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4% Increase in proposed Farmingdale School Budget Buoyed by an increase in state aid and other new revenues, the Farmingdale School District is presenting a school budget for the coming year that reduces the tax levy, that portion of the budget paid for through real property taxes, 3.53 percent. If approved, the Farmingdale School District budget will increase from $128,116,500 to $133,252,904 or approximately four percent. Currently, the average tax rate in the district is $647.47. School officials did not release a projected increase, but said that they expect the average to see an increase in their annual school taxes of 3.5 percent. That would bring the tax rate to approximately $670.13, but that figure could change by the time the levy is set in the fall. "In preparing this budget, our challenge was to maintain our outstanding educational programs while minimizing the tax impact to our residents," said school board president Shari Bardash-Eivers. "We believe our proposed budget is successful in achieving those objectives. At the same time, the budget keeps in place all existing programs and provides improved offerings in selected areas." Farmingdale Schools have approximately 6,000 students. The district anticipates that it will receive $24,641,474 in state aid this year, an increase of $1,350,268 over last year's $22,230,000. They also anticipate applying $25,000 in reserve funds to help lower the tax impact, according to Paul Defindini, School Business Administrator for the district. "Residents can be assured that we still have, by law, two percent in savings," he said. The budget includes money for teacher's raises which were previously negotiated. Two High School study hall teachers and one full-time Dean of Discipline will be added. The two new teacher positions will open up ten new classes for the students, as each new hiree will have five instructional periods. This will allow the district to offer new courses to be offered and reduce the number of study halls students take. In addition to the budget, voters will be asked to approve the accepting of New York State's EXCEL aid (Expanding our Children's Education & Learning) in the amount of $3,886,415. The Campaign of Fiscal Equity, a not-forprofit organization which seeks reform for educational equity in school system financing in New York City, won a court decision in which the State of New York was ordered to direct $4.7 and $5.63 billion to New York City schools. Former Governor George Pataki established the need-based EXCEL aid program, which helps not only New York City schools but also those throughout New York. That aid is coming directly from the state and has no financial impact on the local tax bill. It is designed to help school districts across the state make building improvements and complete new construction, however, voters at the local level must approve accepting the funding. In Farmingdale's case, this money, if accepted by the voters, will be used to install new boilers for four schools and window replacements at the high school.
A public hearing on the budget and EXCEL proposition will be held on the budget on Tuesday, May 8 at 8 p.m. at the Howitt Middle School, 70 Van Cott Avenue. Voter registration will be held Saturday, May 5 from noon to 9 p.m. at the Howitt Middle School and the budget vote will take place on Tuesday, May 15 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Howitt Middle School.
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