By Joy Bergmann
NYC’s Participatory Budgeting program lets Upper West Siders vote to decide how Council Members Helen Rosenthal and Mark Levine will each spend $1 million on community improvement projects. This week is Vote Week and everyone – from middle school students on up – who lives in or attends school in their districts is eligible to cast ballots for up to 5 projects.
People living in Helen Rosenthal’s District 6 may vote in person at her office, 563 Columbus Avenue at 87th Street, 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. through Friday, April 5th. Additional pop-up locations for voting will be open throughout the week. You may also vote online.
Residents in Mark Levine’s District 7 may vote at his office, 500 W. 141st Street, 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. through Friday, April 5th. Levine will also have pop-up voting at times and locations found here. To vote online, start here.
Participatory Budgeting project ideas are submitted by residents. Volunteers develop those ideas into workable proposals that are then voted on by community members. For more about the process, check out this video.
Helen Rosenthal District 6 Projects:
HOUSING
New Waste Management System for NYCHA Buildings
Description: Purchase of compactors and rat proof garbage bins for NYCHA buildings in District 6.
Location: Several NYCHA buildings in the northern part of District 6
Cost: $150,000
Public Plaza Renovation at NYCHA’s Amsterdam Addition
Description: Upgrade and beautification of concrete plaza behind Amsterdam Addition development to create a more usable and safe space for both children and adults. This plaza is open to the surrounding community.
Location: 64th Street, between West End and Amsterdam Avenues
Cost: $500,000
PARKS AND RECREATION
Repaving of Riverside Drive Sidewalk, 95th-96th Streets
Description: Repaving of sidewalk which is currently covered by gravel and dirt.
Location: West (park) side of Riverside Drive, between 95th and 96th Streets
Cost: $145,000
Safety Surfacing at River Run Playground
Description: Replacement of padded surfaces in River Run Playground to create a safer, more usable space for children.
Location: Riverside Park near Riverside Drive and W. 82nd Street
Cost: $390,000
Neighborhood Tree Planting & Tree Guards
Description: Planting of new trees and installation of tree guards throughout District 6.
Location: Eligible areas in District 6
Cost: $110,000
SCHOOLS
Bathroom Upgrades at 2 U.W.S. Elementary Schools
Description: Upgrades to four bathrooms in P.S. 452 and P.S. 199 that are in serious disrepair and no longer fully usable by students.
Location: P.S. 452, 210 W. 61st St; and P.S. 199, 270 W. 70th St
Cost: $400,000
Technology Upgrade for 4 U.W.S. Schools
Description: Purchase of needed technology – computers, smart boards, and other equipment – for P.S. 199, P.S. 84, M.S. 245/The Computer School, and P.S. 87.
Location: P.S. 199, 270 W. 70th St; P.S. 84, 32 W. 92nd St; M.S. 245/The Computer School, 100 W. 77th St; and P.S. 87, 160 W. 78th St.
Cost: $400,000 (each school will receive $100,000)
Auditorium Sound/Lighting Upgrades at 2 U.W.S. School Buildings
Description: Installation of upgraded sound and lighting systems in the auditoriums of the MLK Educational Campus (serving 6 high schools) and the P.S. 9/Center School building.
Location: MLK Educational Campus, 122 Amsterdam Ave; and P.S. 9, 100 W. 84th St
Cost: $500,000 ($250,000 for each of the two auditoriums)
Yard Renovation at P.S. 75/M.S. 250
Description: Renovation of yard’s upper section, including replacement of play equipment.
Location: P.S. 75/M.S. 250, 735 West End Avenue
Cost: $300,000
Mark Levine District 7 Projects:
SCHOOLS
$240,000 for air conditioning upgrades and new water fountains at P.S. 165
$200,000 for air conditioning upgrades in the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Elementary School
$200,000 for new computers at the Community Health Academy of the Heights
$100,000 for gymnasium upgrades at M.S. 54
HOUSING
$500,000 for security camera upgrades at Grant Houses
$500,000 for lighting upgrades at Douglass Houses
TRANSPORTATION
$200,000 for Bus Countdown Clocks
PARKS AND RECREATION
$675,000 to renovate part of the Jacob Schiff Playground
$315,000 to renovate the 142nd Street Dog Run, including a new play area for dogs and more lights
I for one would like to see this money be used to help preserve the long term maintenance of our neighborhood’s scaffolding.
Under normal circumstances participatory budgeting is a welcome idea.
Unfortunately as the West Side now reflects huge income gaps, this may end up resulting in funding for schools like PS 199 with an affluent population – rather than needed funding to communitywide projects or underserved projects like NYCHA.
Parents at 199 understandably mobilize to get out the vote.
i agree. Thats whyI Istopped voting years ago. The money doesn’t benefit the community as a whole.
Please everyone vote for New Waste Management System, lighting, and security upgrades for NYCHA Buildings. This is a quality of living issue for the residents and neighbors. And since NYCHA does not have the lobbying ability as a PTA or even dog owners, this is the best chance for that funding. Thank you!
I support NYCHA!
but NYCHA should have lobbying ability.. they’ve got the numbers. the tenants need to mobilize.
No more Trees! They cast a shadow from the streetlights at night, thus creating a dimly lit street; and their roots below the sidewalk just make it easier for the rats to get around.
All of the above can be witnessed at 80th Street (between B’way and Amsterdam).
Fund the schools and playgrounds!
NYCHA should receive the funds
My kids attend one of the schools that would benefit from this so selfishly I am pulling for them but realistically I think that at least one of the NYCHA programs should get money as I think that is the point of this whole exercise.
But I also agree with others that if this is important to them, the residents of NYCHA should step up and vote. It is fairly easy to do so and it is not too hard for a few concerned residents to post a few signs in the immediate neighborhoods to get people to be informed and vote.
“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.”
~ H.L. Mencken