Public Education

Effective public education, in elementary, middle and high school, is essential to preparing our children for success. The schools of the 39th Council District have some of the city's best teachers, principals and parent leaders, and we need to do everything we can to make sure they are supported in the crucial work that they do.

David Petraeus, a man used to hostile welcomes, gets another one from NYC

am New York
07/09/2013

To sign the petition calling on CUNY to rescind the $150,000 offer to David Petraeus, click here.

A firestorm of protest has erupted at disgraced ex-CIA head David Petraeus’ $150,000 paycheck to teach a three-hour class once a week for two semesters with help of graduate students. Tuesday, The union representing CUNY faculty and staff Tuesday sent out a statement in protest of Petraeus’ salary, which was first reported by Gawker. Read more »

  • Facebook logo
  • Twitter logo

Our City's budget, and our values

Posted on July 1, 2013

Last week was a busy one at City Hall. We passed two important police reform bills (more on those here), overrode the mayor’s veto of legislation that will guarantee paid sick days for a million more New York workers, and we passed the City’s FY2014 budget, for the fiscal year that begins today (for good measure, we also passed a bill to “save brunch,” which had apparently become threatened due to an outdated law).

In budget negotiations, we were able restore the essential public services proposed for cuts by Mayor Bloomberg. Libraries will keep their full hours. Low-income families will keep their childcare. Our neighborhood firehouses, parks, and pools will remain open. You can access all the details of the City’s FY2014 budget here, and on those areas where the Council focused on restorations and additions here. Read more »

The power of our students’ imagination

Posted on June 30, 2013

With the end of each school year, I am moved by what extraordinary places our public schools are.  To me, there is no better celebration of democracy than a fifth grade graduation: rooted in the idea that every single student has the potential to achieve their goals and has the right to get a real opportunity to try, that equality and diversity matter, and that we get there by organizing ourselves together, in shared, common, public schools. Read more »

DOE to replace PS 146 lights to prevent PCB exposure

Posted on April 15, 2013

Thanks to the activism of parents, New York Communities for Change, and elected officials, DOE has agreed to replace the light fixtures at the Brooklyn New School (PS 146) and MS 448. 

After leaks were discovered in the school's light fixtures last year, parents rallied to have the fixtures replaced. Light fixtures installed decades ago can leak toxic PCBs, a health risk for students. Read more »

  • Facebook logo
  • Twitter logo

And the winning projects are...

Posted on April 8, 2013

What a weekend!

Yesterday, we wrapped up our second Participatory Budgeting vote - the culmination of a process that empowers New Yorkers to decide how tax dollars are spent on projects in their neighborhoods. Read more »

  • Facebook logo
  • Twitter logo

Unveiling the PB ballot

Posted on March 29, 2013

Which projects will get your vote? The 2013 Participatory Budgeting ballot is here, with great projects that will invest in building a better neighborhood for us to share.

And next week, we will be kicking off the Participatory Budgeting Vote, with early voting Tuesday through Thursday and voting locations in your neighborhood on Saturday and Sunday (April 6th and 7th). The projects that get the most votes will be funded in this year’s City budget. Read more »

New Computers and Pedestrian Safety on Carroll Gardens Budget List

DNA Info
03/21/2013

COBBLE HILL AND CARROLL GARDENS — Renovated school bathrooms and new computers at Carroll Gardens Library  are some of the projects that could become a reality through City Councilman Brad Lander’s participatory budget program.

The program allows the community decide how to spend $1 million of Lander’s discretionary budget for public improvements.

Last fall, the several local committees brainstormed over ideas and narrowed them down based on use, feasibility and expense, since each project has a $500,000 limit. Read more »

  • Facebook logo
  • Twitter logo

Park Slope Pitches Composting and School Upgrades for Budget Wish List

DNAinfo
03/22/2013

PARK SLOPE — Film buffs, nature lovers, and tree huggers could all have a reason to cheer about this year's round of City Councilman Brad Lander's participatory budgeting program.

Projects that could benefit all three groups were on display Thursday night at Lander's participatory budgeting expo, where locals made pitches about how they'd like to spend $1 million in taxpayer money on neighborhood improvements. Read more »

  • Facebook logo
  • Twitter logo

Park Slope School Celebrates Shiny New Bathrooms with Ribbon Cutting

DNAinfo
01/24/2013

PARK SLOPE — Kids at P.S. 124 are flush with excitement.

After years of dealing with grungy bathrooms, the school cut the ribbon Thursday on a set of shiny new commodes for its kindergartners.

The bathrooms got their long overdue makeover as part of City Councilman Brad Lander's participatory budgeting program, where local residents get to choose how government dollars are spent in their neighborhood. Read more »

  • Facebook logo
  • Twitter logo

Class at PS 230, Who Tried Out PB

Kensington BK
12/21/2012

When you start thinking about making your community better while you’re in the 5th grade, you’re a terrific person in our book. Which is why we salute Class 5-215 at PS 230, who were so inspired by Councilman Brad Lander’s participatory budgeting project that they tried it out in their own classroom. The students: Read more »

  • Facebook logo
  • Twitter logo