Serving New Hyde Park, North New Hyde Park, Herricks, Garden City Park, Manhasset Hills, North Hills, Floral Park
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Friday, May 4, 2018
Vol. 67, No. 18
N E W H Y D E PA R K
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GUIDE TO MOTHER’S DAY
GILLEN POSTS LEGAL FEES
CUOMO TOUTS KAPLAN SENATE BID
PAGES 33-40
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F.P. top cop linked to city corruption case
A TREE GROWS IN HEMPSTEAD
Named an unindicted co-conspirator; did ‘nothing wrong,’ lawyer says BY R E B ECC A K L A R Floral Park Police Commissioner Stephen McAllister is among former New York Police Department officers named as unindicted co-conspirators in a corruption case heading to court this month, according to documents filed by federal prosecutors on Saturday. McAllister, one of 10 unindicted co-conspirators named, is accused of allegedly interfering in three arrests of unnamed associates of Jeremy Reichberg, a donor to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, in 2014 and 2015. The village said it would look into the allegations, but Mayor Dominick Longobardi said as a personnel matter it will not be discussed publicly. McAllister’s attorney, Joel Weiss, said McAllister has “done nothing criminal and nothing wrong.” “Steve McAllister is an excellent man and an excellent cop,” Weiss said. “The current allegations are completely false. They’re
largely based upon the word of a government witness who is a congenital liar.” McAllister said he did not wish to comment on the matter. Several Floral Park residents said during Tuesday’s board meeting that McAllister, who continues to serve as commissioner, should be suspended while the allegations are investigated. A couple of others defended McAllister’s character and said there is no need for him to be removed even temporarily from his position. McAllister allegedly interfered with arrests on or about Feb. 16, 2014, Oct. 28, 2015, and Dec. 16, 2015, according to prosecutors. Records filed by prosecutors in March state that Reichberg provided gifts to a then unnamed Floral Park officer and sought the village officer’s assistance in releasing a person who had been arrested. Alleged gifts appear to have included event tickets, discounted or free jewelry and a ride on a private plane belonging to another Continued on Page 58
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen joins Town of Hempstead Tree Committee in front of Town Hall to plant an Arbor Day tree. See story on page 20.
N. Shore per pupil costs vary by up to $12K BY JA N E LL E CL AUSEN Nine North Shore school districts with a combined population of 37,384 students plan to spend $1.1 billion in the coming school year, amounting to about $29,493 per pupil – with some districts spending nearly 50 percent more per student than others. While the districts are only a few miles apart, disparities nearing $12,000 per student exist.
Three districts – East Williston, Great Neck and Roslyn – each spend more than $34,000 per student, while the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park and Sewanhaka school districts spend $22,951 and $23,631 per student respectively. These numbers were calculated by dividing the total budget by the number of students. According to the state Department of Education, the average cost per pupil in New York for the 2016-17 school year was $23,361, which is based Continued on Page 69
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