Participatory Budgeting Results!
The 15th Ward's Participatory Budgeting 2016 effort was a rousing success in every way! The ballots have been counted and tallied.
LED Street Lighting earned by far the most votes out of the nine capital improvement projects to choose from. It was also the top vote-getter last year. More bright lighting will improve safety for residents, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists after dark. The project cost is $40,000.
Tree Planting came in second, at a cost of $20,000. The impact of the Emerald Ash Borer is beginning to be seen; the city intends to remove about 40,000 ash trees to prevent the spread of the disease. We love our tree-lined streets; quick action will help to preserve our neighborhood character, and provide beauty, shade and habitat.
Sidewalk Repairs received the third-most votes. With additional $25,000, we will be able clear a backlog of requests. I look forward to giving many applicants the good news!
There were enough funds remaining to cover the fourth most popular choice, a
Dog Park in McDonald Park. Contingent upon the establishment of a dog park committee and receipt of insurance, the dog park will be located along Utah, and the swing set will be relocated closer to the playground.
An impressive total of 1478 residents cast ballots--a 250 percent increase from our first effort 18 months ago, and even higher than the national Participatory Budgeting average! The percentage of votes cast for each project were about the same at each of the three polling locations. Visit our Facebook page for more details.
Thanks for making your priorities known, and thank you to all the volunteers who staffed the booths throughout the day.
Helping Victims of Domestic Violence
I am pleased to report that the Board of Aldermen recently passed an ordinance amendment that will remove one big worry for victims of domestic violence in the City of St. Louis. When I was elected, I decided this small but significant change in language would be a priority of mine.
The wording revision helps prevent landlords from evicting a renter solely because they are a victim of domestic violence and report it to the police. Previously, a domestic violence police report could mean that the victim would be forced to move out, even though it has never been the City's policy to place a property on the Nuisance Property list solely for a domestic violence call.
For much more about this rule change and why I pushed for it so strongly, please
check out my blog.
"So What's Next" Forum Report
Thank you everyone who attended, and to the 15th Ward Democrats for organizing this informative event.
Please consider becoming a member of the
15th Ward Democrats; you may
pay dues at
15thWard.org
to help us continue to put on more events like this.
