Voting Underway: Groups seeking $2.75M battle for $1M in Chris Marte’s Downtown Dist.
Requests totaling $2.75 million for six different projects in Chris Marte’s downtown district 1 are vying to split the $1 million funding that is up for grabs. Voting is underway from March 25 to April 2.
| 23 Mar 2023 | 03:02
City Councilman Christopher Marte’s downtown district is among those with participatory budgeting this spring where local voters can determine how to spend the $1 million funding up for grabs. Photo: District 1.
Santa Claus is coming early to local local schools, non profits, and civic organizations as council members get ready to divvy up a $27 million pie of discretionary funding with $1 million allocated to each of the 27 council members this year.
In the downtown council district 1 represented by Chris Marte--which runs from the South Street Seaport to Houston Street on the East Side, there are requests totaling $2.75 from six groups vying to divide the $1 million spending pot at his disposal.
Constituents of each districts will be given the chance to directly decide how to spend the money in a voting period that starts on March 25th and ends on April 2.
Voting is open to everyone ages 11 (or at least in 6th grade) and older who live in one of the 27 participating Council Districts, regardless of immigration status, gender, race, ethnicity, or eligibility to vote in traditional elections. Voting can be done via email, by paper ballot of phone voting, but only one vote per person will be counted.
The nominees in District 1 are seeking anywhere from $150,000 to $1 million each to fund their projects. The projects with the most votes up until $1 million has been accounted for will be funded.
And the nominees are:
Renovation of Rutgers Houses Playground Renovating the playground at Rutgers Houses would modernize the park. Funding this project would include a new jungle gym, a new swing set, and the replacement of the playground’s safety tiles. Cost: $1,000,000
Improve P.S. 10’s Playground Fixing P.S. 110’s outdated park with new play equipment for students and children in the community. Cost: $750,000
Modernize P.S. 276’s Auditorium. Upgrading PS/IS 276’s auditorium with a new projector, a soundboard, rewiring of the sound, and speakers to help remediate many of the technology issues at the school. Cost: $300,000
Plant New Trees intended to revitalize walkways, parks and public spaces by planting new trees as well but protective tree guards. Cost: $250,000
New Laptops for Richard R. Green High School Providing Richard R. Green H.S. of Teaching three new laptop carts to equip students with a better learning environment to help them stay connected. Cost: $150,000
Safer Gymnasium at P.S. 234 Help students at P.S. 234 stay active as they learn to move their bodies in gym class by replacing the wall padding in their gymnasium to keep students safe. Cost: $300,000