ASTORIA – From April 7-15, residents of the 22nd Council District will again vote on how to spend $1 million on local projects to improve the neighborhood. Residents age 14-and-up will choose their top five projects from a ballot created by community volunteers.
Ballot proposals can be found in-full here. Proposals include improvements to the Queens Library at Steinway children’s room, a new hydroponic science lab at Long Island City HS, a new research library at PS 17/300, lighting upgrades at Astoria Houses Community Center, a new tool shed at Two Coves Community Garden, and district-wide road resurfacing.
Residents can cast their ballots at these voting sites:
Office of Councilman Constantinides, 31-09 Newtown Ave, Suite 209
Monday, April 9-Friday, April 13, 10 AM-5 PM
Saturday, April 7
Queens Library at Steinway, 21-45 31st St, 12 PM-5 PM
Queens Library at Astoria, 14-01 Astoria Blvd, 12 PM-5 PM
Sunday, April 8
Bohemian Hall, 29-19 24th Ave, 12 PM-5 PM
Urban Upbound, 4-25 Astoria Blvd, 12 PM-5 PM
Monday, April 9
North Queensview Community Room 2, 33-64 21st St (34th Ave entrance), 6 PM-9 PM
Tuesday, April 10
Community Board 1, 45-02 Ditmars Blvd, 6 PM-9 PM
Wednesday, April 11
Bohemian Hall, 29-19 24th Ave, 6 PM-9 PM
Thursday, April 12
Urban Upbound, 4-25 Astoria Blvd, 6 PM-9 PM
Friday, April 13
MAS Ibn Sina Center, 46-1 20th Ave, 6 PM-9 PM
Saturday, April 14
Queens Library at Steinway, 21-45 31st St, 12 PM-5 PM
Queens Library at Astoria, 14-01 Astoria Blvd, 12 PM-5 PM
Sunday, April 15
Bohemian Hall, 29-19 24th Ave, 12 PM-5 PM
Urban Upbound, 4-25 Astoria Blvd, 12 PM-5 PM
North Queensview Community Room 2, 33-64 21st St (34th Ave entrance), 12 PM-5 PM
Residents can also volunteer to assist at voting sites by signing up here.
Constantinides said, “I am proud to once again implement Participatory Budgeting to provide our residents with the chance to help decide how to invest $1 million in our neighborhood. This program is a rewarding opportunity for our community to become more civically engaged and get a hands-on experience with the city budget process. I thank everyone who brainstormed and submitted capital project ideas, who volunteered to join our committees, and who discussed and debated these proposals over the last few months. I’m looking forward to seeing which projects the community likes best.”
Participatory Budgeting provides an opportunity for residents to be involved in the city budget cycle. Not only will residents vote for their favorite projects, but all the project proposals on the ballot were created by community volunteers. This fall, nearly 400 residents attended our neighborhood assemblies and idea collection sessions, where over 600 ideas were brainstormed. Volunteers broke up into issues-based committees and transformed the list of ideas into a ballot of fully-formed project proposals with details and costs.
Council Member Costa Constantinides represents the New York City Council’s 22nd District, which includes his native Astoria along with parts of Woodside, East Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights. He serves as the chair the City Council’s Environmental Protection Committee and sits on four additional committees: Parks, Transportation, For-Hire Vehicles, and Land Use, as well as the sub-committee on Zoning and Franchises. For more information, visit council.nyc.gov/costa.
The post Constantinides’ District 22 Participatory Budgeting Project Proposals Unveiled appeared first on The National Herald.