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MPK Village officials refute allegations against its court A comment made by the Inspector of the 7th Precinct, which seemingly placed the long-standing problem of speeding in Massapequa Park Village on the shoulders of the Village Courts, is not supported by the facts, according to officials in Massapequa Park. The comment came as Inspector Albert Jaskot was discussing speeding along Park Boulevard during a Village meeting in late 2007. At the time, he said that his officers have written many speeding summonses on the thoroughfare, but that Village Court throws them out. Jaskot later clarified his statement, saying that he meant that the Department doesn't know what happens to the tickets his officers issue because they go to Village Court, not Nassau County Court. Village Justice Gerard Giannattasio said the Inspector has it all wrong. "Speeding tickets are not thrown out in Village Court," he said. "We don't run a kangaroo court." Court records show that in 2006, the Nassau County Police Department issued 73 speeding tickets in the Village of Massapequa Park. To date 71 have been adjudicated. Since the court's data base is by jurisdiction, not location, the figures are for the entire Village, not just Park Boulevard. "Before he (Inspector Jaskot) makes a comment like that, he needs to do his due diligence," said Massapequa Park Mayor James Altadonna who said he has reviewed the matter and has found that no speeding tickets were thrown out. "Placing blame back onto the the Village is just an excuse for the fact that we don't have enough police coverage," said Altadonna who has been lobbying to have the County add another police sector car for the Village. "It's really frustrating to me because our residents pay a tremendous amount in taxes to the County. We deserve more of a police presence." Court records show that of the 73 tickets issued last year: •nine pled guilty to violating the Vehicle & Traffic laws; points were taken from the violators' licenses and $200 in fines were paid with an additional $55 in state surcharges; •two entered into a plea agreements and pled guilty, and were fined $150, and a state surcharge of $55; •eight pled guilty to an equipment violation, failing to dim headlights, and received a two point violation, and a fine of about $150 and a state surcharge of $35; •one entered into a plea agreement and pled guilty to an equipment violation, having inadequate lights, and received a fine of $150 and a state surcharge of $35; •two entered into a plea agreement for a seat belt violation, paid a fine of $100 and a state surcharge of $55; •35 entered into a plea agreement and pled guilty to a parking violation and paid a fine of about $150; The remaining six speeding tickets were dismissed: two because they had other tickets and pled guilty to them and four because there was no opposition for dismissal. The 2007 numbers were not used because out of 110 tickets, 51 are still pending. "We try to base our decisions on who is getting the ticket," explained the judge, who has been in office for approximately 7 years. "For example, if it's an elderly person or a first-time driver, and they never had a ticket before, we give them the best break." According to the Seventh Precinct, during 2007, they wrote 1,331 tickets in Massapequa Park. Of those, 1,115 were for traffic infractions, which are returnable to Massapequa Park Village Court. Of those, 413 were written on Park Boulevard, alone with 349 returnable to the Village Court. While there is some disagreement as to the disposition of the between the Village and Nassau County Police, what is not in dispute is that traffic and speeding along Park Boulevard has become a major issue. The Village has attempted to address it by putting up signs that make drivers aware of the rate at which they are traveling, and asking for more police police presence.
"The traffic volume has doubled in the last three years and the neighbors are sick of it," said Mike Mundo who lives on the corner of Park Boulevard and Massapequa Avenue. "I appreciate the efforts (of the Village) but I can't cross the street or pull out of my driveway. Everyone needs to work together to solve the problem."
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