ASTORIA — Residents in City Councilman Costa Constantinides' district will once again be able to choose what projects they want to see funded in their neighborhoods — and this time more city funds are up for a vote.
The lawmaker is bringing participatory budgeting back to his Queens district, allowing residents to choose how to spend $1.5 million on capital projects in the area, Constantinides said Tuesday. A third of that will be set aside specifically for projects in Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst, he said.
"I am excited to bring Participatory Budgeting back to our district," the councilman said in a statement, noting that more than 2,200 people voted last year, when he allocated $1 million in the most recent budget for projects that residents could choose from.
"The volunteer-driven program provides an extraordinary opportunity for all our residents to have a voice in our city’s budget process," said Constantinides, whose district includes Astoria and parts of Woodside, East Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights.
A series of meetings will be held throughout the neighborhoods next month, in which residents will brainstorm ideas for capital projects they'd like to see funded in their neighborhoods. Capital money is used to fund things like construction, repairs or the purchase of equipment, according to the city.
Groups of volunteers who serve as "budget delegates" will then turn the list of community ideas into specific project proposals, which residents in the district will be able to vote on in the spring. The projects with the most votes will get funding in the next budget.
"The process is inclusive and brings our community together," Constantinides said.
This spring, projects for Astoria came out on top during the participatory budgeting vote. The winners included $500,000 each to build a dog run under the Triborough Bridge and a public park at I.S. 126, as well as technology upgrades for a number of local schools.
In an effort to be more inclusive of his whole district, Constantinides said $500,000 of the next round's available funds will be designated for projects in East Elmhurst and Jackson Heights.
A schedule with dates and locations for meetings to collect ideas for projects can be found here.
