At its regular board meeting last Wednesday, the Farmingdale Board of Education adopted a revised budget to put back up before voters on June 21. The original budget, voted on May 18, was defeated by over 700 votes. Trustees met last week to see where they could trim the fat and reduce the budget number from $115,998,426, which represented an 8.53 percent increase over this year's budget, reflecting a tax levy increase of 9.53 percent. The budget adopted last week, which the public will vote on June 21, totals $114,625,481, a 7.25 percent increase in expenditures over the current budget and increasing the tax levy by 8.8 percent. The board also discussed the possibility of a contingency budget, which would total $113,040,286 and would more than likely result in a 9.28 percent tax levy increase. According to Assistant Superintendent John Lorentz, the tax levy could be higher in the event of a contingency budget due to the fact that the reserve fund balance may not be included. However based on confirmation with the school district, information regarding additional state aid may cause this number to change.

Several programs were discussed at the meeting, many of which face elimination in the event of a contingency budget and some of which were cut to bring down the budget number. Among the programs cut were various academic competitions at all the schools, some athletic programs including junior varsity "B Teams" and night games and the third-grade string program. The board also eliminated the Bridge program, a grade eight alternative program; removed two elementary guidance counselors, two fourth-grade science consultants and two instructional associates, one at Howitt and one at Woodward Parkway. The board also instated a partial elimination of the elementary summer school program. The PAGE program, (Pathways to Achieve Goals in Education) was also discussed, and several students and parents spoke up to defend the program. In the end, the board kept the program in, but it faces elimination in the event of a contingency budget.

Before adopting a revised budget, the board heard from members of the public. Ken Ulric, president of the Farmingdale Federation of Teachers, told the board that any cuts made to the budget will hurt students in the district. He simply said, "cuts hurt kids," and said that knowing the budget as well as he does, he sees no easy way to make any cuts.

"I know this year's proposed budget fairly well because, unlike most people, I actually attended every budget meeting this year. I became educated about the mandated costs that the district faces. I was forced to deal with the truth, not with an idealized version of what I wanted to be the truth. I also know the administrators and board members who carefully crafted the budget. They did their work well. Maybe too well," Ulric said. "They were so tight that there is no big fat pot of waste, no gaggle of non-educational frills, no overlooked source of revenue, no extra staff members squirreled away somewhere. In fact, the proposed budget supports fewer staff members for next year, despite an increase in student population. It is a very lean budget."

Ulric added that in the past few years, despite what some may think, Farmingdale's teachers' median salary has dropped to the bottom fifth of all Long Island school districts. He added that they also pay more of their own medical insurance than almost any other government employees in the state and have been for over 30 years.

"I'm not proud of that," he said. "I'm just telling the truth about how we've worked with this district's economic realities. And look at what the district has accomplished in that time with our help."

He added that in that time, the district has seen an increase in test scores, smooth reorganization of the entire district with full day kindergarten and the sixth-grade moving to Howitt, outstanding sports teams and performances in the arts, first place in NYS in the Envirothon, increasing graduation rates and dropping dropout rates.

"I could go on and on. But what does this mean in the context of why we are here tonight? It's very simple. It means that there are no easy cuts. Only difficult ones. Let me say it again - cuts hurt kids," Ulric stated. "Please remember: good times or bad times, the kids have only one time."

While residents agreed they didn't want students to suffer as a result of budget cuts, some said that other areas may need to be looked at, stating that cuts have to be made somewhere.

"I'm sure that pretty much everyone in this room would agree, we know the problem lies with the state," said Grello. "But [we] as homeowners, when our paycheck doesn't cut the bill, we find ways to do what we have to do." Grello said that the community is relying on the board of education to do what residents do as homeowners, find alternative ways to make cuts in the budget, cuts that would not take away student programs.

"We have the best schools here, but our kids cannot afford to live here," he said, relating to the high taxes. "The bleeding has to stop - that's what all this is about. What gets me the most is that all these cuts are affecting the children, all these programs that you fought all these years to get." Grello suggested that rather than cut programs, the district try to eliminate more administrative positions. "It shouldn't all come from the kids ... you have to find another way," he said.

George Starkie told the board that the cuts they planned to put in place are not enough, that the final budget number is still too high. "I don't want to hurt the kids ... but I'm tapped. It's just too much." Starkie said that in addition to the high school taxes, residents are faced with increased county, town and village taxes, and that it's just too much.

"We have to start thinking outside the box ... It's painful, it stinks, but something's gotta give."

Board President Anthony Vitale suggested bringing the budget to budget increase down under 7 percent, in an effort to making the final number more bearable to local taxpayers. Trustee Robert Guarino said, looking over the list of possible cuts that could be made to reduce the budget number, that he saw no item that could be cut without hurting the students.

"We've cut this budget so tightly, we can't find another place to cut," he said. Guarino ultimately voted against every cut that was made that evening.

Board Vice President Tina Diamond said that the board realizes that the community has sent a message.

"We are a community that really does support education ... but the community has given us a message. This community told us as a board, 'you need to stop the bleeding.' So we look for the alternative," she said. Diamond added that the board chose to include certain cuts that if the programs were to be cut from the budget, some can come back as self-sustaining programs. Those included programs such as driver's education and certain field trips, that could be paid for in advance.

"I truly felt that the May 18 budget was as tight as it could or should be while addressing the educational needs of our students," said Trustee Jane Rubinstein. "[However], recognizing the size of the negative vote last month and recognizing that we have to show a good faith effort ... to lower the tax rate; faced with what we're facing today ... I can step by step go down this list and say for a year, I can tolerate some interim pain, because my greatest fear is that we not end up with a contingent budget because that just scares the living daylights out of me."

Trustee Marie Colalucci agreed, noting that she too would hate to see a contingent budget. However, she stated that "putting the original budget up would be a big mistake, but I do not want to pit one program against another ... This pains me, everything on [this list of cuts] hurts."

Vitale agreed, noting that "this is the most fiscally responsible way we could do it. Yes, it hurts."

Ultimately, some of the programs did face elimination, and the budget was adopted by the board. A hearing will take place on June 14 and the community will be asked to vote on June 21, between the hours of 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Howitt Middle School. Voter registration will take place on June 14 at Howitt Middle School and the last day to register is June 18.