New York City is experiencing a new kind of democracy. Through Participatory Budgeting (PB), residents of twenty-three Council Districts are directly deciding how to spend over $25 million of taxpayer money. From now until April 2015, community members are exchanging ideas, working together to turn ideas into project proposals, and voting to decide what proposals get funded. It is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. It enables taxpayers to work with government to make the budget decisions that affect their lives. The community knows what’s best for their community and this is how we can get it.

This is the fourth cycle of PB and the number of districts that are involved has more than doubled since ten participated last year. You can find out if your city council district is participating and learn much more at www.pbnyc.org. There is even an interactive map showing projects that have been funded.

This Wednesday is the first Steering Committee meeting in District 34 served by Antonio Reynoso who has just been voted in after serving Diana Reyna as her Chief of Staff as her term limits expired. I’ve lived here for over a decade and I’m excited to be volunteering to serve as a budget delegate to City Council. Citizens don’t often get any direct control over how the budget is spent. The NYC 2015 annual budget is around $75 Billion. Last year PB spent $14 Million and this year with the increase of districts participating, that amount will increase to $25 Million. PB engages many New Yorkers left out of traditional political processes and mainstream community activism: youth under 18, people of color, low-income earners, women, immigrants, and ex-offenders. Much of the money was spent on safety, parks and gardens, education, and school improvements or electronics that wouldn’t have otherwise been available.

A few projects were out of the box such as bus countdown clocks so residents would be able to see how long they’d have to wait for the bus, and a sea-themed statue that won $150,000 with 298 votes in the Rockaways. As this will be an ongoing and growing process, the Gazebo/Grandstand/Outdoor Performance Space on Shorefront Parkway that got $150,000 in 2011-2012 received an additional funding of $200,000 with 309 votes in 2013-2014 that added audio equipment and an electrical system.

I was shocked by the relatively small numbers of voters that participated. Each voter can vote for up to 5 projects in their district. Of 1,641 total projects proposed city-wide, 122 made it on the ballot and 46 of them were funded. They ranged in cost from $30-675,000 and voter turnout ranged in districts from about 1,000-3,000.

So this Wednesday I get involved. Anyone can get involved! Even by just spreading the word. Youth aged 14 and up can serve in committees and voting age is 16. Committees meet to vet the ideas that are proposed by the community and figure out which ideas are feasible then determine costs. They also form sub-committees for the different projects and then create an expo like a science fair where the community can come out and see the ideas that are proposed. I’m pretty excited. Feel free to contact me if you have questions about getting involved, although most information is all at www.pbnyc.org.