WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — How would you spend $1 million to improve the neighborhood?
Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez wants to know.
For the first time in his City Council tenure, Rodriguez will take part in participatory budgeting, a process that allows community members to decide how to spend $1 million of the councilman's discretionary funds. All of the money must go toward capital improvements within the district.
Rodriguez’s spokesman, Lucas Acosta, said participatory budgeting is different than residents simply making recommendations about community needs.
"We won't be pushing for any projects in particular," he said. "Rather we are dedicated to listening to the community's needs and empowering them to drive the process entirely."
The process begins with residents brainstorming ideas for proposals, such as new computers for a local library, updated playground equipment or resurfaced roads. The community then chooses delegates who develop the ideas into proposals. The proposals are presented to the community during a project expo in February or March, and the community then votes on which projects to fund.
Anyone 16 or older who lives in the district can vote on the final projects.
Residents can propose ideas and help to select delegates at three upcoming neighbrohood assemblies hosted by Rodriguez's office: Oct. 14 at the Inwood Library at 6 p.m., Oct. 21 at the Fort Washington Library at 6 p.m., Oct. 30 at the Washington Heights Library at 6 p.m.
The participatory budget process was pioneered in New York City in four districts in 2011. Last year, more than 20 districts participated and decided how to spend more than $25 million.
