Complaint Review: NYC Parks and Recreation

When Michael Bloomberg first became mayor in 2001, during his first term he became resposnsible for starting the Computer Resource Centers, part of NYC Parks and Recreation. This was something that gave anyone without a computer a chance not only to have access to a computer, but to become computer literate, and have access to websites, the internet through open access. Those under 16 didn't and still don't have to pay for their membership they get it for free.

When Bill DeBlasio became Mayor that all changed. When the Resource Centers administration changed, the policy changed. The fees went up doubling and even tripling. The only thing that didn't change was membership for those under 16 it was still free.

The administration wanted to eliminate open acess, but there were complaints, so seemingly they backed off. The Sunset Park center in Brooklyn, Where Bea Toscano worked, would fill in the administrators, one in particular director Ana Maria Campos. of just what was going on.

Soon there was no more audio for YouTube videos. Online shopping was restricted and blocked. The internet never worked. Even though Bea Toscano kept telling us they were working on it, that never happened. Instead the restrictions only became more severe.

Bea Toscano would only show up to teach classes. Those under 16 received all the perks and benifits, including special classes that no one else got, as well as tutoring. While all we were doing was subsidizing them.

The administration was never available by phone director Ana Maria Campos, Bea Toscano, and the rest of them took something that was meant for everyone and slashed it to nothing. Their motive, wanting to rid the centers of people taking up space and wasting resources.

They would evenlock up the rooms, preventing access. you weren't allowed into the rooms unless one of the staff or Bea Toscano was there. If she found you there she made sure it never happened again.

We were spending our money. Tax payers were funding the services that weren't being provided. We couldn't even access sites such as RiteAid, because it sells ''drugs" Even our Emails which were private and should have been off limits to them weren't. Sited within our Emails were blocked, and off limits.

We were being forced out. If you pay $100-$150 in some cases for a membership, and it's subsidized by tax payer funding, if you don't receive anything and they knowingly except money without providing those services, then you're being ripped off.

You have a right to expect to expect something, not to be ignored and cheated. For some this is not a luxury, but a vital necessity, a lifeline. The administration simply didn't care.

If you're employed to perform a service/job, and this is what the administrators from NYC Parks and Recreation Computer Resource Centers are, employees who work for the City of NY, and are paid a salary. If they fail to perform this service and do their job, whether deliberately or by incompetence, which is what they've failed to do, then they're ripping off the system, and the citizens of NYC.

What they did was arbitrary and without merit.