NORTON - The school committee doesn't anticipate pursuing a Proposition 2 tax override this spring, despite facing almost $1 million in budget cuts.

"This is not an override meeting," Chairman Kevin O'Neil said during a public hearing this week. "We have to assume going forward there's going to be no override."

However, school committee member Margaret Werner, an override advocate in the past, said residents ultimately are going to have to face a tax increase.

"The only way we're going to solve this problem in this town is an override," Werner said. "Nickel and diming us to death is not working."

Voters twice rejected overrides last year, alone. In September, Norton voters rejected a proposed $1.9 million temporary override to address deteriorating town buildings, although town meeting voters would have gotten the final say.

And last June, voters rejected both the town request and a permanent $1.07 million override specifically for the schools.

The money would have gone toward rehiring seven teachers, reopening libraries and buying instructional materials, among other expenses.

Committee Vice Chairman Thomas Golota said he doubts voters would approve an override just for the schools.

"You can't say, 'I don't have kids in the schools anymore. We all pay taxes to support all of the programs in this town," Golota said.

Next year's proposed $22.56 million school budget is 1.62 percent less than current school spending.

Superintendent Patricia Ansay outlined $914,362 in potential cuts Monday night, including freshmen basketball and five paraprofessionals, along with increasing fees for athletics and clubs.