Tampabay.com
APRIL 29, 2008

Pinellas looks to wage cuts to help balance budget; plans for bus depot dropped

Pinellas school officials today are announcing a budget cutting plan that proposes a 2 percent salary reduction for all employees, the elimination of 147 jobs and freezes on hiring and travel. Officials also said they are reviewing the possibility of closing up to seven additional schools for the 2009-10 academic year. Superintendent Clayton Wilcox will deliver the bad news in a meeting of administrators this afternoon at district headquarters. The moves would cut $43-million from the 2008-09 operating budget.

Read Wilcox's letter to the board.

In other news, Wilcox is recommending to the School Board that the district drop plans to build a controversial bus depot on land near Countryside High owned by the City of Clearwater.

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Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going in on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.

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THE TEAM

Rebecca Catalanello covers Pinellas County schools. E-mail her: rcatalanello@tampabay.com.

Tony Marrero covers Hernando County schools. E-mail him: tmarrero@tampabay.com.

Marlene Sokol covers Hillsborough County schools. E-mail her: sokol@tampabay.com.

Ron Matus covers Pinellas County schools. E-mail him: matus@tampabay.com.

Jeffrey S. Solochek covers Pasco County schools. E-mail him: solochek@tampabay.com.

Kim Wilmath covers the University of South Florida. E-mail her: kwilmath@tampabay.com.

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