The Turlock Unified School District is hoping for the best but preparing for the worst, as a new governor will soon take office with a $6 billion state deficit.

“The budget we have now shows the budget in the best light,” said Lori Decker, TUSD chief financial officer. “Everything we are hearing is that money will be taken away.”

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has scheduled a special meeting on Monday to discuss how the state will fill the six billion dollar deficit possibly with education taking a huge hit.

“The gap is due to the expected federal money that did not come through and state revenues that came in lower than expected,” Decker said.

On Monday, the TUSD budget advisory committee went over a list of possible reductions and cuts in preparation for the big hit everyone is expecting mid-year.

“If it gets really, really rough come January, we don’t want to have to figure out what MAA
(California school based Medi-Cal Administrative Activities) funds are when we need to make decisions,” said Barney Gordon, TUSD budget advisory committee president. “The sooner you understand the better.”

So far, TUSD has cut over $10 million going into the 2010/2011 school year and will possibly have to cut more as the year progresses.

Decker will have more details at the next TUSD Board of Trustees meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the Turlock High performing arts building. 

To contact Maegan Martens, e-mail mmartens@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2015.