Editorial
With the possible take- over of Republic airfield
by the State, school district 22 stands to suffer
another tax jolt.
Last fall, the district 22 Board of Education
received the sad news that the assessed valuation
of the Republic Division of P'airchild Hiller
and the Farmingdale Co. which owns some of the
buildings on the site, had been lowered by $ 1,-
152,000.
Since the school budget, with its anticipated
revenues, had been established without this knowledge,
the news resulted in 18 cent increase
in taxes higher than had been estimated. School
officials were incensed and rightfully so.
The school board has since appointed two committees
to look into assessments. One is composed
of lay people and the other of lawyers
to suggest possible remedial legislation for the
future.
Now what is needed is some legislation to r e imburse
the school district for tax loss if Governor
Rockefeller's proposal for take over by
the State becomes a complete reality.
There is no question that general aviation
facilities are needed because of the paralyzing
affect they create at Kennedy and LaGuardia.
But what is even more important is the Governor's
plan for a total transportation hub for the
Long Island Railroad, buses as well as aricraft.
The plan for integrating rail, road and air traffic
is imaginative. All that needs to be done is to
somehow safe guard the school district.
Some West Farmingdale residents are becoming
alarmed about the proposed grade crossing elimination
by way of elevation in Bethpage. They
feel that this would have a detrimental affect
on their property values because of the prox-irni|
sft* i" i the elimination. As one complainant
—^^ uodojd TO « We would have something like the old
Thiic-*.* enue El in Manhattan".
Meanwhile a group of Bethpage residents and
businessmen are fighting the railroad elevation
and have called a meeting for Friday, January
26 at 8 p. m. at the Bethpage High School. The
group is proposing a " depressed" grade elimination.
Since Congressman Lester Wolff, Senator
Edward Speno, Assemblyman Martin Ginsberg,
and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Michael
N. Petito are expected at the meeting, it would
be well for the disturbed West Farmingdale residents
to attend that meeting.
Since Farmingdale could very well be the transportation
center for Long Island the fast 100
mile per hour trains leaving Farmingdale for
the city, we asked a MCTA official which one
of the two Farmingdale railroad facilities would
lead to the transportation center. " This has not
as yet been ironed out", the official told us.
It takes courage to come out for the unpopular
proposed bridge between Bayville on the
North Shore and Rye, as did Town of Oyster Bay
Councilman Frank J. Hynes.
Hynes points out that the $ 130 million Wan-tagh
Oyster Bay Expressway leads to no where.
It was constructed with a bridge in mind. The bottleneck
of bypassing New York City to go to New
England would be eliminated. The bridge with such
a direct route would attract needed industry to the
Town of Oyster Bay, which would not only offer
jobs and be of benefit to the economy generally,
but would increase the assessed valuation which
would lower taxes for homeowners.
It seems that this move to have the wetlands
in the Bayville Oyster Bay area taken over by
the Federal government was only * a ruse' to make
it impossible for the State to construct such a
bridge. Hynes is the only voice that is being
heard loud and clear. Organized groups are vociferous
in their protests. Politically, Hynes may
be hurting himself, but give him an A for courage.
That he has. Plenty of it.
ARMED
FORCES
Airman George B. MacManus,
son of Robert MacManus of 21
Walnut Ave., Farmingdale, has
completed basic training at
Amarillo Air Force Base
Texas. He has been assigned to
the Air Force Technical Training
Center at Sheppard Air Force
Base Texas for specialized
schooling as a metals repair
specialist.
Airman MacManus is a 1967
graduate of Farmingdale Senior
High School.
William Costanzo, 19, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond J. Costanzo,
700 Fulton, Farmingdale,
was promoted to Army private
pay grade E- 2 upon completion
of basic combat training at Fort
Benning, Georgia.
Governor Moves
( Continued from Page I)
The proposed transportation
center will accommodate all types
of non- airline aircraft including
helicopters and short take- off
and landing aircraft. Runways
would be improved and all- weather
navigation equipment installed
When the Long Island Rail
Road modernization program is
completed, high speed rail transportation
would emanate from
Republic to New York City.
The Governor stated " This
development will offer tremendous
transportation benefits to
the residents and industry on
Long Island and at the same time
aid economic expansion". Today
the availability of general aviation
facilities is considered e s sential
to many corporations and
a major attraction to industry.'*
The Governor also pointed out
that the project is important in
this location because it would
accommodate a large volumne of
general aviation activity and
would ease the pressure on major
aviation fields at Kennedy and
I- aGuardia.
I'an American, which is now
subleasing the field for general
aviation purposes told The Observer
that a hearing is being
held for ftm Am to operate the
Republic and Teterboro as a
general aviation facility. " We
dont intend to own the fields,
but simply to be the operators
of them.", a I^ n Am official
stated. " We feel we have the
necessary experience to operate
the facility". He also said,
' V the State takes over the
field, we hope that they will
see fit for ftin Am to operate
it for them".
On August 31, 1967 school district
22 Board of Education learned
that the Republic assessment
had been reduced by $ 1,152,000,
which affected the district 22
tax rate adversely. The tax
rate had to be set 18 cents
higher than estimated in June.
Since that time the Board of
Education had established to.
committees on assessments. One
group is composed of taxpayers
who are looking into assessments
on a district- wide basis, and another
group, comprised of lawyers,
is looking into possible legislation
so that the school district
could be apprised of any future
assessment lowering prospects.
The September 21, 1967 issue
of the OBSERVER told of the
possibility of the State taking
control of Republic and Zahn's
airports.
Burglars Make
Clean Sweep
Burglars broke into Cored
Panels Inc., in the Liberty Industrial
l'ark on Motor Avenue
last weekend and got away with
$ 1,920 worth of typewriters, a
calculator, an adding machine,
and other office equipment.
A forced entry was made
through a side door.
Eighth Precinct police are investigating.
Washington Watch
FOURTH DISTRICT
By Rep. John W. Wydler
This past year alone urban
rioting has caused more than
$ 100,000,000 in property damage.
Cities, counties and states have
spent millions in overtime for
police and fire departments and
calling up of National Guard
units. More than 16,000 perons
have been arrested during outbreaks
of violence in 67 cities,
more than 3,200 injured and 85
killed.
The current Uniform Crime
Reports reveal that serious
crime in the United States increased
11 percent in 1966 when
compared with 1965. All Crime
Index offenses showed substantial
increases in volume. Crimes of
violence were up 11 percent with
a 9 percent increase in murder,
10 percent in aggravated assault,
10 percent in forcible rape, and
14 percent in robbery.
These statistics starkly
dramatize the crisis in law enforcement
in this country. The
very ability of government to
maintain law and order and to
provide personal safety has been
challenged as never before. Local
law enforcement, criminal
justice, techniques of correction
and rehabilitation must be updated
and improved.
In response to this challenge,
Republican- sponsored legislation
that would impose criminal
penalties upon persons traveling
in or using the facilities of
interstate commerce with the
intent to incite a riot was enacted
by the House of Representatives.
This legislation
represents the legitimate exercise
of federal power under authority
based on the Commerce
Clause of the Constitution. Historically,
certain types of conduct
have been prohibited by federal
statue when the facilities of interstate
commerce are used. The
Republican- sponsored anti- riot
legislation follows this pattern
of asserting Federal authority.
The provisions of the bill supplement,
not supersede, local law
enforcement. By assuring federal
jurisdiction over out- of-state
inciters, state and local
authorities are assisted in keeping
the peace and protecting the
public safety.
Republicans also supported the
Law Enforcement and Criminal
Justice Assistance Act of 1967.
This legislation establishes a
federal program to provide assistance
to local law enforcement
agencies. Key Republican
amendments offered and adopted
on the Floor of the House materially
strengthened this bill.
These amendments, which were
supported by the National Governor's
Conference, curb the
unlimited power of the Attorney
General and provide essential
state coordination and control.
Each state is authorized to develop
a state- wide comprehensive
law enforcement plan and
establish a state agency to administer
the plan. Once this
plan is accepted, all federal assistance
goes to the state a-gency
which in turn distributes
the aid to local law enforcement
agencies.
Actions speak louder than
words in the War on Crime.
Youngster Crushed To
Death By School Bus
A seven year old boy, Andrew
Carnesi, of 4 Spencer Street,
Farmingdale, was crushed to
death on Friday when he either
slipped under a school bus or
tried to retrieve one of his school
papers His mother, Mrs. Anthony
V. Carnesi had come to the
bus stop to meetthe second grade
student of Northslde School
The bus driver had stopped the
vehicle on Spencer Street near
Sinclair to discharge seven students
He watched two of them
cross the street, waited and then
started the bus forward. He heard
a thump He stopped the bus and
found the little boy crushed under
the right rear wheel s The youngster
was pronounced dead at the
scene. No charges were filed.
Funeral services were held on
Tuesday at St. Kilian Roman
Catholic Church.
He is survived by his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Carnesi, a
brother Anthony and by hi s grand -
parents.
Datebook
FRIDAY, JANUARY 12
7: 30 p. m. Nassau Council Camp
Fire Girls - elections of officers
and Smorgasbord supper
at Community Presbyterian
Church.
MONDAY, JANUARY 15
7: 00- 9: 00 p. m. Registration for
School District 22 Adult Education.
Also on Tuesday and
Wednesday.
8: 30 p. m. Installation of off icers-
Farmingdale Republican Club
at St. Thomas. Undercroft,
Town GOP leader Michael
D' Auria, installing officer.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 16
8; 30 p. m. Debate on Vietnam
at Village Hall, Massapequa.
Sponsored by Democrats of
9 A. D.
THURSDAY, J ANUARY 18
8: 00 p. m. Cootie Game at V. F. W.
Hall, 635 Main St. Sponsored
by VFW Auxiliary.
8; 30 p. m. Farmingdale Democratic
Club meeting at 640
Fulton Street.
Published every Thursday by
THE OBSERVER. INC.
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Prank J. Klesh - Caroline B. Klesh
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Vol. 5 No. 21
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Page 4 Farmingdale OBSERVER, Thursday, January 11, 1968
