11.   Expenses are in check as executives close branches and slash payrolls through reorganization plans or acquisitions.

12.   Faced with slumping demand for its products, Lucent has slashed its payroll and cut operating expenses.

13.   Firms began slashing their payrolls, focusing on core competencies while outsourcing more of the value-creation process.

14.   Florida is slashing its payroll to attract new ownership.

15.   He has slashed the payroll in half and cut other expenses, while funneling scarce funds toward aintenance and repairs.

16.   He vowed to slash government payrolls, phase out government-owned housing and replace the shredded Communist safety net.

17.   If they are successful, their business plan, for the short term, is to slash payroll.

18.   If the Royals need to slash their payroll to avoid more heavy losses, they should do it.

19.   In response to expectations that revenue growth would cool, drug companies slashed payrolls.

20.   In the name of boosting profits, payrolls are slashed indiscriminately.