NORTON - Norton faces a more than $200,000 loss in state education aid, but it should have little effect on local schools, Town Manager James Purcell says.

Purcell has told selectmen that he spoke with Superintendent Patricia Ansay and "assured her that the schools' operating budget that was voted on (at the annual town meeting on) June 8 would not be affected by this."

Making that possible is that Norton's local aid package should be "within $125" of the projection used to balance next year's budget on June 8, Purcell said.

"We pool our resources," he said.

Purcell said his preliminary review of the latest Statehouse budget numbers had Norton's local aid within $40,000 of the $15.5 million in the budget year that starts Wednesday. Adding revenue from telecommunications legislation, and "on a $16 million local aid package, it looks like we come within $125," Purcell said.

Purcell, selectmen and the finance committee had budgeted $15.5 million for local aid - slightly more than the late May Senate local aid figure of $15.3 million and the House version of $16 million.

Cities and towns need to pass municipal budgets before fiscal year 2010 starts on July 1.

However, the Statehouse budget debate has continued past Norton's town meeting date.

The roughly $718,000 difference between the House and Senate figures represented a potential shortfall for Norton, threatening jobs.