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Read the press release here.

Queens Residents Can Vote Again on How to Spend $1 Million in Budget Funds

By Jeanmarie Evelly | September 11, 2015 4:52pm | Updated on September 14, 2015 8:39am
 Councilman Van Bramer announcing the winners of the participatory budgeting vote this spring.
Councilman Van Bramer announcing the winners of the participatory budgeting vote this spring.
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Courtesy Jimmy Van Bramer

LONG ISLAND CITY — Participatory budgeting will return to City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer's district again next year, where residents will be able to vote on how to spend more than $1 million in city funds on projects in their neighborhoods.

The councilman — whose district includes Long Island City, Woodside and Sunnyside — will kick off the process with a meeting Monday night at Sunnyside Community Services, where residents can learn how to get involved and suggest the ideas they'd like to see funded.

Van Bramer will leave more than $1 million in capital budget dollars up to the vote of residents, which can be spent on projects like upgrades for schools, parks and local transportation.

During the most recent budget cycle, constituents in his district voted to fund improvements to Long Island City's bike lanes, renovate the playground at the Queensbridge Houses and purchase a van to transport seniors at the community center at Jacob Riis Neighborhood Settlement.

A series of community meetings will be held over the next several months to get ideas from residents on what they want funded this time around, and those suggestions will be narrowed down to specific proposals that will be voted on next year.

A "kickoff" meeting will take place Monday at Sunnyside Community Services, located at 43-31 39th St. starting at 6:30 p.m. You can RSVP to Amanda Nasner at anasner@council.nyc.gov.