Video: Residents React to School Budget

Farmingdale residents are voting on a $146,957,711 budget today, which calls for a and represents a decrease in spending from last year.

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

"The school districts had to pick an an awful lot of what the state should really have picked up," said Anita Lalor, a parent in the district.

The include reducing district staff, combining seventh- and eighth- grade sports teams and eliminating some after-school clubs, while maintaining an average district-wide class size of 21.71, keeping career electives available and recognizing the value of extracurriculars, administrators said.

"Of course in this climate there's not a lot of money going around," said resident John Court. "I hope they can do the best they can and preserve the important programs."