Re: NY birth certificate

rleutner (rleutner@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu)
Sun, 1 Jun 1997 21:08:09 -0500 (CDT)

If you're going to need a good working relationship with a
source of records, it's another story, but I can see there
would be a certain degree of satisfaction in pulling out the
stops and trying letters to the political side of things when
you're faced with a glacial bureaucracy. It's hard to think
of what else to do--at some point there has to be
accountability. I have been enough part of a state bureaucracy
to know just how easy it is for people to get into a mindset
that says, "well, if they want THAT kind of service, hell, we
really need another X number of clericals," blah blah, which
usually is absolutely true in one universe of discourse and
utter nonsense in another. If a new boss comes in and says,
"We will respond somehow to every query within 10 working
days, and I'll be watching," something will happen, and if
it's done right, the responses will actually be helpful,
because nobody really wants to do the same thing twice.

If a state agency has cashed your check and sat on your
request for 6 mos., it's surely time to appeal to higher
authority, naming names and all. That's just inexcusable.
At some point you stop being nice.

Bob Leutner
Iowa City IA

On Sun, 1 Jun 1997, Dan & Allison Brennan wrote:

> RFoster694@aol.com wrote:
> >
> > Bonnie I also sent to Albany for birth records..they cashed the check 6
> > months ago and still no info. You actually did this 3 times??? Do you have
> > a phone #? Can they be called??? How can they get away with this kind of
> > robbery?? Sandy
> >
>
>
> I have heard that they can take up to a year! But I sent in my request
> anyway. Well let me tell you they got a response back to me so fast it
> made my head spin. Of course the response was to say that there was no
> way they could provide the information because I wasn't a direct
> descendant.
>
> Seems like when they have to get their posterior of that swivel chair to
> actually do some research, it takes many months - but when its time to
> say drop dead we won't help you, they hop right to it.
>
> I would recommend that NY residents persisitently call (or better yet
> write) their state representatives and governor to complain about this
> treatment.
>
> BTW its not much better in California. The big fat person at the front
> desk shuffles back and forth behind the bullet-proof glass avoiding eye
> contact until they are good and ready, and then when you ask a question
> they just point to a sign. When you try to clarify the details they
> point to the sign again.
>
> This is why I suggest contacting the counties whenever possible (Though
> its not always possible) In most cases they treat you much better and
> offer helpful advice.
>
> There. I got that off my chest.
>
> Dan Brennan
> Sacramento.
>
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