Upper West Side Participatory Budgeting: When/How To Vote, List Of Projects

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — It's almost time to vote on participatory budgeting projects for 2017. What is "participatory budgeting" you ask? Well, it's not as boring as it's name makes it sound.

Starting Saturday, March 25, residents of City Council District 6 — which covers the Upper West Side — will be allowed to vote on how the government should spend $1 million on various community projects. That's right: the tax money is in your hands now. Voting will be open until Sunday, April 2.

Upper West Siders will be able to vote at various locations and by absentee ballot, according to City Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal.

Here are the voting locations, and when they will be open, for this year's participatory budgeting cycle:

• Monday, March 27 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.: Assembly Member Danny O’Donnell’s District Office, 245 West 104th Street between Broadway and West End Avenue.
• Tuesday, March 28 from 5-7:00 p.m.: Hargrave House, 111 West 71st Street .between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues.
• Wednesday, March 29 from 7:30-9:30 a.m.: Broadway Mall Community Center, Broadway and West 96th Street (on the median).
• Thursday, March 30 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.: Riverside Library Branch, 127 Amsterdam Avenue between West 65th and 66th streets.
• Friday, March 31 from 4-6 p.m.: Council Member Rosenthal’s District Office, 563 Columbus Avenue on the corner of West 87th Street.
• Sunday, April 2 from 12-2 p.m.: Community Board 7 Offices, 250 West 87th Street (between Broadway and West End Ave).
• Monday, March 27 – Friday, March 31 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.: City Councilwoman Rosenthal's District Office, 87th Street and Columbus Avenue.

This year Council District 8 residents can vote on 1o different projects which address community needs such as housing and school improvements, park upgrades and infrastructure beautification.

Heres a full list of projects:

1. Digital Project System for New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, $250,000;
2. Renovations at Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center, $500,000;
3. Upgrades to 72nd Street Dog Run, $150,000;
4. Beautification and Renovation of Broadway Malls, $350,000;
5. Air Conditioning for P.S. 9 and Center School Gym, $400,000;
6. Technology Upgrades at Frank McCourt High School, $125,000;
7. Library Upgrade for P.S. 166, $295,000;
8. Basketball Court Renovations at Wise Towers, $175,000;
9. Schoolyard Renovation at P.S. 84, $450,000;
10. Video Surveillance System for P.S. 75 and M.S. 250, $400,000;

To check out the information in map form click here.

Watch the video below to learn more about how participatory budgeting works:

Screenshot courtesy of NY City Council