Budget Cuts in Community Centers

Do you believe the Budget Cuts are affecting the youth and

 teens of the City of Pomona Community centers?

            In 2010, 50 staff members were laid off out of the 100 that worked for the City of Pomona at the Community centers. Budget cuts are never a positive thing. Budget cuts should not affect the youth and teens of the City of Pomona Community centers, but they do, and they also negatively affect staff.

            Budget cuts affect staff members more than the youth and teens because staff members lose their jobs from the many layoffs. Without the staff then there would not be any assistance with programs and events the youth and teens take part in for the City of Pomona. From the lack of money and participants to create new programs, students do not get the motivation and guidance they need either through job applications, resumes, or even college admission packets to have a successful future for their interest into a 4 year university. I am actually a member of the La Casita Community center and participate in its Team Building workshops, programs, and fun activities and in fact I have been there for about five years. I have seen a change in everything we used to do. We are no longer able to attend field trips to historical sites like Palomares Adobe Park, museums such as the Hollywood Wax museum. We are also not able to participate in recreation team building activities such as Money Management or practice leadership skills by teaching etiquette classes to little children. Now youth and teens are more likely to be out in the streets and affiliated with gangs.

            The Community center offered programs such as the Teen Value Council, Education Preparation, and Road to knowledge so youth and teens could get the guidance needed to succeed in society. Through the games and fun, it gave the youth and teens the opportunity to understand things better so that they could be able to reach their dreams more effectively. These programs taught leadership amongst each other and brought one another together to help each other with homework and volunteer work. During these programs students had the opportunity to talk about problems they may have had or one another’s life situations, and just be themselves for the few hours being there while not at home. The youth and teens are not getting the guidance that these programs offer.

            I know the mayor has to do these terrible budget cuts but he should have come to the center and see what other types of things we do not just the minor things he saw such as the City of Pomona Beautification project, Holiday at the Plaza Christmas and  Pomona fair parade, and City of Pomona Recognition. The mayor needs to understand the pains, struggles and hardships we face from not being able to get enough assistance, guidance, leadership development, and other great opportunities these programs offer. He also needs to see the stress on the staff members. I remember one instance when Anita one of the staff members, was laid off. The thing I found was wrong was when Anita was laid off, they hired a new staff to put in her position and Anita then went to work at the Palomares Senior center and they also told the staff member to work at the senior center as well and they laid Anita off again. One staff member cannot fulfill the responsibilities of working at the Community center and the senior center. I remember Anita told me over and over, “When I am gone I am going to leave the center up to you because I was the one everyone trusted and depended on, and to keep everyone in control and to keep encouraging them to come back and to continue to recruit new members to come to the center.”

            From 2010 to now many things have changed at the Community Center. Many staff members are being switched back and forth from position to position. Many of the programs are being cut because of the lack of money. The programs where we were allowed to go to the beach and help the little children with after school tutoring at Yorba and San Jose Elementary Schools were cut. Unlike last year, we were able to go to the beach, Angels and Dodger’ games, Brunswick bowling, rock climbing, have spring and summer dances, and even put on a Romeo & Juliet play for the little children. Now this year we only went to the beach once, to the bank, and other places. Sooner or later the center may be closed down because the economy is in a downfall, and I just hate for it to be like this.

By: Tremale Ratcliffe