As the participatory budgeting process for City Council District 30 winds down, there is still time for residents to pitch their budgeting ideas, as well as become a budget delegate, a position that delves deeper into the participatory budgeting process.
Over the course of September and October, residents of Glendale, Ridgewood, Middle Village, Maspeth and Woodhaven attended a number of participatory budgeting neighborhood assemblies to brainstorm on how to spend the $1 million dollars allocated by Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley. Throughout the meetings, hundreds of ideas were collected from residents.
“I am pleased to see the community contribute such great ideas on improving their neighborhoods. It’s the residents who know their community the best, and I’m thrilled to have them be a part of this process,” Crowley said. “We can best improve the district when we work productively together.”
Crowley is still accepting applications for budget delegates, who will do more in-depth work in the participatory budgeting process.
Each delegate will choose and work on a specific committee that will address the district’s needs regarding education, transportation, public safety, parks and more. Committees will review all of the ideas submitted from residents at the community meetings and meet with the respective city agency to develop projects proposals.
The delegates will then visit locations across the district, further researching project ideas, and participate in outreach efforts to engage the community. They are additionally tasked with educating the community about the proposals and district needs at a Project Expo, to be held next spring.
A budget delegate is expected to attend five to 10 meetings from October to March, including an orientation.
“The budget delegates will get a very unique opportunity to work with city agencies and really see how the budgeting process works,” Crowley said. “They will get to work on real proposals that could ultimately be funded and made a reality.”
Crowley is also still accepting budgeting ideas via the City Council’s Participatory Budgeting Interactive Map, at https://ideas.pbnyc.org/page/guidelines.
To become a budget delegate or for more information on participatory budgeting, please contact Crowley’s district office at 718-366-3900.
