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Survey Gives Hillsborough Teachers A Say In Budget Cuts

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By ADAM EMERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 15, 2009

TAMPA - If given a choice, would Hillsborough County school employees choose layoffs and salary cuts to help close a multimillion-dollar deficit, or would they take a few days off without pay?

As the head of the teachers union put it, it's like asking, "Would you rather cut off your right arm or your left leg?"

But the district wants their input. School officials circulated a survey to 25,000 employees this week, asking for their thoughts on the grim options they're considering to save as much as $55 million.

In times of financial crisis, the school district usually has sought input from its employees. Never have the questions been so narrowly focused on the most troubling options, said , the teachers union executive director, Yvonne Lyons

Stephen Hegarty, the school district's spokesman, said administrators wanted the feedback because the budget cuts are going to affect everyone.

When they finished their work this week, lawmakers passed a savings package that left a $500 million hole in the budgets for school districts.

"They see how difficult the budget situation is getting, and they see some of the painful steps other districts are taking," Hegarty said of Hillsborough's employees.

"So far we have been able to avoid these alternatives, but if the budget continues to worsen, these are the kinds of painful choices we'll have to make."

Administrators received more than 10,000 responses by Thursday morning, and the results kept coming in, Hegarty said.

Reporter Adam Emerson can be reached at (813) 259-8285 or aemerson@tampatrib.com.

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