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2,000 Fine for Reducing Assessments

Ex-Nassau County official also gets three years' probation

By Celeste Hadrick | Staff Writer

July 18, 2002

Former Nassau Assessment Review Commissioner Beth Anderson was sentenced yesterday to 3 years' probation and fined $2,000 for granting improper property tax breaks to friends, business clients and political associates.

Anderson, 38, of Long Beach, made no comment when County Court Judge Richard LaPera imposed the sentence.

A former chairwoman of the Nassau Independence Party, Anderson pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors in May - official misconduct and scheming to defraud - as part of a deal in which Nassau District Attorney Denis Dillon agreed to drop the one felony charge against her, offering a false instrument for filing.

In accepting that deal earlier, LaPera had said he would not give Anderson any jail time if a probation department report showed she had no criminal background. [CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, a story yesterday about the sentencing of former Nassau Assessment Review Commissioner Beth Anderson left unclear the findings of a probation department report. The report said Anderson had no criminal background Pg. A02 NS 7/19/02] He noted yesterday that it did.

The judge said he would not require restitution from Anderson because he understood the county attorney's office is seeking to recoup a total $19,000 in taxes from the homeowners who benefited from Anderson's actions. LaPera also imposed $110 in fees and surcharges on Anderson.

Anderson was arrested in May on charges that she gave unwarranted tax reductions to nine homeowners, including Nassau Independence Party chairman James Kapsis and county Independence Party secretary Michael Camardi. Prosecutors said they had no evidence of wrongdoing by the homeowners, who all had social, business or political ties to Anderson.

Dillon began looking into the assessment reductions when Newsday reported last year that Anderson had resigned from the county commission amid questions about tax breaks she had granted to politically connected homeowners.

Anderson, who left her family insurance business and is now a licensed massage therapist, declined to comment after the sentencing. Her attorney, Dennis Lemke of Mineola, said the case had been resolved "in the best interests of all parties."

Assistant District Attorney Colin O'Donnell, who headed the probe, said he was satisfied. He said Anderson had admitted her guilt and the county had overhauled the assessment review commission as a result of the investigation.

"They definitely have a better handle on procedures and fairer treatment of all county property taxpayers in dealing with assessment appeals," O'Donnell said. "The checks and balances are now in place to prevent this from happening again."