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It’s only September, but ’tis never too early to start thinking about the next city budget. And increasingly in New York, that means it’s not too early to start talking about participatory budgeting. That’s the process that allows residents of some City Council districts to develop and vote on proposals for how to spend a portion of the capital funding that each Council member allocates every year. First tried in New York City in 2011 with four participating members, it will involve 27 of them in the next round.
Not everyone is convinced that participatory budgeting represents real progress toward a more inclusive democracy. The amount of money involved is relatively modest and the rules restrict the funding to one-time building and repair projects, not any ongoing programs. More important, the amount of time it takes to be fully invested in the process is considerable, favoring residents who have that kind of time to spend. In the end, decisions on the city’s 11-figure expense budget and multi-billion-dollar capital budget will mostly be made the old-fashioned way: by people we elect, behind closed doors.
Still, the $32 million spent via participatory budgeting in the current budget year is not exactly chump change. Below is a list of the members participating this year and a calendar of upcoming meeting dates. Those interested in learning more about the process, click here.
Participating Councilmembers
| Andrew Cohen | District 11 | Bronx |
| Costa Constantinides | District 22 | Queens |
| Robert Cornegy | District 36 | Brooklyn |
| Laurie Cumbo | District 35 | Brooklyn |
| Elizabeth Crowley | District 30 | Queens |
| Mathieu Eugene | District 40 | Brooklyn |
| Julissa Ferreras | District 21 | Queens |
| David Greenfield | District 44 | Brooklyn |
| Corey Johnson | District 3 | Manhattan |
| Ben Kallos | District 5 | Manhattan |
| Karen Koslowitz | District 29 | Queens |
| Brad Lander | District 39 | Brooklyn |
| Steve Levin | District 33 | Brooklyn |
| Mark Levine | District 7 | Manhattan |
| Melissa Mark-Viverito | District 8 | Manhattan/Bronx |
| Carlos Menchaca | District 38 | Brooklyn |
| Daneek Miller | District 27 | Queens |
| Antonio Reynoso | District 34 | Brooklyn/Queens |
| Donovan Richards | District 31 | Queens |
| Ydanis Rodriguez | District 10 | Manhattan |
| Helen Rosenthal | District 6 | Manhattan |
| Ritchie Torres | District 15 | Bronx |
| Mark Treyger | District 47 | Brooklyn |
| Eric Ulrich | District 32 | Queens |
| Paul Vallone | District 19 | Queens |
| Jimmy Van Bramer | District 26 | Queens |
| Jumaane Williams | District 45 | Brooklyn |
Upcoming Meeting Dates
| Councilmember | Date | Time | Place |
| Andrew Cohen (District 11, Bronx) | 9/29/2015 | 7 p.m. | Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, 3450 Dekalb Ave. |
| Julissa Ferreras (District 21, Queens) | 9/29/2015 | 7:00 PM | LeFrak Tenants 99-45 60th Ave, Corona, NY 11368 |
| Mark Levine (District 7, Manhattan) | 9/29/2015 | 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. | Riverstone Senior Center |
| Jimmy Van Bramer (District 26, Queens) | 9/29/2015 | 6-8pm | Woodside Library, 54-22 Skillman Avenue, Woodside |
| Costa Constantinides (District 22, Queens) | 9/30/2015 | 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. | Astoria Houses Community Center 4-25 Astoria Blvd. Astoria, NY 11102 |
| Robert Cornegy (District 36, Brooklyn) | 9/30/2015 | 7 p.m. | Greater St. Stephen UCOG, 874 Myrtle Ave., Brooklyn, NY 1120622 |
| Elizabeth Crowley (District 30, Queens) | 9/30/2015 | 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. | |
| Julissa Ferreras (District 21, Queens) | 9/30/2015 | 6:30 PM | East Elmhurst Library, 95-06 Astoria Blvd. East Elmhurst, NY 11369 |
| Corey Johnson (District 3, Manhattan) | 9/30/2015 | 6:30-8:30 pm | Hudson Park Library, 66 Leroy Street |
| Brad Lander (District 39, Brooklyn) | 9/30/2015 | 6:30-8:30 PM | PS 118, 211 8th St (near 4th Ave) |
| I. Daneek Miller (District 27, Queens) | 9/30/2015 | 6:30-8:30 PM | New Greater Bethel Ministries 215-32 Jamaica Avenue Queens Village, NY 11428 |
| Antonio Reynoso (District 34, Brooklyn/Queens) | 9/30/2015 | Cooper Park Community Center, 76 Kingsland Avenue | |
| Antonio Reynoso (District 34, Brooklyn/Queens) | 9/30/2015 | 6:30pm | PS 123, 100 Irving Avenue, Brooklyn, NY |
| Ydanis Rodriguez (District 10, Manhattan) | 9/30/2015 | 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. | Richard M. Ruzika Theater and Classroom at the Campbell Sports Center on 218th St. and Broadway |
| Corey Johnson (District 3, Manhattan) | 10/1/2015 | 6:30-8:30 pm | Fulton Center Auditorium, 119 Ninth Avenue (between 17th and 18th Streets) |
| Karen Koslowitz (District 29, Queens) | 10/1/2015 | 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. | Richmond Hill Library 118-14 Hillside Avenue, Richmond Hill, NY 11418 |
| Donovan Richards (District 31, Queens) | 10/1/2015 | Beach 40th Street Community Center | |
| Ydanis Rodriguez (District 10, Manhattan) | 10/1/2015 | 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. | Nagle Y at 54 Nagle Ave. (Between Broadway and Elwood) |
| Helen Rosenthal (District 6, Manhattan) | 10/1/2015 | 6-8pm | Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center, 250 West 65th Street (between West End Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue0 |
| Jimmy Van Bramer (District 26, Queens) | 10/1/2015 | 6-8pm | Broadway Library, 40-20 Broadway, Long Island City |
| Jumaane D. Williams (District 45, Brooklyn) | 10/1/2015 | 6:30pm – 8:00pm | Flatbush YMCA, 1401 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210 |
| Antonio Reynoso (District 34, Brooklyn/Queens) | 10/3/2015 | 1:00 p.m. | Williamsburg Community Center,195 Graham Avenue |
| Elizabeth Crowley (District 30, Queens) | 10/5/2015 | 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. | Serbian Association of New York, 72-54 65th Pl., Ridgewood, NY 11385 |
| Julissa Ferreras (District 21, Queens) | 10/5/2015 | 7:00 PM | Community Board 3 Community Board 3 Office 82-11 37th Avenue |
| Corey Johnson (District 3, Manhattan) | 10/5/2015 | 6:30-8:30 pm | New Dramatists, 424 West 44th Street |
| Melissa Mark-Viverito (District 8, Manhattan/Bronx) | 10/5/2015 | 6 p.m. | Woodycrest Center for Human Development 153 West 165th St. (between Ogden and Summit Avenues) Bronx NY 10452 |
| Elizabeth Crowley (District 30, Queens) | 10/6/2015 | 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. | PS/IS 113, 35-01 Union St,Glendale, NY 11354 |
| Corey Johnson (District 3, Manhattan) | 10/6/2015 | 6:30-8:30 pm | Elliot-Chelsea Community Center, 441 West 26th Street |
| Brad Lander (District 39, Brooklyn) | 10/6/2015 | 6:30-8:30 PM | PS 230 – Upper School, 1 Albemarle Rd (between Dahill Rd and McDonald Ave) |
| Melissa Mark-Viverito (District 8, Manhattan/Bronx) | 10/6/2015 | 4 p.m. | Betances Community Center 547 E. 146th St. Bronx NY 10455 |
| Ydanis Rodriguez (District 10, Manhattan) | 10/6/2015 | 6:00 – 8:00pm | Fort Washington Library – 535 W 179th St, New York, NY 10033 |
| Eric Ulrich (District 32, Queens) | 10/6/2015 | 8:00 PM | Our Neighbors Civic |
| Jimmy Van Bramer (District 26, Queens) | 10/6/2015 | 6-8pm | Sunnyside Library, 43-06 Greenpoint Avenue, Sunnyside |
| Elizabeth Crowley (District 30, Queens) | 10/7/2015 | 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. | Oak Ridge in Forest Park, 1 Forest Park Dr, Woodhaven, NY 11421 |
| Mathieu Eugene (District 40, Brooklyn) | 10/7/2015 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 pm | St. Paul’s Church – 157 St. Paul’s Pl. Brooklyn, NY 11226 |
| Karen Koslowitz (District 29, Queens) | 10/7/2015 | 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. | PS 139, 93-06 63rd Drive, Rego Park, NY 11374 |
| Melissa Mark-Viverito (District 8, Manhattan/Bronx) | 10/7/2015 | 6 p.m. | Mitchel Community Center – 210 Alexander Ave. Bronx NY 10454 |
| Antonio Reynoso (District 34, Brooklyn/Queens) | 10/7/2015 | 6:30pm | Diana H. Jones Senior Center, 9 Noll Street, Brooklyn, NY |
| Helen Rosenthal (District 6, Manhattan) | 10/7/2015 | 6-8pm | Goddard-Riverside Community Center, 593 Columbus Avenue (between West 88th and 89th Streets) |
| Karen Koslowitz (District 29, Queens) | 10/8/2015 | 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. | Forest Hills Jewish Center, 106-06 Queens Blvd, Forest Hills, NY 11375 |
| Steve Levin (District 33, Brooklyn) | 10/8/2015 | 5:00 p.m. | Independence Community Center, 114 Taylor Street. |
| Antonio Reynoso (District 34, Brooklyn/Queens) | 10/8/2015 | 6:30pm | Learners and Leaders, 378 Seneca Avenue, Ridgewood, NY |
| Ydanis Rodriguez (District 10, Manhattan) | 10/8/2015 | 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. | Washington Heights Library, 1000 Saint Nicholas Ave, New York, NY 10032 |
| Jimmy Van Bramer (District 26, Queens) | 10/8/2015 | 6-8pm | Long Island City Library, 37-44 21st Street, Long Island City |
| Antonio Reynoso (District 34, Brooklyn/Queens) | 10/9/2015 | 1:00pm | Roundtable Senior Center, 1175 Gates Avenue, Brooklyn, NY |
| Carlos Menchaca (District 38, Brooklyn) | 10/10/2015 | 10:30 am- 12pm | Sunset Park Recreation Center, 7 Ave. at 43rd Street, Brooklyn, New York, 11232 |
| Carlos Menchaca (District 38, Brooklyn) | 10/11/2015 | 12:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m. | Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH), 526 59th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11220 |
| Julissa Ferreras (District 21, Queens) | 10/12/2015 | 6:30 PM | Langston Hughes Community Library, 100-01 Northern Blvd. Corona, NY 11368 |
| Ydanis Rodriguez (District 10, Manhattan) | 10/13/2015 | 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. | Dyckman Houses, 3732 10th Avenue |
| Eric Ulrich (District 32, Queens) | 10/13/2015 | 7:45 PM | Community Board 9 |
| Jimmy Van Bramer (District 26, Queens) | 10/13/2015 | 6-8pm | Woodside Houses Community Center, 50-19 Broadway, Woodside |
| Mark Levine (District 7, Manhattan) | 10/14/2015 | 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. | Franciscan Community Center |
| Helen Rosenthal (District 6, Manhattan) | 10/14/2015 | 4-6 p.m. | Riverside NYPL, 127 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 65th and 66th Streets) |
| Mark Treyger (District 47, Brooklyn) | 10/14/2015 | 6:00 PM | YMCA 2980 West 29th Street Brooklyn NY 11224 |
| Donovan Richards (District 31, Queens) | 10/15/2015 | Ocean Bay Community Center | |
| Eric Ulrich (District 32, Queens) | 10/15/2015 | 7:00 PM | Woodhaven Residents Block Association |
| Jimmy Van Bramer (District 26, Queens) | 10/15/2015 | 6-8pm | Ravenswood Houses, 35-40 21st Street, Long Island City |
| Mark Treyger (District 47, Brooklyn) | 10/19/2015 | 6:00 PM | PS 205 6701 20th Avenue Brooklyn NY 11214 |
| Eric Ulrich (District 32, Queens) | 10/20/2015 | 7:00 PM | 102nd Precinct Community Council |
| Jimmy Van Bramer (District 26, Queens) | 10/20/2015 | 6-8pm | Jacob Riis Settlement House, 10-25 41st Avenue, Queensbridge |
| Mark Levine (District 7, Manhattan) | 10/21/2015 | 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. | St. Michael’s Church, 255 West 99th St. |
| Helen Rosenthal (District 6, Manhattan) | 10/22/2015 | 6-8 p.m. | Hargrave House, 111 West 71st Street (between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues) |
| Carlos Menchaca (District 38, Brooklyn) | 10/23/2015 | 6-8 pm | Red Hook Initiative, 767 Hicks Street |
| Helen Rosenthal (District 6, Manhattan) | 10/24/2015 | 2-4 p.m. | St. Agnes NYPL, 444 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 81st and 82nd Streets) |
| Mark Treyger (District 47, Brooklyn) | 10/26/2015 | 6:00 PM | PS 216 350 Avenue X Brooklyn NY 11223 |
| Melissa Mark-Viverito (District 8, Manhattan/Bronx) | 10/28/2015 | 6 p.m. | Little Sisters of the Assumption 333 East 115th St., New York, NY 10029 |
| Helen Rosenthal (District 6, Manhattan) | 10/28/2015 | 6-8 p.m. | Marseilles Apartments, 230 West 103rd Street |
| Ritchie Torres (District 15, Bronx) | 10/28/2015 | Roosevelt High School Cafeteria, 500 East Fordham Road | |
| Eric Ulrich (District 32, Queens) | 10/28/2015 | 8:00 PM | Richmond Hill Block Association |
| Donovan Richards (District 31, Queens) | 10/29/2015 | YMCA | |