Cape Girardeau teachers voted unanimously Tuesday to send a proposed salary increase to the Board of Education for approval.

The salary package would cost an additional $481,457, including a $750 increase for each "cell" in the schedule. A starting teacher would make $20,750.

Each teacher will receive an increase of at least $750, depending on experience and education.

Tuesday's vote by the Cape Girardeau Community Teachers Association general membership was 85 to 0 for the salary package. The total does not represent the entire membership but does constitute a quorum.

Cape Girardeau CTA President Jo Peukert said teachers need a pay raise.

"Teachers have really kept this district together through the turmoil this past year," she said.

In addition, insurance costs are going up and teachers must pay more toward their retirement. "We're hoping to break even," Peukert said.

Approval by the CTA general membership is the final stage of the "meet and confer" negotiating process.

A committee of teachers first met with administrators to hammer out a salary package. When finalized, the package was presented to the CTA's executive committee. When that committee gave its approval, the salary proposal was forwarded to the general membership of the CTA.

The final step is consideration by the Board of Education, scheduled for the August meeting.

Teachers are paid according to their position on a grid that takes into account the number of years they have worked and the level of education they have attained.

Teachers move down the grid for experience and across the grid for education.

Myrnita Grantham, a veteran member of the salary committee, explained to teachers that just allowing everyone to move down or across costs $86,457.

The package includes $31,000 for one-time payments to teachers at the bottom step of some columns.

Peukert said she hopes next year to make that $31,000 a permanent part of the salary schedule.

The package also includes a new fringe benefit for teachers. They may use up to two sick days to stay home with a family member who is ill. In the past, teachers had to use a personal leave day or pay for a substitute teacher.

"That's a real important benefit," Peukert said.

Steve DelVecchio, the district's new business manager, was thrown into salary negotiations with teachers as one of his first duties. "It was a unique experience," he said.

Teacher approval is the first step. Other salaries in the district are tied to the teacher schedule, including those of administrators and support staff. DelVecchio said he will be calculating those salaries between now and the August board meeting.

He hasn't determined what percentage increase the salary raises will constitute. The percentages of increases vary because of the varied salary steps teachers make each year.

Payroll makes up 73 percent of the Cape Girardeau School District's $20 million budget.

"Being `hold harmless' has hurt us," DelVecchio said. "We are uncertain about funding increases in the future."

Because of Senate Bill 380, the Outstanding Schools Act, Cape Girardeau schools receive no new state money this year. The situation is called hold harmless because the school district doesn't get any less state money either.

A stumbling block in this year's negotiations has been increased insurance costs. Until the insurance costs were settled, it was difficult to budget pay raises.

Also on Tuesday, employees heard presentations from Humana and MedAmerica HealthNet Blue, two managed-care insurance companies. Employees have until Friday to vote for their choice of the two. Results will be announced July 24.