NORTH BROOKLYN — Help decide how the city should spend more than $1 million in your neighborhood, with this year's participatory budgeting cycle, where you can help bring much-needed upgrades to local schools, streets and playgrounds.
In North Brooklyn, local City Councilmen Stephen Levin and Antonio Reynoso's districts are participating in this year's vote, with nearly two dozen different projects spread across Bushwick, Greenpoint and Williamsburg.
Each councilman plans to devote about $1 million in taxpayer funds to the winning picks.
You can cast a ballot online or at a one of several schools and community buildings in the neighborhood in Reynoso's or Levin's districts.
You can vote for up to five different projects.
Officials will decide which project get funded based on the number of votes and how much money they require.
The vote is open through April 2. Look up which city council district you live in online here.
Below are the projects on the ballot in both districts.
BUSHWICK
► Refurbish the Hope Garden Community Center's gym with hardwood floors and new basketball hoops - $500,000.
► Funds would go towards modernizing Bushwick Leaders High School gym by resurfacing the wooden floors and adding new wall padding - $300,000.
GREENPOINT
► Fund a Science Technology Engineering Mathematics lab for P.S. 31 Samuel F. Dupont on Meserole Avenue - $218,000.
►McGolrick Park would get fresh pavement on sidewalks and paths and an irrigation system for plants and grass - $500,000.
►McCarren Park would get a picnic grove without door seating - $400,000.
►Improved electrical wiring at P.S. 110 would allow for AC units to be installed later to be funded by the school - $175,000.
WILLIAMSBURG
► Bring a facelift to the toddler playground at Independence Towers with new equipment - $500,000.
► Cracked and gnarled sidewalks near the Independence Towers Community center would get repairs - $350,000.
► The Williamsburg Library on Division Ave would get a new stainless steel sign to display library programming - $70,000.
► New safety lighting at Middleton Playground would brighten the popular playground - $500,000.
► P.S. 380 John Wayne Elementary School would get laptops and other equipment to build out a science and technology lab which 800 students would have access to - $250,000.
► Electrical upgrades to the Grand Street Campus high school building would prepare the building for the installation of air-conditioning - $300,000.
► Students at P.S. 147 and The Young Women's Leadership School would get a refurbished auditorium in the Bushwick Avenue school building they share - $400,000.
► P.S. 257 John F. Hylan School would get upgrades to their auditorium including new chairs, wheelchair access to the stage and new sound and lighting installations - $250,000.
► Pedestrian safety upgrades to the bustling intersection of Meeker and Metropolitan Avenues aim to shorten crossing times and encourage drivers to slow down - $250,000.
► A mile-long stretch of road near Union Avenue and Meserole Street would get repaved with recyclable materials - $250,000.
► Funds would got to buying Green School 100 laptops and charging carts - $150,000.
► New laptops and other tech upgrades would serve elementary students at P.S. 319 as well as EBC high school students in the same building -$350,000.
► Build out a multimedia center with gear for photography, film making and radio production at P.S. 250 George H. Lindsey School - $400,000.
► New benches, tables, and equipment with wheelchair access would bring a facelift to the Cooper Park House's playground - $500,000.
► I.S.71 Juan Morel Campos Secondary School would get 600 new seats for their auditorium - $450,000.
You must be 14 years or older to vote and live in the district where the projects are located. Here's a map of all the projects and more information on each one.
