NORWICH – The Town of Norwich Board will hold a public hearing tonight to discuss its proposed 2011 budget with taxpayers.

Supervisor David Law said the proposed $1,535,837.89 budget includes no general tax, but noted property owners will see a 12-cent rise per $1,000 of assessed value, citing a fire service agreement with the City of Norwich.

The board will hold the public hearing at 7 p.m. at the town hall on Hale Street Extension before voting to accept the budget.

In 2010, the town paid $535,667 for the fire service contract and is looking at contributing $550,934 in 2011, an increase of 2.85 percent. Law said this translates into a $5.49 increase to the town’s average home owner in the coming year.

The town’s tentative highway budget for next year is $341,211.64, an anticipated $5,678.88 increase from the 2010 actual budget. The town was approved for about $71,000 from the state’s Consolidated Highway Improvement Program in 2010. There is no increase on the current .75 cents per $1,000 highway tax.