Drum roll please! This year’s results for Participatory Budgeting are out!! In our North Brooklyn (and Queens) neighborhoods, NYC Council Members Stephen Levin and Antonio Reynoso funded $1.545 MM and $1.320 MM, respectively, along with another $100K from Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams for a total of almost $3 MM. Benjamin Solotaire from Stephen Levin’s office shared that 3600 votes were cast. He shared that his office is “very excited that people participated with near record numbers, and the winning projects clearly reflect our community’s priority.”
The winners are below. Let’s celebrate and then, start planning for next year’s Participatory Budgeting, where individual voters get to decide!
NYC COUNCIL DISTRICT 33 WINNERS (Stephen Levin)
District 33 has added a new element this year: a second ballot to select expense projects. Voters got the standard Participatory Budgeting Ballot, which allocated $1.5 million for capital projects. The second ballot doled out $20,000 for expense projects.
District 33 Capital Projects (green projects in bold and italics):
- I.S. 318, East Williamsburg ($250,000) ~ Renovated Library for Better Learning: make a better library for students to enjoy reading and studying (about all subjects, including the environment, sic).
- P.S. 31, Greenpoint ($225,000) ~ New Smart Boards: provide state of the art smart boards to upgrade the educational opportunities for these elementary school students.
- P.S. 38 The Pacific School, Prospect Heights ($400,000) ~ Renovate 4 bathrooms, 2 girls and 2 boys, to provide clean and sanitary facilities.
- Automotive HS, Greenpoint ($350,000) ~ Make STEAM: Increase creativity & opportunity for public school students by infusing the curriculum with cutting-edge skills & tools.
- P.S. 380, Williamsburg ($300,000) ~ Safety First around P.S. 380: Provide shorter and safer crossings at 4 intersections: Wallabout, Lynch, Lorimer and Union Streets.
District 33 Expense Projects (green projects in bold and italics):
- Gowanus Canal Conservancy, Gowanus ($10,000) ~ NYCHA Gardening Project w/ GCC: GCC, residents and the afterschool program will partner to enhance and expand garden plots using new tools & materials. Wyckoff Gardens, Gowanus Houses, Warren St.
- Williamsburg Library, Williamsburg ($5,000) ~ More Books: help buy up to 200 more books (including green books!) for the collection for all Williamsburg residents.
- Make Steam / Automotive High School, Greenpoint ($10,000) ~ Teaching Creativity with Digital Tools: Training for teachers to use 21st Century tools, design thinking, & project-based learning in our Public Schools
NYC COUNCIL DISTRICT 34 WINNERS (Antonio Reynoso)
District 34 Capital Projects (green projects in bold and italics):
- More Street Trees for District 34, $500K ~ Let’s “green” the 34th District by installing over 200 new trees in all three neighborhoods. (Williamsburg, Bushwick, and Ridgewood)
- Williamsburg Houses, East Williamsburg ($500K) ~ Playground Renovation to expand the play area with new mats, equipment, and sprinkler
- BK Arbor School, Williamsburg ($270K) ~ 21st Century technology upgrade: new smart boards for each classroom, laptops, charging stations, & desktops for students
In addition, Borough President Eric Adams generously re-committed $100K to support PB projects throughout the borough. The project selected for District 34 is “Playground Equipment and General Improvements” for Concerned Citizens of Grove Street Garden in Bushwick. They will received $150,000: $100,000 from BP Adams and $50,000 from CM Reynoso for their proposal.
