Board Approves $98 Parcel Tax Ballot Measure as District Faces $6.5M Deficit

The Jefferson Union High School District Governing Board confronted a stark fiscal reality June 2, voting unanimously to place a $98-per-parcel education tax on the November 2026 ballot while hearing that expenditures will cross the $100 million threshold next year—outpacing revenue by $6.5 million. The meeting also showcased the district's growing investment in in-house special education programs, a response to a statewide collapse in outside therapeutic placements.

• $98 parcel tax headed to November 2026 ballot to replace an expiring $58 levy, a linchpin of the district's multi-year budget

• Proposed budget projects a $6.5M deficit as expenditures top $100M and reserves fall below the board's own 10% target

• AFT Local 1481 contract ratified with 5% total compensation increase after 97.1% member approval — the largest cost driver in the budget

• Special education enrollment jumps from 470 to 515 students while non-public school closures force the district to expand in-house therapeutic programs

• Seven-goal LCAP advances to adoption with a new math pilot, media literacy for 9th graders, and a redesigned English learner course

• Teamsters 856 contract talks formally opened on salary and benefits, the next labor negotiation in the pipeline

Why it matters: The proposed 2026-27 budget marks the first time JUHSD expenditures will exceed $100 million, and the gap between what the district takes in and what it spends is projected to widen to $6.5 million — the worst in a three-year outlook. The board's answer, at least in part, rests with voters.