School board votes to save pay raises by Sunny Meriwether - posted Friday, July 13th, 2012 @ 12:00 pm  E-mail Story |  Print Story  Teachers and support staff in Ouachita Parish schools will get their scheduled step increases in pay, even though the school district has been making reductions to deal with a projected $9-million budget deficit for the 2013-14 fiscal year. At its regular meeting Thursday night, the Ouachita Parish School Board agreed to a recommendation by its finance committee to "forego" consideration of a step freeze. The recommendation reserves the right to implement a freeze on the automatic raises if financial conditions deteriorate in subsequent budget years. Keeping the pay raises in place will cost the district nearly $1 million. Business manager Juanita Duke told the board that the committee believes the previous steps taken to reduce expenses have brought the system within reach of a balanced budget for the year. Those steps include a hiring freeze, elimination of travel and suspension of sabbatical leave. Board members also approved a recommendation to suspend the $75 annual allotment to teachers for classroom supplies. That recommendation, too, can be considered again in future years. The suspension is expected to save just under $95,000 this year.