Farmingdale School District

Farmingdale budget passes despite cuts, tax increase : Long Island ...

Read More: See Storify on Farmingdale School Budget

Farmingdale School District’s $147 million 2011-12 budget passed Tuesday night, with a final tally of 1,988-1,181 in favor.

“We tried to create a budget that the community could accept, and as the votes were counted that was in fact what we did,” said Superintendent John Lorentz after the results were announced.

The turnout

Voter turnout was down this year. In total, 3,169 residents visited the polls, which is 564 less voters than last year and represents eleven percent of Farmingdale’s 28,771 voting base.

As of noon, turnout was already down from last year , which some poll workers credited to the weather.

Spending, tax levy

The 2011-12 budget is .72 percent less than last year’s , making the district one of only 10 on Long Island that has cut spending from last year.

Despite this budget-to-budget decrease, the rising costs of benefits and less state aid meant the district had to increase the tax levy collected from the community by 2.52 percent. This was lowered from the 2.92 percent increase outlined in the original proposal after the district received some additional state aid in April.

The impact on individual tax rates is based on property assessments from the Town of Oyster Bay and Town of Babylon and will not be available until August, according to Assistant Superintendent for Business Paul Defendini.

Costs and cuts

State-mandated costs like retirement system contributions and health insurance have increased 35 percent and 15 percent respectively and the district is receiving $2 million less state aid than last year.

To help off-set these rising costs and revenue losses, the budget uses $1,803,251 from the reserves and $5,196,749 from the fund balance – the money left over from last year- a total of $7 million.

Administrators said maintaining an average district-wide class size of 21.71, keeping career electives available and recognizing the value of extracurriculars were priorities.

“Our goal is always to provide a comprehensive, well-rounded education with many opportunities for our students,” said Superintendent John Lorentz.

The $1.07 million of program cuts this year include reducing district staff, combining seventh- and eighth- grade sports teams and eliminating some after-school clubs.

State University of New York Farmingdale

Director Knapp rented the old Nazareth Trade School, shown here, from the Farmingdale school district for 510000 a year. It had been run by the Dominican ...

CIC's school directory

Garden City 11530 516-775-9370 AO V AO V AO 10-24 V 1-4 1-4 54 1-4 AV AO V AO V 5-9 5-9 1-4 e Farmingdale School District. Van Con A Grant Avenues. ...

The Rotarian

Farmingdale Rotarians collected primary and secondary school books from the Farmingdale School District for shipment to the Rotary Club of Lusaka, Zambia, ...

CIC school directory

Ï0-24 1-4 e Eatontown School District, 215 Broad St. Eatomown 07724 ... 1-4 E AMG/10-24 1-4 e Farmingdale School District, Academy St. Farmingdale 07727 ...

Annual report of the State Board of Education and of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of New Jersey with accompanying documents for the school year ending June 30 ...

The North Farmingdale school was closed last year, and the pupils were transported ... be especially made for the purpose and owned by the school district. ...