Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 25, 1992                   TAG: 9203250315
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SALEM OKS 4% PAY RAISE BUDGET INCLUDES MORE PROGRAMS

If it remains in its present form, the budget would add six teaching positions and increase by $300 the amount the school system pays toward employees' health insurance premiums.

It also would add a licensed practical nursing program, a summer remedial program for grades 3-5 and a Saturday suspension alternate.

The "Saturday alternate" program would allow suspended students to attend school on Saturdays rather than being kicked out of school for several days. This is a program designed to keep children in school while punishing them for infractions.

The budget, for the 1992-93 fiscal year that begins July 1, is subject to approval by Salem City Council.

But council approval apparently is not expected to pose a problem because School Superintendent Wayne Tripp cited the good relationship between the School Board and City Council in the budget-making process.

The school budget totals $19,278,862, an increase of $355,790 over the current budget.

The amount designated for instruction would be about $15 million, or about 78 percent of the total.

Most of the revenue for the new budget would come from local taxes - about $9.8 million, or about 53 percent of total revenue.

The next largest source would be $6.2 million from state sources. The state sales tax would provide about $1.4 million and the federal government about $570,110.

Also included is $210,000 for capital outlay to buy school buses, upgrade the phone system and hire a technology instructor.

The budget also has provisions to save about $50,000 in driver education costs.