Budget Cuts in Recreation Community Centers

In 2010, 50 staff members were laid off out of the 100 that worked for the City of Pomona at the Recreation Sites. Budget cuts should not affect the youth and teens of the City of Pomona Community centers. Budget cuts are never a positive thing. There would be no programs to participate in.

            Budget cuts affect staff members more than youth and teens of the Community centers because the staff members lose their jobs from the many layoffs. However, budget cuts negatively affect youth and teens as well. Without the staff, there would not be any assistance with the programs and events that the local youth and teens take part in. From the lack of money and participants, to create new programs, and get the motivation and guidance they need either through job applications, resumes, or even college admission packets to have a successful future to seeking into a 4 year university, then majoring in Business Management. I am actually a member of the La Casita Community center and participate in its Team Building workshops, programs, and fun activities. In fact I have been there for about 5 years. I have seen a change in everything we use to do. We no longer are able to attend field trips to historical sites like Palomares AdobePark or museums such as the Hollywood Wax museum. Also we are no longer able to participate in recreation team building activities such as Money Management or practice leadership skills by teaching an etiquette class to small children. Without these programs youth and teens are more likely to be out in the streets breaking the law and committing crimes. In addition they are more vulnerable to becoming affiliated with gangs.

            Instead of being out in the streets committing crimes teens could be learning how to succeed through programs such as the Teen Value Council, Education Preparation, and Road to Knowledge. From these programs youth and teens received the guidance they needed to succeed in society. Through the games and fun, it gave the youth and teens the opportunity to understand how to reach their dreams more effectively. These programs provided the opportunity for participants to express leadership amongst each other and goodwill towards one another. They brought teens together to help each other with homework and volunteer work. Most importantly during these program sessions students could open up to staff and peers about problems they may have had and just be themselves while not being at home. Without these programs many teens are not getting these opportunities.

            I know the mayor has to implement these terrible budget cuts, but he should have come to the center in order to see what benefits the programs of the City of Pomona offered. Instead he only had a tiny glimpse of minor things we did, such as the City ofPomona Beautification project, Holiday at the Plaza Christmas andPomona fair parade, and City of Pomona Recognition. The mayor needs to understand the pains, struggles and hardships students including myself could face for not having enough assistance, guidance, leadership and other great opportunities provided by the Community center. He should also understand the hardships faced by Community center employees. I remember one instance when Anita, one of the staff members, was laid off. When Anita was laid off, they hired a new employee to put in her position and Anita then went to work at the Palomares Senior center. However, they told the staff member to also work at the senior center, forcing Anita to be laid off again. It is important to realize how much responsibility one Community center employee has. I remember one time Anita told me, “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 the center.” I doubt that one employee can fulfill these responsibilities while also working at the Senior center.

            From 2010 until 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 were 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. Now this year we only went to the beach once or twice, 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.

Tagging, a Problem of All

Tagging is a problem in society but more importantly it has become a common occurrence. The fact of the matter is that tagging has developed throughout the school system and society. “It was just something we did, we weren’t hurting anyone, at least that’s what we thought,” said David Martinez now 25-year old law student but self described former criminal. The crime he was guilty of was vandalism, in particular tagging.

Tagging, or as supporters like to call it graffiti art, is common in the schools, buildings, and street alleys of Pomona. The question is why and what is the point? David said it was just something they did but that “just something” is leading to problems. The streets in Pomona have cracks but the city does not have the money to fix those damages. Instead the city has to be constantly paying to fix tagging on alleys and streets. Small businesses or homes that have been tagged have to take money out of their own pockets to fix tagging as well. The financial problem is not only in the city streets and buildings but also within the school system. The school has to pay to get rid of the tagging when the students are in desperate need of better resources for their education. “The school does not have he money to pay for supplies we need such as paper but I see the painters come to fix the tagging on the walls,” said Maricarmen Rendon, a student in Pomona High.

“Every day I walk home and have to see tagging on the walls and on the side walk. To make matters worst I get home to do my homework and open the book to find I can’t see the page because it says SGT2B or LIF,” said Maricarmen of her city and school. She said these words as if she was ashamed, ashamed that she lived in a city where tagging was tolerated and went to school were kids were advocates of vandalism.

David said “There is not much being done partially because it’s too difficult to know who was responsible and also Pomona PD argues there are much worse crimes that need looking into other than vandalism.” But is it not important when tagging is leading to gang fights? How about when teens are being introduced into a life of crime? Yes, it is true that in some cases that may not always be true but, tagging still occurs. Tagging is not always gang related but it is still a crime and it promotes gang violence. When these forms of endorsements appear in unnecessary places like school books, a barrier is created. A barrier in the sense that students are blocked and deprived from learning because of the distraction the tagging creates for both advocates of the vandalism or the observers.

When I asked David what kept him from tagging beyond his teenage years he said “Actually, I got caught and had to go to court.” As emphasized before when addressing gang affiliation with tagging, the same outcomes can not always be expect but, when we as a community have it in our power to prevent some crime even if it seems as insignificant as tagging, should we not take the opportunity? David said “When I was caught around that time of my teenage year’s vandalism, was seen as a more serious issue because of the gang affiliation so they put me into classes to learn of the negative effects, that is partially why it has reduced so much but that does not mean it is not a problem anymore.” When given attention, tagging has shown it can decrease as it did about 25% in Pomona but despite the decrease it is still frequently seen. As insignificant as it may seem to some by the inference of law enforcement and the creation of programs that keep teens from having a reason to tag there can be reduction in vandalism. The first step is to accept that tagging is a problem and only then can we unite a community, fix streets, and give students the concentration and resources they need. Tagging although a problem that has been reduced it still exists in Pomona schools, buildings, and streets and it is important to know of its presence inPomona in order to stop it.

By: Abigail Cueva