By MATT LINDSEY

PARISHVILLE — Parishville-Hopkinton Central School plans to stay within the tax cap, at 3.59 percent, but does not anticipate adding or cutting any positions.

“We are pleased to present our constituents with a budget that stays within the tax cap, at 3.59 percent, or, an increase of $10.76 for the year, per $50,000 assessed value (with STAR), said Rebekah Grim, manager of communications and print services at St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES.

Included in the proposed budget is the financing of an additional full-sized bus and purchase of a small bus, as part of a bus replacement plan. The budget will also replace a 30 year-old tractor used for snow removal and other purposes, Grim said.

“The budget allows us to preserve educational opportunities for our students and maintain academic and programmatic excellence,” she said. “This means that while we are not able to add new positions next year, we will also not be forced to cut any necessary personnel.”

Rising costs in teacher and employee retirement benefits account for a large portion of the school’s year-to-year budget increases.

“This year, our budget will require a 1.62 percent ($11,488,073) funding increase over last year to account for a 7 percent increase in health and retirement costs, Grim said.

The ultimate budgetary gap is still unknown, as PHCS school officials await the final state aid figures; however, the gap can be bridged using applied fund balance, she said.

“We are hopeful that the district will receive adequate funding from the state,” Grim said. “Our proposed 2018-19 school budget balances growing educational and operational needs with our taxpayers’ best interests.”