POLITICAL ARENA

Pols have friends?

“Accessibility” is one of those words you hear a lot from legislators. Everybody wants to be accessible to his or her constituents. They want to be known. Accessibility can mean the ability to call a legislator’s office and grieve a complaint or the ability to drop into the office for a face-to-face.

But in Internet age, the word accessibility conjures thoughts of Facebook and websites. What better way to reach your constituents than keeping them up to date with all that’s going on in your world, right?

Here’s a look into what a recent scouring of Facebook pages and web sites taught us about those who represent us. Twitter was left out because a.) not all of these electeds have Twitter accounts and b.) those that do have Twitter accounts use it for press releases instead of interesting things like what they are eating for dinner or who they picked in the Super Bowl. Below, find specifics on some elected officials in our area.

... Ruben Diaz Jr.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will not be your friend. It appears he has too many, so when it comes to Facebook, Diaz only has new fans. People can “like” him on his fan page, as did 2,510 users as of Tuesday afternoon.

Mr. Diaz’s has made 21 posts on his “wall” since Jan. 1, mostly about things that upset him, including Glenn Beck dissing Co-op City, American Idol’s portrayal of the Bronx, the MTA and the mayor for the snow removal escapade.

His website is minimalist, but with a lot of information. The homepage opens to a blog-like listing of all things Diaz and is updated constantly with press releases and statements from the BP.

The website is by far the easiest to use of all the borough president websites and only Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has a site with as much up-to-date information. The site features a calendar of events and important updates on everything from kindergarten enrollment to applications for the community board.