Farmingdale residents have voted to approve the Farmingdale School District’s 2020-2021 budget. The budget is a 1.16 percent spending increase over the current year and comes with a 1.95 percent tax levy increase.
The $173,076,607 budget passed 4591-2873.
Also passed were Proposition 2 (authorization to expend $5,000,000 from the Building and Facilities Capital Reserve Fund for bathroom renovations at various schools) and Proposition 3 (authorization to expend $350,000 from the Building and Facilities Capital Reserve Fund for energy performance contract improvements). The Farmingdale Youth Council Budget for the fiscal year 2020-2021 was also approved.
In addition, residents re-elected Ralph Vincent Morales and Arlene Soete, who ran unopposed, to the Farmingdale Board of Education for a three-year term.
“Farmingdale is a fantastic community and we’re so pleased that residents voted in favor of this budget,” said Assistant to the Superintendent for Business Michael Motisi. “We have a challenging year ahead of us and this budget will help us provide the educational resources every child in our district needs and deserves.”
“I want to thank all the residents of our community for their participation in this year’s school budget election,” said Board of Education President Michael Goldberg. “Navigating the absentee ballot process was challenging for everyone, and we are so grateful that year after year, the residents of our town continue to show their support for our district. Congratulations to Ralph Vincent Morales and Arlene Soete for their re-election to the Farmingdale Board of Education. I look forward to serving with them and moving our district forward as we face the challenges ahead.”
"Passage of this budget is not only a vote of confidence but also provides the valuable resources needed to best ensure that we continue to offer the full range of programs that this community has come to expect," said Superintendent Paul Defendini.