Bethpage-Tribune_1992-05-08

              4 COPIES
^7 Powe Ave
^<^' 11714
t!^
awhARY YOUR OFFICIAL HOMETOWN NEWSPAI^ER
Serving Bethpage, Island Trees, Plainedge, Seaford, Old Bethpage and PI
VOL. 25 NO. 26 May 8-14, 1992 25 CENTS
Water Conference Slams
Takeover Endorsement
-- In a rebuke to the public
officials calling for a takeover of
the Jamaica Water Supply Com­pany,
the Long Island Water Con­ference
(LIWC) today warned that
such a move would raise tax rates
throughout Nassau County, and
significantly in the area now
served by the company. Particu­larly
hard hit will be school districts
in the area.
The Conference, which is Long
Island's association of public,
water supply professionals, issued
its remarks after state Consumer
Protection Board Executive Direc­tor
Richard Kessei and North
Hempstead Town Supervisor Ben­jamin
Zwirn held a press confer­ence
to advocate a buyout of
Jamaica Water Supply. The com­pany
serves 118,000 people in
Nassau County.
"It is absolutely astonishing that
government officials charged with
the public trust would make such
a proposal without first studying
the fiscal facts," said former Water
Conference Chairman William
Ellingerof Bethpage. "Even a brief
review of the financial ramifica­tions
shows that a takeover would
not result in savings they seek and
would actually cause a major
increase in cost to property
owners."
Quoting figures provided by
Jamaica Water Supply Company,
Ellinger said that Jamaica paid a
total of $5.29 million last year in
taxes in Nassau County on gross
receipts of approximately $15
million.
"A third of every dollar collected
by Jamaica in Nassau went to
taxes," he said. "Where do Kessei
and Zwirn think that money will
come from if the company is
eliminated?
Bringing the hard realities down
to the local level, the Bethpage
water commissioner cited the
effect that a takeover would have
on the Elmont School District,
where last year, Jamaica Water
paid more than $1.6 million in
taxes. The company is one of the
top providers of taxes in the
district, Ellinger said. In 1991,
Jamaica paid more than $2.6
million to school districts in
Hempstead Town, including New
Hyde Park, Floral Park-Bellerose,
Franklin Square, Garden City,
Malverne and Valley Stream.
Ellinger added that in 1991 the
water company paid more than
$1.8 million in real estate taxes to
the Town of North Hempstead and
more than $268,000 to the Town
of North Hempstead.
Taxes aside, a buyout of
Jamaica Water would require
floating bonds and millions of
dollars of interest expense, he
said, questioning the wisdom of
such an outlay in financially-troubled
times.
Ellinger also had harsh words
for Kessel's proposal that all
public water purveyors in Nassau
County — water districts and
village water departments in addi­tion
to the private water compan­ies
~ be taken over by one
country-wide water authority.
To assume the current
indebtedness of public suppliers
would cost taxpayers $52 million,
based on LIWC estimates, Ellinger
said. Under one authority, he said,
the water rates of those who are
now supplied by districts, and
village water departments — that
is, half of the county's population
~ would be increased by up to 50
percent.
"For nearly a century, Nassau's
local water purveyors have pro­vided
excellent water at reasona­ble
costs," Ellinger said. "Not
satisfied with this situation, Kessei
wants to replace the local supp­liers
with a fat, inefficient bureau­cracy
that would send rates sky-high.
He calls this progress."
"What our residents deserve is
sound policies from our officials,
not misrepresentation and half-truths,"
he concluded.
The Long Island Water Confer­ence,
established in 1951, consists
of water supply professionals
dedicated to providing and main­taining
an adequate and safe water
supply system. Conference
members include major water
suppliers, both public and private,
on Long Island; consulting engi­neers;
attorneys; manufacturers
and contractors associated with
water supply; as well as officials
of various governmental regula­tory
agencies,
Pictured here, Race Director IMindy Lerner (C) shares a fight moment
with Dennis Brady (L) and Gary Bretton (R).
Bethpage Business Leaders
Support L.I. Ultramarathon
Among the key factors that have
caused many major Long Island
running events to gravitate to
Bethpage has been the enthusias­tic
support of local business lead­ers
~ and this year's Long Island
12 and 24 Hour Ultramarathon
Challenge Run is proof positive.
Top sponsors of this year's Ultra
include Gary Bretton of Bretton's
Deli and Dennis Brady of Jacques
Caterers. The two Broadway busi­nesses
provide some of the essen­tial
support for the event, which
will bring most of the elite endu­rance
runners from the Northeast
to Bethpage on May 8 and 9.
"We are thrilled by the great
boost we get from Gary and Den­nis,"
said Ultramarathon Director
Mindy Lerner of the host
Plainview-Oid Bethpage Road
Runners Club. "It's another exam­ple
of what a fine caring business
community Is to be found in
Bethpage."
Twenty-five tough men and
women will be competing in the
24 Hour Run and forty more will
be going for top honors in the 12
Hour Run. The event will be con­ducted
at the new VA mile all
weather track at Bethpage High
School.The 24 Hour Run will start
at 6:00 PM on Friday evening. May
a and the 12 Hour Run at 6:00 AM
on Saturday, with both races
finishing at 6:00 PM Saturday.
The Tribune Puts Out the Fire
The Bethpage Little League
kicked off its season on Monday,
April 27th, with the major league
division made up of 11 and 12 year
old boys playing their opener at
John Masino Park.-Michael Costa
and David Navarro, pitching for
the Bethpage Tribune, threw heat
at their opponents, sponsored by
the Bethpage Fire Department,
combining for a no-hitter. David
Navarro also hit the first homerun
of the season deep over the cen-terfield
fence.
Others who contributed to the
win were Sean Donchue who went
3 for 3, Sean Hartofolis, Matthew
Marteilo, Michael Meahan, Jason
Jansky, Zeses Patras, Chris
Romano, Kevin Scharen, Peter
Zito and Scott Goodside.
For the Bethpage Fire Dept.,
Brian Corey and George Rusinak
pitched a fine game. Also playing
well for the Fire Dept, were Jason
Au, Billy Conner, Mike Fieger, Joe
Granieri. Dan Grunewald, Jim
Leahy, Henry Suhr. Anthony Tro-biano,
Andrew Vaia and Doug
WaJner.