Voters in the 39th Council District have the chance to choose which projects they’d like to see funded this month, thanks to the city’s Participatory Budgeting program.
Now through April 14, residents of Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Windsor Terrace, and parts of Kensington and Borough Park can weigh in on a wide range of initiatives, including bathroom renovations at PS 131, and a revamp of the handball courts at Greenwood Playground.
The participatory budgeting process dates back to 1989, but in 2011, four members of the New York City Council launched an effort to allow those they represent to allocate part of the pols’ capital discretionary funds. Since then, a majority of the Council has worked to bring Participatory Budgeting to their district, giving communities real decision-making over more than $35 million in taxpayer money on an annual basis.
