The Votes Are In: Here's How The Upper East Side Is Spending $1.85M

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — More than 6,200 Upper East Siders and Roosevelt Islanders voted on how to allocate $1.85 million in city funding, and the results are in, Councilmember Julie Menin said.

The funding was all allocated to public schools, libraries and first responders in the area.

M.S. 177 and P.S. 158 will receive $500,000 for bathroom upgrades, and M.S. 167 will recieve $500,000 to demolish old lockers and install new flooring to increase space for student activities.

Five libraries in Menin's district, which includes Roosevelt Island, Upper East Side and Midtown East, will also receive $250,000 for new technology upgrades.

Technology renovations will include system-wide upgrades to the networks, computers, tablets and printers for Webster, Yorkville, 67th Street, 96th Street and Roosevelt Island libraries.

The NYPD's 19th Precinct, which serves the Upper East Side, will receive $300,000 for HVAC upgrades, and the Roosevelt Island FDNY will also receive $300,000 for a specialized, remotely operated forklift that can remove burning vehicles to mitigate fires in parking garages and complex scenes, including structural collapses.

For the uninitiated, Participatory Budgeting is an annual democratic process for New Yorkers to vote on how to allocate funding in their districts, with a focus on capital projects that would improve schools, parks, libraries and other public spaces.

"Participatory Budgeting gives New Yorkers the opportunity to directly participate in shaping and deciding which projects in their district get funded," Menin said. "This process is about civic engagement and empowers community members of all ages to get involved in the long-term success of their local communities."

This round of voting was the Upper East Side's fifth cycle, Menin said.

The winning projects will be included in the City’s budget in June 2026 for the 2027 fiscal year.

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