NORWICH – School officials at the Norwich City School District held the annual budget hearing in the high school cafeteria Monday, defending their proposal one last time before it goes to vote on May 21.

The 2013-2014 budget calls for a 2.5 property tax levy - a sleight increase over recent years. The goal, according to Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan, who presented the $38.7 million budget, is to balance high quality instruction with fiscal responsibility. This year is all about maintenance, he said.

The proposed budget maintains class size at the elementary and secondary levels; school programs, including arts, athletics and extracurriculars; and systems for teacher support and professional development.

Federal aid has been eliminated in recent years, he also pointed out. The biggest challenges faced by the district stem from uncontrollable costs, such as increasing contributions to the teacher and employee retirement systems, health care, special education services, and operations and maintenance.