Voting against the increase were members Carole Andrews, Stephanie Kraft, Ben Williams and Bob Parks.

The five members approved the pay hike after complaining that the price of everything from lettuce to gasoline had increased their expenses to the point they were suffering.

"Personally I need some more money from one year to the next," Wexler said.

Parks, who fought repeatedly against the large increase, pointed out to Wexler that she was "making the same arguments that teachers are making."

Kraft pleaded with her fellow members not to increase their salaries while teachers were without a contract settlement.

"I don't see how we can in good faith give ourselves any increase," Kraft said.

"Its still less than the average teachers salary," said Budnick, who called Board members "grossly underpaid."

Budnick said the 10 percent raise for the nine member Board was only the equivalent of hiring one new teacher.

"This is a fulltime job," Budnick said. "Its not a parttime job." Budnick made the motion to increase the salary, which was seconded by Rubinstein.

Board members said they would also hike their mileage for driving while on business from 29 cents to 36 cents a mile at a future meeting.

State legislators voted in 2002 to have Board members take responsibilities for raising their salaries by formally voting any increase. Previously the state raised the pay without any vote of the Board.

There was no immediate reaction from the Broward Teachers Union.

The salary increase must be ratified at a meeting in December. Kraft predicted there would be such an outcry from the public over the increase that her fellow Board members would be forced to lower their pay hike.

The salary raise comes at the same time negotiations over a salary increase for 15,000 Broward teachers are at an impasse.

The Broward Teachers Union has asked for a 4 percent increase, while the School Board has offered 3 percent.

The union and School Board are also stalled over health insurance provisions and extra raises for seniority.