Guide to Lindy's School Budget Vote 2012

On , , residents will head to the polls to cast their ballots the 2012-13 Lindenhurst .

Here's a final roundup of all pertinent information residents need to know ahead of voting (also see the accompanying images and PDF files for information):

• The proposed $141.7 million for 2012-13 - approved by the Lindenhurst Board of Education - shows a 1.07 percent year-over-year increase in expenditures and features an associated 2.45 percent tax-levy increase.

• That 2.45 percent tax-levy increase is less than the 3.55 percent the district was allowed under New York state law, but above what the residents here in Lindenhurst think it should be, according to Lindenhurst Patch’s recent .

• Cuts included eliminating World Languages, transforming and ALC into after-school programs, reducing a host of budget codes and and cut three non-instructional positions - up from the nine teaching and two non-instructional positions.

• The opted not to combine seventh- and eighth-grade sports, and keep such programs as Dance and JROTC, which have been on the chopping block in .

• The voted against cutting full-day kindergarten to half-day at a savings of $1.4 million (13 ), which would've brought the tax levy down to 1.4 percent.

• Instead, after much , the board voted to use $488,982 in reserves to reach a compromise at 2.45 percent at the April 18 where the budget was approved.

• There are three candidates - all of whom are incumbents - and they're running unopposed: current and Trustees and .

• Hochman is running for her third term, while Cunningham and Ames are running for their second.

• are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 15.

• include the elementary schools at , (replacing ), , and (replacing E.W. Bower).

•  There will also be a BOE community forum meeting beginning at 8 p.m. at the McKenna Administration Building where the vote results will be announced.

• If the proposed budget is voted down, the school district can resubmit the same budget for voter approval again, submit a revised budget for voter approval or vote immediately to adopt a contingency budget. Under the new tax-cap legislation if the budget is defeated twice the proposed tax levy is zero. That would mean the district would need to find another $2.13 million in budget cuts. (See the accompanying image.)

Here’s what the three incumbents had to say:

See how Lindy's budget stacks up against other school districts' budgets:

Here are some of the latest headlines to note:

And here are some opinion pieces written by Lindenhurst residents and readers of Patch about this year's proposed budget during the past few months:

(Remember: Receive breaking news and event reminders in your inbox or on your smartphone by signing up for Lindenhurst Patch's free newsletters and alerts here.)

Editor's Note: Don't forget to weigh in with your thoughts and concerns about this year's budget process for the with Lindenhurst Patch on the site by taking these two polls by clicking and , and by sharing your thoughts in the comments section of articles about the topic, and on Facebook and Twitter, and by e-mailing barbara.loehr@patch.com with an opinion piece.