Politics & Government

Weprin Announces Winning Participatory Budgeting Proposals

Queens County Farm Museum and Cunningham Park are among sites that will receive a total $1 million through participatory budgeting process.

Councilman Mark Weprin, D-Oakland Gardens, announced the six winning participatory budgeting proposals for his district on which northeast Queens residents voted last week.

A total $1 million from the City Council's budget will go toward funding the projects. Weprin said 1,116 residents in his district turned out to vote on the proposals last week.

"Participatory budgeting gives residents and unprecedented opportunity to make decisions on how city dollars get spent in our community," Weprin said. "I saw a tremendous interest in and a very positive response to this process."

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The winning proposals in Weprin's district included roof repair for the Queens County Farm Museum, portable police security cameras, emergency equipment for the Glen Oaks Volunteer Ambulance Corps and a technology upgrade at Martin Van Buren High School as well as an enhanced picnic area and a new music stage at Cunningham Park.

Councilman Dan Halloran, R-Whitestone, also recently announced the winning participatory budgeting proposals for his community. But there is concern among some residents as to whether the City Council will honor that district's vote following Halloran's recent arrest in an alleged scheme to rig the mayoral election.

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Last fall, Weprin held a series of public meetings during which residents offered ideas on how to spend $1 million of the city budget. Then, the residents formed committees to develop the proposals, which were vetted by city agencies and then listed on last week's ballot.

Eight city districts voted last week on participatory budgeting proposals.


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