Upper East Siders Can Now Vote On Projects For Participatory Budgeting

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Library upgrades, school repairs or a new mobile command center for the 19th Precinct: take your pick.

These are some of the projects Upper East Siders in Council Member Julie Menin's Council District 5 can vote on starting this Saturday as part of the popular Participatory Budget program.

The program allows for New Yorkers to submit proposals on how to spent $1 million of City Council funds.

Potential projects must benefit the public, cost at least $50,000 and have a lifespan of at least five years.

“I am thrilled for our office’s third cycle of [Participatory Budgeting] to begin this Saturday," said Menin. "We have many great initiatives on the ballot supporting our schools, libraries, and public safety. It is crucial that all residents have their voice heard on how the $1 million dollars of discretionary funding is spent, so I encourage all district residents aged 11 years and older to vote!”

Last year saw a record turnout with a 140 percent increase from the prior year — the highest turnout for all of Manhattan — and led Menin to double her office's allocation to Participatory Budgeting for a total of $2 million.

The winners of that budgeting round last spring included 30 new trees in the district, new security cameras at Homes Towers, lighting upgrades for Stanley Isaacs Park and upgrades to schools, including new laptops, a bathroom renovation, and a new security system.

This year, the majority of the projects relate to specifics repairs and upgrades at local schools as well as technological upgrades at the district's libraries and a new new mobile command center for the 19th Precinct to be used at events in the neighborhood.

Voting begins on Saturday, April 6 and runs until Sunday, April 14, so don't hesitate to cast your ballot once voting begins. The winning projects will be announced when the city budget is adopted in June.

See the full list below, and click here to cast your vote after April 6.