Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer revealing the results from a past participatory budgeting round (Photo: QueensPost)
March 20, 2019 By Christian Murray
Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer has released the ballot items for the fifth round of participatory budgeting in the district, with a significant number of the 13 projects listed dedicated toward schools and public housing.
Participatory budgeting is a process that allows constituents to vote on how capital dollars are spent in their district on items such as school improvements, libraries and parks.
Each year, more than $1 million is allocated via participatory budgeting toward neighborhood improvements in the 26th Council District, which covers Sunnyside, Woodside, Long Island City and a section of Astoria. The most popular items are funded until the $1 million is spent.
Four out of the 13 items on the ballot this year focus on public schools–with big ticket items including the $200,000 installation of a hydroponics science lab at P.S. 150 in Sunnyside, to a $450,000 upgrade to the stage lighting at the Academy of American Studies & Newcomers High School in Long Island City.
The ballot also includes tech upgrades to the district’s public libraries; the beautification of garden space in Ravenswood Houses; improved lighting at Woodside Houses; and the improvement to outdoor space at Queensbridge Houses.
The most expensive item on the ballot is for turf space at Lou Lodati Park in Sunnyside. The project would involve adding turf inside the baseball and volley ball areas at a cost of $650,000.
The 13 projects were selected after several community meetings were held in September and October last year, where attendees pitched their ideas. These ideas were then whittled down to 13 by community members in partnership with city agencies.
“Members of our community have been hard at work for months, narrowing down hundreds of ideas to make a final ballot,” Van Bramer said. “I am incredibly proud of these final 13 projects,” he said, adding that “all of these projects are fantastic, worthy causes that would undeniability benefit our neighborhoods.”
Voting will take place from Saturday, March 30 to Sunday, April 7. District residents ages 11 and up can cast up to five votes on the projects they want to see funded.
Residents are able to vote online—with the web address yet to be released—and at 10 voting locations.The 10 polling locations, however, are only open at specified times. Click for Locations
Over 7,000 people voted last year, with Van Bramer allocating more than $2.5 million for projects—well above the $1 million threshold.
The winning projects are expected to be announced by the end of June so they can be added to the City Council’s budget for the following year.
“I encourage all residents of the 26th District to make their voices heard. Let’s aim for a record turnout,” Van Bramer said.
2019 PB Ballot Items by Queens Post on Scribd
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17 Comments
Don’t touch the field at Louis Lodati park in a year it will be torn up burn by all those who smoke weed and flick their lit cigarettes, plus it will probably cost much much more than $650K don’t vote for this it’s a waste of our tax dollars. This was first brought up at the town hall at Qns Vocational when a kid ask mayor diblasio about adding turf to the field for 60 yrs it’s been concrete.
Notice how most of the money is being spent in Sunnyside, where Jimmy Van Bramer lives, and most of his supporters live? Nothing for Hunters Point South where we have no garbage pails, but Sunnyside has them. No red lights at dangerous intersections like Borden and Center. And Jimmy gets to choose what we get to vote on. Sunnyside gets it all, we get squat. Once again Jimmy Van Bramer does what he wants and not what the community wants. Notice this Kiddies?
Can’t wait to vote out jvb to his retirement from politics once and for all. Been asking for garbage pails for 11th street for years and it never makes the ballot. Doesn’t matter if there is no place to throw your garbage (and dog waste) if it’s not in jvbs backyard. Have fun jvb, while you still can…
Can Jimmy Bramer tell us what the heck is going on with the ugly library in LIC?
5 years plus $50 million later and they still didn’t finish the ugly library. WTF is going on?
$43 million went to his friend’s pockets. JVB is very corrupt.
How about we start with a basic need for our community. Safety!
What a joke. Lets try this next time. The community votes on items they want slashed from the budget. Why is it always spend?
Yes let’s just stagnate while the rest of the world passes us by. You must be a white male baby boomer who reaped all of America’s best parts while leaving an empty shell for future generations.
? Race Card Alert ?
There is always one idiot that will bring race into any conversation. When all else fails, play the race card SKIP!
I don’t believe anything that comes out of this weasel’s mouth. Jimmy Van Bramer is a known liar and flip flopper!
How is JVB still in politics?
Jimmy Van Job Killer is trying to save face after he pissed off the local school and NYCHA leaders by ignoring their voices on Amazon.
As a resident of Queensbridge, I assure you that JVB has no support here.
FAKE NEWS! You may be angry but that is no argument for alternative facts. You were spouting fake news
Participatory Budgeting has been around for many years this is not new and has nothing to do with Amazon.
The committees are made up of local residents who have been working on this since last year before Amazon abruptly left without negotiating with the Mayor and community. Please learn about the process and the facts.
Mary aka “Jimmy Van Bramer”, please stop trying to justify your failures with BS.
Maybe Van Bramer can give the $1 million to Josh Bowen so he can finally open Mothership Meat Company.
Hey that’s JVB’s errand boy in the picture defender of JVB’s honor roll. He will try to slip into jvb’s spot when jvb is out of a job.