All Votes Finally Counted In Montclair School Election: Here Are The Results

MONTCLAIR, NJ — That’s a wrap for Montclair’s controversial school referendum.

On Tuesday, the Essex County Clerk’s Office confirmed that all votes are counted in Montclair after the town’s special school election on March 10.

Voters narrowly approved a one-time tax increase – but rejected a permanent hike to the tax levy.

The Montclair Public School District is facing a looming budget gap, and was seeking $17.6 million to help balance the books. Voters were asked to approve or reject two different questions. The first question would approve a one-time $12.6 million tax hike. The second question would greenlight a permanent $5 million per year increase.

Local voters were left wondering what the outcome would be for two weeks while mail-in ballots and provisional votes were counted. Several ballots that could potentially be “cured” of signature mismatches also contributed to the delay.

Here are the totals, according to the county clerk’s office:

QUESTION 1

• Yes – 5,390 votes (51.43%)
• No – 5,090 votes (48.57%)

QUESTION 2

• Yes – 5,227 votes (49.94%)
• No – 5,240 votes (50.06%)

Superintendent Ruth Turner issued a statement about the election on Tuesday.

“We are grateful for the approval of Question 1, which provides critical short-term support, and we hear clearly the concerns expressed through the outcome of Question 2,” she said.

“As we move forward, we will work closely with the board of education to assess the financial implications and make thoughtful, responsible decisions that prioritize our students, protect the quality of our schools, and ensure long-term sustainability,” Turner said.

Board of Education President Yvonne Bouknight said the school board is grateful to the Montclair community for “showing up, staying engaged and making their voices heard through this process.”

“Together with the superintendent, we are committed to making thoughtful, student-centered decisions that reflect both the support and the concerns expressed by our community,” Bouknight said.

Need a reminder about what each question would do? Here’s what will happen in each scenario:

QUESTION 1

• How It Reads – "The Board of Education of the Township of Montclair in the County of Essex shall raise an additional $12,600,000 from taxes over the amount raised in the last annual school budget to cover a prior deficit from the 2024-2025 school year. Approval of these taxes will result in a one-time increase to the district’s tax levy. These expenditures are in addition to those required to achieve New Jersey Student Learning Standards. Do you approve this proposal?"
• Interpretive Statement – If approved by the voters, the funds will be used to pay outstanding debts and obligations due and owing from the previous school year. The tax will be non-recurring and will not be built into the base tax levy on which future years’ tax increase limits are based.
• Tax Impact – If Question 1 is approved, it will mean a one-time payment of $1,117 for a Montclair home assessed at $639,630 (according to Montclair School Vote and a tax calculator from Montclair Local and the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University).
• What If Voters Say No? – The district will accept a $12.6 million advance in state aid to cover the 2024-2025 deficit. The loan would come with a mandatory state monitor to oversee the district’s finances, which Montclair would pay for.

QUESTION 2

• How It Reads – "The Board of Education of the Township of Montclair in the County of Essex shall raise an additional $5,000,000 from taxes over the amount raised for the current (2025-2026) annual school budget for general fund operating expenses for the 2025-2026 school year. Approval of these taxes will result in a permanent increase to the district’s tax levy. These expenditures are in addition to those required to achieve New Jersey Student Learning Standards. Do you approve this proposal?"
• Interpretive Statement – If approved by the voters, the funds will be used for general fund operating expenses, including, but not limited to: reducing the impact of reductions in force among teaching staff, security staff and support staff; addressing ongoing maintenance needs; and mitigating the impact of cuts to athletics, co-curricular and extracurricular programs. Approval of this tax levy increase will be built into the base tax levy on which future years’ tax increase limits are based.
• Tax Impact – If Question 2 is approved, it will mean a permanent annual increase of $443 for a Montclair home assessed at $639,630.
• What If Voters Say No? – The district could seek a $5 million advance in state aid, although it may not receive it, or make immediate budget cuts (see more below).

CUTS COMING FOR MONTCLAIR SCHOOLS

However the election turns out, the belt is about to tighten for Montclair’s schools, administrators say.

“There is no scenario where we avoid making cuts,” Turner recently said. “The difference is the scale and the depth of impact on our students and programs.”

According to figures presented by administrators, a “yes/yes” vote will require about $4 million in reductions. These include:

Meanwhile, a “no/no” vote would require about $10.6 million in cuts.

Montclair school administrators have also proposed several ways to boost revenue in the district. These include rolling out fines for “technology equipment” and “food balances,” parking and facility rentals, athletic-related sponsorships and advertising on fences, filming opportunities, and selling seats/bricks at the Montclair High School auditorium.

The financial woes – which predate the current superintendent and business administrator – have been blamed on the district “spending beyond its means,” with the hiring of unbudgeted staff, unpaid bills and other unbudgeted expenses contributing to the deficit.

Turner previously said that a state official hasn’t found evidence of fraud. “It is really incompetence, bad accounting and administration’s inability to say no,” Turner told The Montclair Pod.

• Related: 103 Montclair School Staff Laid Off, Given ‘Reduction In Force’ Notices
• Related: Montclair Superintendent Addresses Public ‘Anxiety’ About School Finances

LAWSUITS AND WORKSHOPS

Montclair school administrators first proposed a taxpayer bailout last year, which was set to go before local voters in a special election in December 2025. However, a judge cancelled the referendum, calling the ballot language “convoluted” and siding with a local resident who filed a lawsuit to stop the election.

The board went back to the drawing board and took another crack at the referendum, approving two, new ballot questions in January – this time with “interpretive statements.”

The original set of ballot questions included the approval of a forensic audit of the 2024-2025 financial records. An audit is not mentioned in the new ballot questions. Turner has said that funding for a forensic audit will be included in the 2026-2027 budget.

Another lawsuit has been filed to challenge the March 10 election. However, a court hearing was canceled, leaving the lawsuit unsettled and clearing the path for the referendum.

The Montclair Public School District has held several public workshops and forums about the election, including budget town halls on Jan. 13, Jan. 24 and Feb. 11 (click links to watch videos).

Several websites have been launched about the referendum:

• The Montclair Public School District has created a frequently asked question page, which can be seen here
• MPACT, a group of Montclair parents and community members, has launched a website with more details, which can be seen here
• Another website, montclairschoolvote.com, also has information about the referendum and ballot questions, which can be seen here
• Another viewpoint on the referendum can be seen on savemontclairschools.com

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