If education means anything to you, it means everything to you at this time of year.

School budget time is when local residents get to put their money where their principles are. It is an opportunity to stand up and be counted on the wisest investment they will probably ever make, an investment in our young people and in the future of our community.

Not coincidentally, by investing in our young people and in our school system, we are also investing in our increased property values that traditionally follow good school districts. Look at it this way, voting to approve the Farmingdale Schools budget on June 3 is an opportunity to help others and help ourselves at the same time.

We are being given an opportunity to vote on a sane, sensible and reasonable school budget this year because of a confluence of leadership initiatives on both the local and state levels. Locally, our elected school board members listened closely to the community and to the professionals who make the schools tick.

The result? A budget that provides a solid, no frills, educational experience at a cost that is reasonable and lower than many nearby and comparable districts. It wasn't an easy task, balancing the competing needs of different interest groups, but I believe this school board achieved that delicate balance and compromise that serves the entire community.

In this space two months ago I vented about what I perceived was a lack of leadership in the State Legislature for not standing up to what I believed to be a terrible budget for education proposed by Gov. George Pataki. I urged residents to write the legislators and tell them that. Well, I was wrong. I admit it. I misjudged the willingness of the legislators to listen to their constituents, evaluate their legitimate concerns and buck a popular governor to restore needed funds for education.

Because of the actions of these legislators of both major political parties, the Farmingdale school's budget is both responsible and affordable. They deserve credit for exercising true leadership that is responsive to the community. Well done.

The Farmingdale School Board and the New York State legislature both stepped up to the plate and loaded the bases. Now it's up to Farmingdale voters to drive the winning run home by approving the budget. If that happens, and I hope it will, there will be joy in Mudville and in Farmingdale.

There's a major reason for voting YES! - because a YES vote may actually save money! If the district acts prudently concerning existing fund balances, a contingency budget may actually cause a higher tax rate than will the carefully-crafted budget that is being proposed!

Remember the new date: June 3. Remember the time: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Remember the place: Howitt Middle School. Remember to vote.