Updates from District 32 in Queens
What Would You Do With $1 Million of the City's Money?
By Noreen Malone New York Magazine Daily Intel Wed, 2011-09-14
Not a totally hypothetical question! Four city council members have decided to engage in "participatory budgeting," meaning that they'll let their constituents help choose how to spend their districts' $1 million discretionary funds. So if you live in Brad Lander, Jumaane D. Williams, Melissa Mark-Viverito, or Eric Ulrich's districts, start spitballing.
4 Council Members, Each With $1 Million, Will Let Public Decide How It’s Spent
By Kate Taylor The New York Times Tue, 2011-09-13
Four City Council members, intrigued by experiments begun in Brazil to let ordinary citizens determine how government uses tax dollars, say they plan to allow their constituents to decide how $4 million is spent next year. Through a process known as participatory budgeting, constituents in each of the four Council districts will be enlisted to develop and choose among proposals for local capital projects like street repairs, new parks and public artworks. The money — $1 million in each district — will come out of the council members’ discretionary funds.
