This process is different from participatory budgeting: the initiative in which Council members can set aside $1 million of their office's discretionary funds to be spent on projects chosen by constituents. Menin's budgeting process has already closed, with winning projects to be determined in April, while Powers did not participate in the program this year.

Click here to access the capital project survey from City Councilmember Keith Powers.