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Farmingdale Schools look to reduce impact of new spending by using some of its reserves The Farmingdale School District is looking for an increase in its spending this year of 4.01 percent. The tax levy, that portion of the budget supported by local real property taxes, will only increase 2.64 percent however, said school officials, a figure that is lower than in the past several years. "I think this is the lowest tax levy increase ever. [Or] almost," said Superintendent John Lorentz, at the Budget Workshop meeting that was held on March 12th. In the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school years, the average tax levy increase was 3.99 percent; in 2002-2003 and 2005-2006, the average tax levy was 7.96 percent. The difference in the percentage of new spending and the tax levy is the result of the district's decision to appropriate money from the reserve fund to lower the levy said Paul Defendini, the Farmingdale School Business Administrator. In dollars and cents, the proposed budget for the upcoming school year is at $138,592,359, an increase from this year's budget of $133,252,904. The budget includes several new programs and initiatives including a Wellness Club for the elementary grades to promote healthy diets and a healthy way of life, science research in the Middle School, a broadcast video course for the High School, the Green and White Shop and more after school clubs. In addition, there will be 2 teachers added at the elementary level, which would decrease class sizes there. No programs have been cut for this budget. There will also be another proposition on the ballot which is known as Proposition 2. This asks voters approval to realign funds to start the window project in the high school, and is at no additional cost to the taxpayers. In the past, the Farmingdale School district budgets have been the source of some community controversy. Voters defeated budgets in 2002-2003, 2004-2005, and 2005-2006. As a result, the district has prepared a secondary budget in the event the budget is voted down. That spending plan includes cut backs that the administrators said they hope they will not have to see, especially due to the lower tax levy increase this year. The last day to register to vote will be May 15th, at Howitt Middle School and the Budget Vote and Election will take place on May 20th in the Howitt East Gymnasium from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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