Participatory Budget Ballot Items (CD32)

How should $1 million be spent on the community? After several weeks of collecting and reviewing ideas, Councilman Eric Ulrich’s office has put together a participatory budget ballot. Now it’s up to the community to vote on their favorite ideas.

Since 2012, certain council members have set aside $1 million of discretionary funding for participatory budgeting, a program in which the residents get to have a say in how the money should be spent on their community. Councilman Ulrich, representing District 32, was one of four council members that began the program three years ago. This year, 24 council members are using the program. The 32nd district South covers Breezy Point, Roxbury, Fort Tilden, Neponsit, Belle Harbor, Rockaway Park, Rockaway Beach and Broad Channel.

In addition to setting aside $1 million for the Rockaway/ Broad Channel Community, Ulrich also allocates $1 million to the north end of his district as well.  The funds can be used for physical improvements to a neighborhood and each year, the people who live in the neighborhood get a say in where it should go.

A group of residents, called Budget Delegates, volunteered their time to collect ideas from the neighborhood and after several weeks or review by the delegates and city agencies, Ulrich’s office has come up with an official ballot of 10 possible funding projects for Rockaway and Broad Channel. Although there are 10 choices, voters can only select their top five. Voters must reside in the 32nd district and must be at least 16 years old or enrolled in high school. You can only vote one time and ballots marked with more than five choices are considered invalid. A ballot must be filled out in pen and each choice should be marked with an “X.” The results of the vote will be announced before May 1, 2015.  The projects with the most votes, up to $1 million, will be included in next year’s city budget and the projects will be built or implemented over the next few years.

Voting will begin at local civic meetings this week and voting locations and times will be announced at a later time.  Voting will go on at least through the first week of April. Follow the “Rockawaypb32” Facebook page or call Eric Ulrich’s office at 718-738-1918 for voting locations and times.  The ballot items are as follows:

1. Repair center medians along Cross Bay Boulevard in Broad Channel between 1st and 5th roads: $500,000
2. Improvement to 9/11 Tribute Park in Rockaway Park to include a decorative arch entry gate: $300,000
3. School Upgrades: $345,000: a) P.S. 47 Tech Equipment: $50,000 b) P.S. 317 Electrical Upgrades: $70,000 c) P.S. 114 Media Center:  $75,000 d) Beach Channel Campus Mobile Laboratory Cart: $80,000 e) Scholars’ Academy Tech carts/ ID swipe station: $70,000
4. Remove asphalt in All-American Park in Broad Channel to allow for creation of another baseball/softball field: $175,000
5. Bus countdown display clocks at 4-5 stops along Q22 bus route: $100,000
6. Rock Climbing wall constructed in Rockaway Beach adjacent to new boardwalk: $200,000
7. Installation of badminton courts for badminton or pickle ball along Shore Front Parkway in Rockaway Beach adjacent to the new boardwalk: $350,000
8. Community Information boards with maps of local area, businesses and civic group information at approx.. Beach 73,86,98, 108, 116, 129 Streets: $200,000
9. Repair center medians along Rockaway Beach Boulevard between Beach 102-105 Streets: $200,000
10. Adult exercise equipment installed along Shore Front Parkway adjacent to new boardwalk in Rockaway Beach: $200,000