City seeks input on how to spend $20,000
The city has released a survey to get public feedback on how to spend $20,000 in each of Kingston’s three business districts as part of the 2019 participatory budgeting process.
The survey includes all of the proposed projects submitted by community members either online, by mail or at one of the three public workshops held throughout Kingston last month, according to a press release from the city. The survey also includes projects proposed but not chosen in 2018. Voting on the survey is open for residents who live, work or play in the city’s Uptown, Midtown and Downtown districts.
The survey is available online at www.surveymonkey.com/ r/2019participatorybudgeting. The deadline to complete the survey is 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6.
“In this year’s budget, we set aside $20,000 for each of the three business districts to be spent however the community decides,” Mayor Steve Noble said in the release. “We hope everyone will weigh in on projects they would like to see happen in their neighborhood. Kingston residents can vote in more than one district, so for example, if you work in Uptown but live in Midtown, you are welcome to vote for your favorite projects in both polls.”
Paper copies of the survey can be picked up in Kingston’s Office of Communications and Community Engagement at City Hall, 420 Broadway. They will also be available for distribution at local businesses, community centers or other organizations upon request.
For more information, visit www.kingston-ny.gov/participatorybudgeting.
Participatory budgeting is a process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. For the pilot project in 2018, $15,000 was set aside for improvements in each of the city’s business districts. These funds were allocated based on revenue received from off-street parking fees.
Projects submitted for consideration in this process will be reviewed by city departments for feasibility and cost estimates. Some projects may be able to be funded through alternative sources or be included in future grant applications. If selected projects do not require the full $20,000 allotment, multiple projects may be chosen within one district.