By Tom Momberg
Winning projects from the week of participatory budgeting were announced by northeast Queens City Council members this week, which mostly included upgrades to public schools.
Bayside High School got the most votes in Councilman Paul Vallone’s (D-Bayside) district for a new $400,000 music studio for students in the career and technical education program for music production and performance. Out of the roughly 2,300 people who cast votes in Vallone’s district, the studio was marked on 1,430 of their ballots.
It was Vallone’s first year administering participatory budgeting in his district, which is an option allowing city councilors to leave it to their communities to decide how about $1 million in city discretionary funds are spent.
Due to strong community outreach, Vallone’s office managed to nearly double the participation in his district from when former Councilman Dan Halloran got 1,170 people out for the vote in 2013.
“The results clearly show the district overwhelmingly supported the process, and we are proud to commit to participatory budgeting for every year I am privileged to represent this great district,” Vallone said.
Vallone touted the eight-month task of working with community members and organizations to design small capital projects as a great way to engage people in civics, especially young people.
To participate, northeast Queens residents did not have to be registered voters. They only had to be 16 or older and show proof of residency. A big push to get teenagers to the polls at the high school meant strong support for school investments.
With 1,041 votes, PS 169 was awarded a $400,000 project for a new sound system and to replace lighting, curtains and seating in its auditorium, which is shared with the BELL Academy.
PS 159 was awarded a $90,000 technology upgrade to finance new SMART boards and laptops for classrooms, which got 934 votes.
Another 880 votes allotted $105,000 for the New York City Police Department to install three security cameras throughout the council district.
Councilman Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens) has had steady growth in participation in the process over the last three years. Since he administered the vote in 2013, participation climbed from 1,100 to 1,600 people in 2014.
More than 2,000 of Weprin’s constituents voted between 10 possible projects this year. Three projects were awarded a total of $1,205,000 in city funds as a result.
“It is my hope that next year, more of my colleagues embrace participatory budgeting. It is a great way to get community residents involved — especially those who may not be actively involved in the political process,” Weprin said in a statement.
A $455,000 proposal to upgrade desktop computers laptops and printers at nine public school sites drew the most support with 1,146 votes. The nine schools are PS 18 in Queens Village, PS 26 and PS 179 in Fresh Meadows, PS 115 in Floral Park, PS 188 and PS 213 in Oakland Gardens, the Queens High School of Teaching and PS 811 at QHST in Bellerose, as well as PS 811 in Little Neck.
Other winning projects: About $450,000 of new outdoor fitness equipment will be installed at Alley Pond Park. And $300,000 in renovations will be applied to Benjamin Cardozo High School for a new rubberized gym floor and equipment and to Martin Van Buren High School for new bleachers and basketball hoops for its gym.
Reach reporter Tom Momberg by e-mail at tmomb
