Given a Choice: Where City Residents Voted to Spend $100K

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Eight-hundred and sixty-four city residents voted on funding nine projects during Saratoga Springs’ Participatory Budgeting process, which took place earlier this month. 

The pilot program, introduced by Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi, made available $100,000 in funding and invited residents to cast votes Dec. 3- Dec. 11 on a variety of projects they would most like to see addressed. 

The nine projects placed on the ballot this inaugural year of the program were selected by the Participatory Budgeting Committee from a larger pool of 20 proposals submitted by individuals and organizations. Current committee members are: Mary Estelle Ryckman, Chair; Norah Brennan, Vice-Chair; and members Jeff Altamari, Devin Dal Pos, Douglas Gerhardt, Tim Holmes and Danielle Lepper. 

The majority of votes came from the 65 to 74-year-old age group, and “Urban Forestry Project” scored as the highest vote-getter overall.   

The 846 votes – 843 were made via online, and 3 via paper ballot – represent about 3.5% of city residents over 18 years of age. Typically, localities can expect 1-2% response rate in the first year of Participatory Budgeting, Sanghvi said. 

The Saratoga Springs City Council approved the spending plan for all nine of the projects at its meeting Dec. 20. The program is anticipated to be renewed in 2023.