By MATT LINDSEY

NORWOOD – Norwood-Norfolk Central School Superintendent Jamie Cruickshank is hopeful the state budget will provide his district with more funding as the school is tasked with figuring out how to close a budget gap over $500,000.

Norwood-Norfolk Central School (NNCS) is planning an April 4 budget work session and is hopeful that the state will have an on-time budget proposal.

NNCS is about 70 percent reliant on state funding, so most of the work to be done by the Board of Education remains in limbo until lawmakers give schools real numbers to work with, Cruickshank said.

“We depend so much on state funding that any changes plays huge into what will end up coming to the district,” he said. “If we were only 20 to 30 percent reliant on state funding then the budget would be done.”

Cruickshank did say things “look somewhat more promising” in relation to funding.

Norwood-Norfolk Central School could present taxpayers with a 3.48 percent tax increase this year as school officials figure out how to close a budget gap over $500,000.

With a 3.48 percent tax increase, the school would be able to raise about $218,000.

The school had plans for a tax increase last year but ultimately decided against it.

“Over the last five years the actual tax levy increase after reevaluations and equalization is about zero,” he said.

Cruickshank said any cuts would likely be personnel, even though he says they have trimmed staff about as much as they can.

No cuts are planned at this time and Cruickshank noted that NNCS still has a fund balance and additional state aid could also help solve the problem

He says the school has keep costs at a minimum through the years and hope they can avoid using the fund balance.