NORWICH – There appears to be a glimmer of hope that taxpayers may be paying less this year for sending students outside the county to community colleges, and, in turn, taking pride in more students attending the Norwich campus of Morrisville State College.

Tuitions to community colleges are subsidized – in equal thirds – by the enrolled student, by the county where that student resides and by the state.

Community college chargebacks to Chenango County have dropped for the second year in a row, from a high of $1,057,856 paid back in 2007. Lawmakers were forced tap surplus to make the appropriation that year. While the local share for 2010 is conservatively estimated at $1,025,000, this year’s expenditure is expected to be less than the $951,000 paid out in 2008.

New York’s community college rates for 2009/2010 have also been lowered. Tuition for a full-time equivalent student is $2,060 next year at Broome Community College, the county’s biggest vendor, compared to a high of $2,200 paid back in 2007.

At Morrisville’s branch in Norwich, the number of students enrolled for the fall semester, 515, is up by about a dozen students over last year. The enrolled population of students breaks down to 327 full-time and 188 part-time. Applications were also up, by almost 50 percent.