Norton Public Schools Approve $23m Budget

Norton School Committee unanimously approved a budget of 23,104,882 Monday night for fiscal year 2012. This is a 4.15 percent increase over last year, when the budget was 22,184,218.

The $920,664 increase came mostly from special education tuition fee hikes for out of district students, salaries and expenses in terms of instructional and general supplies.

“We have been trimming supplies for a number of years now. We are at the point where we do need to purchase,” Superintendent Dr. Patricia Ansay said.

For FY11, the budget was $17,669,633. For 2004-2005, it was $20,893,500.

“Every single line is as slim as we can get,” Ansay said. “We need to provide as much quality education as we can for children. If you go back and look back at the budget lines from the last five years, there has been little to no increases, and so we have cut staff year, after year, after year.

“This funding is necessary. To stay level funded versus level-service, it’s going to result in significant cuts again. We don’t really have any room to cut any more.”

There will be a public hearing on the budget May 2.