CROWN HEIGHTS — Think you can spend money better than local government? Well, you’ve got until Sunday to prove it.
That’s the last day you can vote for local improvement projects you think should get funding through participatory budgeting, a citywide initiative that allows residents to directly choose how more than a million dollars is spent in their communities.
This year, the proposed projects in Crown Heights, Prospect Heights and Prospect-Lefferts Gardens range from $300,000 for curb extensions on President Street and Nostrand Avenue to $310,000 for computer equipment at P.S. 375 and P.S. 532.
Other projects include $150,000 for installing real-time bus signs on the B65 and B45 lines, setting aside $80,000 for two new built-in grilling stations off East Drive in Prospect Park and allotting $600,000 to upgrade Brower Park’s basketball courts.
Voting for the projects is done according to the City Council district in which you live. Most residents in Crown Heights and Prospect Heights will be eligible to vote for funding within Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo’s District 35, which also covers Clinton Hill and Fort Greene; a full breakdown of where you are eligible to vote is available through her office’s budget website.
Residents in northeast Crown Heights — roughly east of Bedford Avenue and north of Sterling Place — are eligible to vote within District 36, represented by Councilman Robert Cornegy. Projects in that area include the Brower Park upgrades, $64,000 for smartboards at P.S. 289 and $750,000 for security cameras at the Albany Houses.
Residents in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens can vote within District 40, represented by Councilman Mathieu Eugene. In addition to the grilling stations, residents there can choose from three different sidewalk extensions on Rogers Avenue at a cost of $100,000 to $300,000, $175,000, smartboards for P.S. 92, a $35,000 technology upgrade for M.S. 2 and $150,000 for a gymnasium renovation for Erasmus High School, among a total of 11 projects in the council district, which covers parts of Flatbush, Kensington and Ditmas Park.
Every person who votes for their favorite projects in each district can choose up to five proposals; every council member who opts into participatory budgeting guarantees to fund at least three of the projects, according the City Council.
Voting, which kicked off last Saturday, must be done in person within each district at specially designated locations and times by Sunday, April 3.
► Some of the voting locations and times for Prospect-Lefferts Gardens residents to vote include:
• Councilman Eugene’s district office at 123 Linden Blvd. on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Crown Heights library branch at 560 New York Ave. on Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• The opening of Smorgasburg in Prospect Park on Sunday from 11 am. to 2 p.m.
► The best option for northeast Crown Heights residents may be:
• Restoration Plaza lobby at 1360 Fulton St., open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Sunday
► Those in District 35 can cast their vote at several locations including:
• Grand Army Plaza library at 413 Flatbush Ave. on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• P.S. 9 at 80 Underhill Ave. through Friday from 2:40 p.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information about the projects, how to vote and where, visit the City Council’s 2106 participatory budgeting website.
