But he argues that everyone - including the police, firefighters and teachers - must share the burden to avoid harsh cutbacks.

Yet Nissan and Renault are each approaching the deal as a way to avoid cutbacks while retaining separate management structures.

University officials said they needed more revenue to avoid harmful cutbacks and had already pruned major waste from their budgets.

For both political and fiscal reasons, the governor wants to avoid cutbacks next year, his aides said.

The compromise avoided cutbacks in student assistance.

In a time of increased competition among state universities, avoiding further cutbacks and maintaining a reputation for academic quality will be critical, admissions officials argue.

The new sources have not been enough to avoid sobering cutbacks.

Mr. Yellin said the money would have to come soon to avoid cutbacks.

Executives at rival phone companies, for example, said they doubted that SBC could avoid wholesale cutbacks.

So far, Houston's oilmen - and, in the 1990's, oilwomen - have remained optimistic enough to avoid serious cutbacks on life's necessities.