Political newcomer Collin Thompson is challenging incumbent Julie Menin in the June 24, 2025 NYC Council District #5 Democratic Party primary. Mr Thompson was on Roosevelt Island Saturday March 22 talking to residents and I met up with him at the Farmers Market for an interview.
When asked why he was challenging the incumbent Council Member from his own party, Mr Thompson replied:
Like a lot of people I've talked to in District 5 during the petitioning process, I feel very passionate about bringing Public Service back to this office and creating an atmosphere where people can get answers out of their City Council person, where people can contact their City Council person's office and receive quality information and being visible...
.... I don't claim to have all of the answers but what I am passionate about is ensuring that people in District 5 have the opportunity to be heard, be seen and their challenges and issues with our city government at least being heard by the person that's representing them.
I don't think you can lead people you don't listen to. I have nothing personal against my opponent but I don't believe that residents in District 5 have really been represented in that way and and I hear from a lot of people that they call this current city council person's office or share concerns and they just kind of fall on deaf ears. I believe we've got to return back to a time when when public office was working for the public...
... The Community Board has no power to implement such a policy but it's
support may be helpful in persuading RIOC and the Governor to do so....
Well, some progress was made today when NY State Senator
Liz Krueger, who
previously has not been supportive of Roosevelt Island residents and workers
Tram boarding priority, released a statement in support of NYC resident
boarding priority on the Roosevelt Island Tram. According to Ms Kreuger:
The Tram’s popularity during peak tourist season is having a severe impact on
Roosevelt Island residents, causing real hardship on their daily commutes to
work, school, or critical appointments. For this reason, I support the
resolution passed by Community Board 8 requesting NYC residents be given
priority boarding on the Tram.
However, I also understand the complex practical realities that make this
approach challenging to implement, including state Transportation Law,
contracts between RIOC and the MTA, and other franchise agreements with the
City.
I urge RIOC to explore workable options for implementing the resolution and
present their findings to the community. In the meantime, I continue to
press RIOC to increase the speed of the Tram to what it previously was, and
I am pleased that the FCC dedicated signal for the Tram has been approved,
which should expedite this process.
Note that Ms Krueger and Community Board 8 support Roosevelt Island Tram
priority boarding preference for NYC residents, not limited to only
Roosevelt Island residents and workers.
... regarding overcrowding on the Roosevelt Island Tram. I strongly favor
RIOC adopting an action plan that prioritizes access to residents of
Roosevelt Island.
The Tram is essential to the transportation of needs of the community.
There are numerous categories of people who rely on the Tram, including
those with disabilities, senior citizens, workers in all fields, parents
and school-age children. Whether it is used for transportation to a
medical appointment or a place of business, the Tram is a vital mode of
transportation.
While we welcome visitors to enjoy the vibrant life and attractions of
Roosevelt Island, a plan is needed that will result in a reduction of wait
time and an improved schedule that recognizes resident's usage. In the
past, we have successfully advocated for ways to address transportation
issues, including the expansion of RIOC's Red Bus service to ameliorate
sharp service reductions. Similarly, we fought hard to ensure an F train
shuttle during the Direct Track Fixation repairs last year.
Now is the time for RIOC to step up and present an action plan that fully
prioritizes resident use of the Tram.
I have sent a copy of my comments to the RIOC leadership as well....
As a supporter of Roosevelt Island residents and commuters, I value the
importance of ensuring their needs are considered regarding tramway access.
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation should ask for further
clarification of existing New York State Transportation laws to determine
the feasibility of prioritizing access to existing public transit.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams supports the idea too:
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) is still claiming that any Tram boarding preference for residents is
illegal. Today, in the
RIOC January 2025 newsletter
Interim Leadership report, RIOC continues to claim:
... that while we recognize residents’ efforts advocating for the Tram
priority boarding, the reality is that the Tram is a common carrier and a
form of public transportation subject to state laws and certain inter-agency
agreements....
... a copy of the full legal analysis (not the previously released public
statement) that RIOC is relying on for its current position that
resident/worker Tram boarding preference would be illegal. If necessary,
please consider this a FOIL request.
and followed up:
... Also, please include copies of any Franchise Agreement with NYC that
RIOC is relying on to assert that a resident and worker boarding preference
for the Tram is illegal....
On January 9, 2025, I received this response from RIOC to my FOIL request.
As far as I can tell, there is nothing in the NYC Franchise agreements
provided by RIOC that addresses the legality of Roosevelt Island Tram boarding
priority preference.
After receiving RIOC's response to my FOIL request, later that day I replied to
RIOC:
... Does your response to my FOIL request mean that there are no agreements
other than what you just sent that RIOC is relying upon to assert that a
resident and worker boarding preference for the Tram is illegal?
If there are any other agreements with any party including the MTA that
RIOC is relying upon to assert that a resident and worker boarding
preference for the Tram is illegal, please send me copies and consider my
request an extension of the prior FOIL request.
Also, please consider this an appeal of the decision not to provide RIOC's
full legal analysis for Tram boarding preference....
On January 10, RIOC Associate General Counsel Lada Stasko answered:
Please be advised that RIOC did not enter to any Tramway franchise
agreement with the City other than that was provided to you.
RIOC hereby acknowledges receipt of your appeal below. We will respond to
it pursuant to Public Officer Law (POL) §89(4)(a) within ten (10) business
days of the receipt on January 9, 2025.
RIOC also acknowledges your follow-up FOIL request for additional records.
Please be advised that we need to review the responsive records – which
are inter-agency agreements with MTA - to ensure that they are not exempt
from disclosure under POL §87(2). We will notify you of our progress
within twenty (20) business days.
Thank you for your attention.
On January 13, I suggested:
Can a solution be found that overcomes RIOC's purported legal obstacle for
providing priority Roosevelt Island Tram boarding to those who use the
Tram for essential transportation purposes before those using the Tram as
an amusement sightseeing attraction?
How about this?
RIOC sets up a permitting system to issue an annual Roosevelt Island Fast
Line Pass that is available to everyone, resident, worker or visitor. The
Fast Line Pass must be picked up in person on Roosevelt Island at least 24
hours before it can be used.
The Fast Line Pass allows the holder to board the Tram before a person who
does not have a Fast Line Pass. A person who only rides the Tram as a one
time sightseeing attraction is less likely to obtain the Fast Line Pass
than a regular user of the Tram.
Logistics would need to be figured out for how the Fast Line Pass would
work in practice, but the bottom line is that Roosevelt Island residents,
workers and anyone else who uses the Roosevelt Island Tram for
transportation purposes will have priority boarding over those using it
for one time sightseeing amusement attraction.
Tomorrow the supporters of Roosevelt Island Tram boarding priority
preferences for residents and workers are holding a strategy planning
session. You're invited to share your ideas.
We do not to want to wait while RIOC conducts a search for the new CEO. That
alone could easily take 6-9 months. Presumably, that person will want some
time before taking any big decisions, of which this will be but one of many.
We are not prepared to wait for 12-18 months.
The Full Board of CB8 is meeting at Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island on
October 23rd, starting at 630 pm. The meeting is hybrid, in person and zoom
for members of the public.
We will be voting on a resolution to support Council Member
Julie Menin’s resolution in support of direct elections for Directors of RIOC. CM Menin will be speaking near
the start of the meeting.
Come and speak out in favor of this. Members of the public get to speak at
the start of the meeting but you have to sign up ahead of time to speak.
You can sign up here.
... calling on the New York State Legislature and Governor to amend the New York State Public Authorities Law by granting residents of Roosevelt Island the power to vote for members of the board of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation.
City Meetings NYC website has the video and transcript of testimony by Roosevelt Island residents to the September 19, 2024 meeting of the NYC Council Committee on Governmental Operations, State and Federal Legislation in support of Ms Menin's resolution.
Paul Krikler, a resident of Roosevelt Island, testifies in support of Resolution 132, which calls for direct election of Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) board members. He represents 1,100 petition signatories seeking democratic governance on the island.
Emphasizes the significant proportion of Roosevelt Island residents (out of 12,000) who support this initiative
Highlights the need for better oversight and community involvement in island management
Mentions historical issues between RIOC and residents, with the current board failing to provide adequate oversight
Margie Smith, a long-time resident of Roosevelt Island and former RIOC Board Director, testifies in support of Resolution 132, which calls for granting Roosevelt Island residents the power to vote for members of the RIOC board. She emphasizes the lack of democratic representation in the island's governance and the unique challenges faced by its residents.
Smith highlights the contradiction of Roosevelt Island residents voting for city officials who don't have authority over their island, while being unable to vote for the RIOC board that makes key decisions.
She points out the financial burden on Roosevelt Island residents, who pay ground rent and taxes but have no say in how the money is spent on island maintenance and services.
Smith urges the City Council to support the resolution, while acknowledging their limited authority to enact change directly.
Joyce Short, a long-time Roosevelt Island resident, testifies in support of Resolution 132, which calls for granting Roosevelt Island residents the power to elect members of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) board. She argues that the current appointment system for RIOC board members is undemocratic and violates the principles of republican government.
Short emphasizes that Roosevelt Island is leased by New York City to the state, and as the "landlord," the city should intervene to address the governance issues.
She highlights the ineffectiveness of community referendums in influencing board appointments, with only one out of five referendums resulting in actual appointments.
Short expresses concerns about RIOC's focus on maintaining a crime-free image for real estate purposes, potentially at the expense of properly addressing crime on the island.
Penina Gold, a resident of Roosevelt Island, testified in support of Resolution 132-2024, which calls for allowing Roosevelt Island residents to vote for members of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) board. She emphasized the lack of democratic representation in the island's governance and the need for accountability.
Gold highlighted that Roosevelt Island residents can vote in general NYC elections but have no say in selecting RIOC leadership.
She stressed that RIOC, which manages most aspects of life on Roosevelt Island, is not accountable to its residents.
Gold urged all council members to support the resolution and called on state legislators and the governor to pass and sign the proposed law.
But be aware that Community Board 8 and NYC Council have no power to implement RIOC Board elections which is under the jurisdiction of NY State although passing the resolution could have a degree of persuasive authority on the issue with NY State decision makers.
As you know, RIOC controls everything on Roosevelt Island. Can you explain
what your influence is on RIOC and what your relationship is with RIOC?
Ms Menin answered:
... I've been very
forceful. Whether it's the OMNY issue which was stuck until I wrote the letter and got the other Electeds to write the letter. I think it's the power of the Bully Pulpit.
The City of New York does not control RIOC. It's a state entity but I think there
is a very strong role that we can play in terms of utilizing the power of the Bully Pulpit to either
write letters to try to really shine a light on some of these issues that are happening...
We would love more oversight. We're struggling to get the people who work there to actually work there.... We would love to have access to lawyers to try to help make people do their jobs.
Roosevelt Island resident Paul Krikler added:
The feeling that people have about RIOC is that there is no one there who cares about the residents and who tries to do things for our benefit so it's an easy reflex action to say no we can't do this.... There's no one there running the shop...
Here's video of the full meeting with Julie Menin
UPDATE 10:30 PM - Mr Krikler has organized a petition drive asking for all RIOC Board Members to be directly elected by Roosevelt Island residents.
RIVAA Gallery is the site for Roosevelt Island early voting.
Election Day is Tuesday November 7. Roosevelt Island election polling site is
PS/IS 217 at 645 Main Street.
The race to represent Roosevelt Island and portions of the Upper East side in
NYC Council District 5 is the only candidate election on the ballot for
Roosevelt Island.
Incumbent NYC Council Member and Democratic Party candidate Julie Menin
Ms Menin spoke to a group of Roosevelt Island residents last night about issues of community concern.
In advance of the election, I was thrilled to have such an amazing turn out at our Meet and Greet on Roosevelt Island where we discussed transportation challenges, healthcare issues and RIOC. pic.twitter.com/4qGh3N8mTK
Here's the discussion.
Ms Menin is very knowledgeable about Roosevelt Island issues.
Do not know anything about Ms Golluscio.
Whoever you support, come out and vote. Politicians pay attention to voter turnout and the higher the turnout, the more attention is paid to your concerns.
...
A Tipster reported
that last night about 8 PM the The Roosevelt Island tram cabin was rocking and
shaking back and forth on it's way from Manhattan over the East River as it
approached the Roosevelt Island station before safely landing. The Tipster did
not know if it had anything to do with the Tram being out of service this
morning....
Also, on October 20, the Tram cabin was swinging again.
This afternoon, a Roosevelt Island resident sent me this text message.
The resident adds:
Everyone super scared. It shook for a few minutes, maybe two? But very hard
back and forth.
During the October 19, 2023 Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island Committee zoom
meeting, Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications Director Bryant
Daniels addressed the issue of the swaying Tram Cabins. According to Mr Daniels:
... during regular
tram operations we can periodically get stops that might occur when the
tram safety systems are sort of triggered for whatever reason. They
tend to be short in time span and what ends up happening is, I just want to check my notes to make sure I'm getting
this correctly, what happens is a trigger could happen. A stop may occur,
the tram cabin may sway a bit, but it's a controlled and safe reaction that's inherent to the Tram system
design and it's not indicative of an unsafe situation...
Here's the full statement by Mr Daniels.
Earlier today, Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Julie Menin sent a letter to RIOC President Shelton Haynes expressing concern about these recent Tram shaking back and forth incidents. Ms Menin shares the letter.
Dear President and CEO Haynes,
I am writing to express my concerns about the safety of the Roosevelt Island
Tram. On October 20th, a passenger suffered from dizziness and headaches
because of the tram cabin shaking back and forth in an excessive manner. On
the same day, another passenger shared a video on social media of the tram
cabin swinging while suspended in the air.
Roosevelt Island residents heavily rely on the Roosevelt Island Tram to access
jobs, services, and entertainment in Manhattan and to access public
transportatioN. The tram is even more vital now, as the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (MTA) conducts work on the 63rd Street Line, which
limits subway service to the island. In addition, the tram allows thousands of
tourists to visit the island to view the Manhattan skyline, enjoy the
expansive green spaces, and make use of the multitude of amenities on the
island.
I urge the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation to review these recent
incidents and all safety concerns addressed. It is critical that the safety
and wellbeing of those visiting and living in Roosevelt Island is ensured by
having the tram properly maintained. It should also have built-in redundancies
and safeguards to protect against unexpected mechanical breakdowns and
external conditions.
Mr Haynes responded today to Ms Menin. According to Mr Haynes:
Dear Honorable New York City Councilmember Menin,
I appreciate your concerns regarding the safety of the Roosevelt Island Tram. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and I want to assure you that we take the safety of our passengers very seriously.
We are aware of a video circulating on social media of the tram cabin swaying while suspended in the air. However, our constituent service department has not received any inquiries. After learning of the incident, we have been meeting with our vendor, Leiner POMA, to clarify this. Allow me to address these concerns and provide some insight into the situation.
The POMA Management team stated, “This tram undergoes very frequent inspections by the state to ensure code compliance, as well as many third-party inspections to ensure the highest of passenger safety. The Roosevelt Island Tramway has an excellent track record with most months reporting a 100% availability record, with overall availability at over 99.93% since the 2010 replacement. No injuries have been reported as a result of a tram malfunction to date. We take pride in this amazing machine and can assure you that the tram responded appropriately.”
Additionally, POMA informed RIOC that the issues you mentioned relate to a communications system message that can appear randomly and requires an employee to confirm the message. When this message appears and awaits acknowledgment from an employee, the Tram will stop, causing it to sway if it is already in operation.
They have emphasized that there is no imminent threat to the health and safety of our passengers. We are actively working with POMA, to address the communication systems messaging issue. Once it is resolved, we will send out an update to the public.
We would like to reemphasize that the Roosevelt Island Tram is a safe and functional mode of transportation. POMA staff are always on board and easily identifiable with RIOC branding. In the event of any issues or concerns, they will communicate in real-time with riders to ensure their comfort and safety.
Please rest assured that we are committed to the safety and well-being of those who rely on the Roosevelt Island Tram, whether for daily commuting, tourism, or any other purpose. We will continue to work diligently to maintain and improve the safety of this vital transportation link to Manhattan.
Thank you for sharing this concern with me, and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions or suggestions.
Here are the back and forth letters from Ms Menin and Mr Haynes.
UPDATE 11:30 PM - A Roosevelt Island resident reports:
Today (Wednesday Oct 25) traveling from Manhattan on the Tram at approximately 3:30pm the cabin started rocking wildly -- women started screaming, people reported nausea. Thankfully no one vomited. Also thankfully I was seated because that severity of rocking could cause a fall and possible injury.
RIOC advisories say "POMA has assured us that there is no risk to the health and safety of our passengers." -- I don't agree. Although I heard about the recent incidents of Tram uncontrollable rocking, nothing could prepare me for today's shocking experience.
I believe RIOC is minimizing the problem and not doing enough to corect it.
UPDATE 10/26 - Today I asked RIOC President Shelton Haynes:
It appears that the Tram stopping and swinging in mid air is happening much more than in the past.
Why is that?
Does RIOC keep metrics on how often this happens and has there been a recent increase in occurrences?
If you do have metrics, please send them over so I can include them in the story.
... Several Roosevelt Island residents have noticed NYC Sanitation Curbside
Compost bins placed on Roosevelt Island. See attached. Do you have any more
info on the Roosevelt Island curbside compost bins? How many other bins will
be placed on Roosevelt Island and where? How will the composting program
work?
A DSNY spokesperson replied later that day:
We had 250 of these bins across the city, and back in February, Mayor Adams
and Commissioner Tisch
announced
that we would be placing an additional 150 bins in Manhattan, as Manhattan
will be the last borough to receive curbside composting service (in October
2024).
Installation is ongoing, and we recently installed two bins on Roosevelt
Island, one at Main Street and River Road, and one at Main Street and West
Road.
These bins can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the NYC
Compost smartphone app (App Store
and
Google Play). Residents can deposit all yard waste, kitchen waste and food-soiled
paper, including meat and dairy, diverting all of these materials from
landfill, where they would emit methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. The app
is very simple to use – we encourage you to test it out!
I followed up:
Thanks for the info.
But why were they placed in such out of the way locations on Roosevelt
Island?
There are locations that would be much more convenient for residents to use
in the middle of the Island and near the subway area.
Received this reply from DSNY:
We will continue installing smart bins in the next few weeks, and we do expect
to have one by the tram and subway.
Today, a Tipster spotted a DSNY Curbside Compost Bin at the Roosevelt Island
Tram Station
and remarked:
Woooohoooo!!!. Fantastic!!!
We have been waiting for this almost 20 years. We're currently collecting
our food scraps over the week and bringing them to the Farmers Market
Haki Compost Collective
on Saturdays. But these bins will make it so much easier and hopefully
also motivate others.
The Claw has chosen the next Smart Composting Bin to hit the street!
250
Bins are already out & 150 more will be ready to collect all your food
scraps (meat & dairy, too) VERY SOON!
In early June, I wrote to DSNY Commish Tisch, advocating for enhanced
recycling + composting and the response was swift as the bins were installed
in <2 weeks! My letter cited strong support from
@girlscoutsnyc
Troop 3138, affiliated with P.S. 183, and
@TheTownSchool
students 2/3
Here's more about the DSNY Curbside Smart Compost Bins from this June 16 press release from Ms Menin's office:
Council Member Julie Menin is delighted to announce a successful
collaboration with the Department of Sanitation to bring nearly 20
state-of-the-art “Smart” composting bins to the 5th New York City Council
District. This is in addition to universal curbside composting service,
coming to Manhattan in October 2024.
In early June, Council Member Menin wrote to DSNY Commissioner Jessica
Tisch, advocating for enhanced recycling opportunities in the community as
well as the installation of smart composting bins across her Council
District. This request followed up Council Member Menin’s push to DSNY
during the Sanitation Department’s Preliminary Budget Hearing to ensure the
5th Council District had adequate composting opportunities. The response
from the DSNY was swift and robust as the bins were promptly installed in
less than two weeks.
Menin’s letter cited the strong support of composting within her community
including the advocacy of Girl Scouts Troop 3138, affiliated with P.S. 183,
and the students at Town School. The local troop and Town School students
wrote to the Council Member fervently advocating for more recycling and
composting opportunities within the neighborhood.
The newly installed smart composting bins are diligently emptied on a
regular basis, with the resulting food scraps thoughtfully utilized to
enhance the beauty of green spaces across the city. These bins are among 150
being installed in Manhattan below 96th St, which will bring the total to
400 citywide.
Accessible 24/7, these innovative bins can be conveniently located via the
NYC Compost app, available for both iOS and Android users. To unlock the
smart composting bin, you must be in reach and use the unlock button in the
app. Unlike community composting sites, which may only be open a few hours
each week, the Bins are available 24/7, allowing District 5 residents to use
them any time that works for them.
Designed to accept a wide range of organic materials, including food scraps,
plant waste, and food-soiled paper, the smart composting bins serve as a
sustainable solution for disposing of items such as meat, bones, dairy,
prepared foods, and greasy, uncontaminated paper plates and pizza boxes. The
organic materials can be placed in bags to minimize mess such as plastic,
paper, and compostable bags. However, recyclable materials, animal waste,
trash, paper packaging, and personal hygiene products are not accepted.
Material from Smart Composting Bins goes to either DSNY’s Staten Island Compost Facility or to an anaerobic digester like the ones at Newtown Creek in Brooklyn, becoming either usable compost or renewable energy.
Participatory Budgeting Vote Week will kick off on Saturday, March 25th, and
run until Sunday, April 2nd. This year, residents age 11 and older of Council
District 5 (Yorkville, Lenox Hill, Carnegie Hill, Roosevelt Island, Midtown
East, Sutton Place, and El Barrio in East Harlem) will be able to vote online
at https://vote.pbnyc.org/.
Roosevelt Island residents can vote in person at the Roosevelt Island Library
(504 Main Street).
Ms Menin adds:
In September 2022, my office was allocated one million dollars of capital
funding to continue participatory budgeting for the residents of New York
City Council District 5. Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic
process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a
public budget on capital projects. About 50 project proposals were submitted
and vetted by City agencies to ensure compliance and feasibility. Ballot
items must be a physical infrastructure project that benefits the public,
has an estimated cost of at least $50,000 but not more than $550,000, and
has a lifespan of at least 5 years.
I am pleased to announce a list of 10 items—each ranging in cost
from $100,000 to $500,000—that will be put for a vote between March 25th
through April 2nd. The projects with the most votes up until $1 million has
been accounted for will be funded.
Among the District 5 Participatory Budgeting projects on the ballot to be
voted on is a $300 Thousand upgrading of
local school PS/IS 217 bathrooms.
Roosevelt Island projects not approved for Participatory Budget
funding were:
Winning projects will be announced in May and included in the City’s budget at
adoption in June 2023.
In last year’s cycle, Council Member Julie Menin announced the results of her
first annual participatory budgeting process within New York City Council
District 5, which garnered a total of 1,838 votes and a tie for first place
between the top two projects. Council Member Menin had previously announced
that projects with the most votes up until $1 million has been accounted for
will be funded. As a result of last year's success, Council Member Menin
allocated additional capital funding in order to fully fund the top six voted
projects totaling $1,380,000.
“Since I served on the Board of Citizens Union, I have been a longtime
proponent of Participatory Budgeting and am thrilled with last year's success.
Government must ensure that New Yorkers have civic engagement opportunities
and have a voice in the budgetary process. As we approach voting week, filling
out a ballot is a great way to be involved with the pulse of the community and
determine the best use of city dollars,” said Council Member Julie Menin.
Confirmed voting locations are:
Council Member Julie Menin’s District Office (444 E 75th St, Unit 1B, New
York, NY 10021)
Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center (415 E 93rd St, New York, NY 10128)
Webster Library (1465 York Ave, New York, NY 10075)
Roosevelt Island Library (504 Main St, New York, NY 10044)
67th Street Library (328 E 67th St, New York, NY 10065)
Lenox Hill Neighborhood House (331 E 70th St, New York, NY 10021)
Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright’s District Office (1485 York Ave, New York,
NY 10075)
Asphalt Green - Upper East Side Campus (555 E 90th St, New York, NY 10128)
Check the Council Member’s website Participatory Budgeting 2023 - Julie Menin
(nyc.gov) for scheduling and all voting sites. For more details or to request
a paper ballot, please contact the Office of Council Member Julie Menin at
212-860-1950 or email
District5@council.nyc.gov.
New Yorkers, Participatory Budgeting is back for its twelfth cycle! This is your opportunity to voice your opinion on how city funding will be spent to directly improve your neighborhood. The process is underway. Learn more here: https://t.co/6Ajdlymo25pic.twitter.com/x00TxVnOcS
The joke re: participatory budgeting is that these things are all going to be funded anyway, they just need to give you the illusion of having a voice. (Ask them how much it costs to pay the PB nonprofit to administer the election and you’ll see what a grift it is.) https://t.co/Uvtl0MpQmX
New Yorkers, Participatory Budgeting is back for its twelfth cycle! This is
your opportunity to voice your opinion on how city funding will be spent to
directly improve your neighborhood. The process is underway. Learn more
here: https://t.co/6Ajdlymo25pic.twitter.com/x00TxVnOcS
Following months of agency vetting and deliberation, Budget Delegates have
crafted their ballot that will be in their respective districts during a
nine-day voting period for Participatory Budgeting.
Vote Week will begin on Saturday, March 25th through Sunday, April 2nd. What
is Participatory Budgeting?
Below are the
NYC Council Member Julie Menin's Participatory Budget projects that will be voted on by residents
of the 5th District, which includes Roosevelt Island.
Among the District 5 Participatory Budgeting projects which passed the vetting
and deliberation stage is a $300 Thousand upgrading Of local school PS/IS
217 bathrooms.
I asked Ms Menin's office if the $150 Thousand project for installation of 30
new trees with tree guards throughout District 5 would include placement on
Roosevelt Island. Ms Menin's representative replied:
If the new trees and tree guards are selected during PB, then the forestry unit within the Parks Department will determine where the new trees and tree pits will be planted. Unfortunately, our office does not have control over where the new new trees will go.
A Roosevelt Island Participatory Budgeting voting location will probably be at
the
RI Public Library branch
(504 Main Street). Confirmation of that will come soon. Voting can also be
done online.
Roosevelt Island projects submitting for Participatory Budgeting but not passing
the vetting stage included:
Here's more from the
NYC Council on NYC
Participatory Budgeting:
Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which community
members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. The process
began in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1989. Today, there are more than 3,000
participatory budgeting processes around the world, most at the municipal
level. What is PBNYC?
In 2011, four New York City Council Members – Brad Lander, Melissa
Mark-Viverito, Eric Ulrich, and Jumaane D. Williams – launched a PB process
to allow residents in their district to allocate part of their capital
discretionary funds. Over the years, the process has grown to include a
majority of Council Members, giving communities real decision-making over
more than $30 million in taxpayer money on an annual basis.
Participatory Budgeting in New York City (PBNYC) plays an important role in
giving communities the ability to directly impact the capital budgeting
process. It motivates New Yorkers to engage the civic process and make
decisions by sharing ideas, developing proposals, and voting on community
projects. Since 2011, PBNYC has strengthened our communities and made our
city stronger over the last few years.
This year, 30 Council Members across New York City are asking residents how
to spend at least $30 million in capital funding, specifically for local
improvements to schools, parks, libraries, public housing, streets and other
public spaces. PBNYC funds physical infrastructure projects that benefit the
public, cost at least $50,000 and have a lifespan of at least 5 years...
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
