What is participatory

budgeting?
Participatory budgeting (PB) is a
democratic process in which
community members directly decide
how to spend part of a public budget.
In other words, the people who pay
taxes decide how tax dollars get
spent. Participatory budgeting is
grassroots democracy at its best. It
helps make budget decisions clear
and accessible. It gives real power to
people who have never before been
involved in the political process. And it
results in better budget decisions because who better knows the needs
of our community than the people who
live there?
In 2011, four New York City Council
Members launched a PB process to
let residents allocate part of their
capital discretionary funds. Those are
funds that can be used for physical
improvements that benefit the public,
and each district has committed at
least $1 million. This year, twenty-four
Council Members are participating in
the process, giving the community real
decision-making power over more
than $25 million in taxpayer money.

For more
information:
Email pbnyc@council.nyc.gov
Follow us at @PB_NYC
Visit council.nyc.gov/PB
Text PBNYC to 212-676-8384

How does
participatory
budgeting work?
Last fall, district residents like you
came to neighborhood assemblies to
identify community needs and suggest
projects. Then, volunteers joined
delegate committees to develop those
suggestions into project proposals,
and worked with city agencies to
estimate project costs. They put
together the proposals you will vote
on today.
Now is your chance to vote for the
projects you think should get funded.
The projects with the most votes will
be included in next years city budget,
to be built or implemented over the
next few years.
Youll get to enjoy the improvements
you help make happen. And hopefully,
youll be a part of future participatory
budgeting efforts in the city!
Credits:
This ballot was produced by...
Special thanks to...

Participating
Members:
Manhattan:
Corey Johnson (District 3)
Ben Kallos (District 5)
Mark Levine (District 7)
Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito
(District 8)
Ydanis Rodriguez (District 10)
Helen Rosenthal (District 6)
Brooklyn:
David Greenfield (District 44)
Brad Lander (District 39)
Steve Levin (District 33)
Carlos Menchaca (District 38)
Antonio Reynoso (District 34)
Mark Treyger (District 47)
Jumaane D. Williams (District 45)
Queens:
Costa Constantinides (District 22)
Julissa Ferreras (District 21)
Karen Koslowitz (District 29)
I. Daneek Miller (District 27)
Donovan Richards (District 31)
Eric Ulrich (District 32)
Paul Vallone (District 19)
Jimmy Van Bramer (District 26)
Mark Weprin (District 23)
Bronx:
Andrew Cohen (District 11)
Ritchie Torres (District 15)
Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito
(District 8)

Digital Ballot
While mark sense technology dates back to the 1930s and optical mark recognition dates to the 1950s, these
technologies were first explored in the context of standardized tests such as college entrance exams. The first
suggestion to use mark sense technology to count ballots came in 1953, but practical optical scanners did not emerge
until the 1960s. The Norden Electronic Vote Tallying System was the first to be deployed, but it required the use of
special ink to mark the ballot. The Votronic, from 1965, was the first optical mark vote tabulator able to sense marks
made with a graphite pencil.

2015 Official Ballot

Participatory
Budgeting in
New York City
Council Member
Ben Kallos

District 5
Midtown East
Upper East Side
El Barrio
Roosevelt Island

Voting instructions
All residents of the district, age
16 and up, can vote.
You may vote for up to five (5)
projects.
You can not vote for the same
project more than once.
Ballots marked with more than
five votes are invalid and will not
be counted.
Mark boxes clearly with an X
or check mark, or fully shade
them in.
Use black or blue ink. Ballots
marked in pencil will not be
counted.
Your vote will help decide how
$1,000,000 is spent on
improvements to your
community.
$1,000,000

District 5

2015 Official Ballot

Our Libraries

1. Cool Reading
$500,000
Upgrade the cooling system for the New
York Public Library Webster branch.
1465 York Avenue (Upper East Side)

Our Schools

Our Community

Our Parks

Our Priorities

5. Rooftop Recreation for PS

151

10. Security Cameras for

Holmes Towers

13. Full Court Press

17. Parks

$400,000

$250,000

$500,000

$500,000

Create a necessary outdoor play space on

the roof with the opportunity to add a
greenhouse and Edible School Yard for PS
151.

Add new security cameras for increased

safety for residents of Holmes Towers.

Renovate basketball courts at John Jay

Park including new backboards, hoops and
sports coating.

Money will be allocated to revitalize parks in

the district.

E93 & First Ave (Upper East Side)

E76 to E78 & FDR Drive (Upper East Side)

11. Security Cameras for

Lexington Houses

14. Irrigate the Esplanade

18. Public Schools

$500,000
Add new security cameras for increased
safety for residents of Lexington Houses.

$300,000
Irrigation for the East River Esplanade to
allow for increased access to water for
trees and vegetation along walkway.

$250,000
Money will be allocated to upgrade
technology in public schools in the district.

E98th to E99th & Park to Third (El Barrio)

East River Esplanade (District wide)

7. School Stage for Eleanor

Roosevelt High

12. Community Garden for

Lexington Houses

15. Esplanade Greenway

19. Senior Centers

$500,000
Upgrade the stage, seating, floor, lighting,
audio with looping for hearing loss, in order
to support more performance uses and an
orchestra at Eleanor Roosevelt High
School.

$385,000
New planters and gates so that residents
can grow plants in a community garden with
additional plantings throughout the
grounds.

$200,000
Create and improve the tree beds along
the East River Esplanade and complete
construction of unfinished sites.

$250,000
Funds will be allocated to senior centers
throughout the district.

(District wide)

421 E88th Street (Upper East Side)

2. Bright Minds

6. Green Roof for PS/IS 217

$280,000
Replace and improve the exterior lighting
on the New York Public Library East 67th
Street branch.

$500,000
Build a green roof for environmental
education at PS/IS 217.
645 Main Street (Roosevelt Island)

328 E67th Street (Upper East Side)

3. Study of Sight and Sound

$35,000
Audio/Visual equipment with audio
induction looping for the New York Public
Library Roosevelt Island branch.
504 Main Street (Roosevelt Island)

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East River Esplanade (District wide)

E98th to E99th & Park to Third (El Barrio)

411 E76th Street (Upper East Side)

Our Streets

8. School's Cool for PS198/PS

77

16. Fun Fountain at St.

Catherine's Park

$500,000
Air conditioning renovation for building-wide
cooling in hot summer months at
PS198/PS77.

$200,000
Replace the fountain and spray shower with
new plumbing, interactive spray heads and
sports-coating for children to play in at St.
Catherine's Park.

1700 Third Ave (Upper East Side)

E67 to E68 & First Ave. (Upper East Side)

4. Bus Bulbs on E86th St

$150,000
Bus bulbs with streescape improvements to
support pedestrian safety and off-board
payment on E86th St at Lexington and
Third Aves.
E86th at 3rd and Lexington Ave (Upper East Side)

9. STEM Education for High

School
$280,000
Laptop carts to provide Science
Technology Engineering and Math (STEM)
education for Title I High Schools serving
low-income students at Vanguard and Life
Sciences.
317 E67th St & 320 E96th St (Upper East Side &
El Barrio)

(District wide)

(District wide)