After months of trying to work out problems with legislative Republicans, Gov. Jerry Brown called off budget negotiations on Tuesday.

The breakdown between Democrats and Republicans in Sacramento sinks the possibility of a June ballot measure for tax extensions that could have significantly lessened the blow to school district budgets across the state, including the Turlock Unified School District (TUSD).

In order for Brown’s proposed vehicle, sales and income tax extensions to have reached voters for a special election in June, senate Democrats would have had to pass the budget with a majority vote.

Fortunately for TUSD, budget plans were made expecting the worst, with the hope for the best — a voter approved tax extension.

Last month the TUSD Budget Advisory Committee recommended to the Board of Trustees $4.9 million worth of budget cuts, the largest including a 3 percent salary reduction for all TUSD employees and the elimination of cash out plans on health insurance caps for all employees. Those two cuts combined would slash $3.8 million. Both cuts are subject to negotiations with the teacher and school employee unions.

The committee’s recommendation of $4.9 million in cuts was larger than the district’s anticipated loss of $4.3 million in revenue, in order to give the board more options.

Unlike many other districts in California, TUSD is not broken and teacher layoffs have been avoided. 

“Fortunately, due to the hard work of our administrators, the district budget office and the salary and benefit concessions made by all of the TUSD employees over the last two years, and the discipline and foresight of prior boards, TUSD maintains a good reserve that most school districts currently lack.  TUSD has used, and with board approval, will continue to use our reserve to get us through this budget crisis.  However, TUSD will probably continue to make cuts because we can never allow for even the threat of insolvency,” wrote Frank Lima, Board of Trustees president.

On Tuesday the board will hear an update report from TUSD chief financial officer Lori Decker. The board is scheduled to have closed-session negotiations with the Turlock Teacher’s Association and school employee unions that same day.

 “TUSD has avoided a single budget-related layoff over the last two years and has maintained adequate reserve levels augmented by one-time funds from the federal government.  Through this process, TUSD must continue to offer sound academic instruction and educational opportunities for our youth and the betterment of our community,” wrote Lima.

“We hope none of this happens, we are crossing our fingers the tax extension passes,” she said. Unfortunately, the tax extension is highly unlikely to come to fruition and negotiations will begin.  

“Any cuts that become the ‘new normal’ should be as far away from the classroom as possible.  Since we no longer have year round school, all school sites close for part of the summer.  I believe the district offices could also close on Fridays during the summer or for part of the summer,” Shipman said.