The Montclair School Vote: What you need to know

On March 10, 2026, Montclair voters will go to the polls for the Montclair school vote. Below, find a number of resources that MPACT has prepared to help Montclair voters make well-informed choices in the Montclair school vote.

The Montclair School Vote: BALLOT QUESTIONS

On March 10, 2026, Montclair resident voters will consider theSE ballot questions in the Montclair School Vote:

Budgetary Spending Proposal

Question Number 1:

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.

Budgetary Spending Proposal

Question Number 2:

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.

Understand How the Election Outcome Will Impact the Montclair School Deficit

Understand How the Election Outcome Will Impact the Montclair School Deficit

Contributors: Aysu Farbiarz, Kaitlyn Rourke, John Laing as part of MPACT.

The visuals below are designed to help voters understand how the results of the two special election questions will impact Montclair Public School's (MPS) revenue and expenditures. MPS currently has a budget gap/deficit. Under any vote outcome, MPS will close the gap between revenue and expenditures. You can use the interactive buttons below to explore how the four possible voting outcomes will close the budget gap. Scroll below the graphs for additional context and key terms.

Question 1:
Question 2:
Click here to explore the different scenarios of the impact of the vote on the deficit
2025-26 Scenario: Current State
All figures in Millions (M)
2026-27 Scenario: Current State
All figures in Millions (M)
Notes:
  • All numbers are projections using information provided by the District on 2/25/26 and are subject to change. Once the State finalizes its budget for next year, the revenue amounts could change due to changes in State aid.
  • The vote on Q1 does not have an impact on the 25-26 scenario because the $12.6M debt exists in 24-25.
  • A Yes vote on Q1 is a one-time cost to voters. It is added to taxes in 12 monthly installments for one year.
  • A Yes vote on Q2 is a permanent increase to taxes, with the annual increased amount added to voters' tax bills.

The Ballot Questions

View full ballot questions and statements here

Key Terms & Context

Gap: The difference between projected expenditures and projected revenue.
Advance of State Aid (only in a No vote scenario): If MPS gets an advance of future State aid, the State lowers future year State aid amounts to account for the aid it has already advanced (i.e. MPS gets less State aid each year).
Q2 Tax Levy: A Yes vote for Q2 will result in a permanent increase in local tax revenue.
Mid-year Cuts: MPS made cuts to school spending in December 2025 in the amount of $2.8M in 25-26. Those cuts translate to $3.5M of savings for the 26-27 school year because they will be in place all year.
State Monitor: In the event of a No vote for either question, MPS will take an advance of State aid. If the District takes any advance, then the State has indicated it will assign a State Monitor. The District is responsible for the salary of the State Monitor (plus staff). The District has estimated this cost to be $150k per year, although it could be higher.
Interest on Tax Anticipation Notes: This refers to the interest on Tax Anticipation Notes. The District must pay its debts before the tax revenue is collected. These notes allow the District to borrow money as a bridge until the revenue comes in. The District has stated that it must pay interest on this short term bridge.
Cuts Needed: The amount of cuts the District will have to make to balance expenditures and revenues in 26-27 under each voting outcome scenario.

The Montclair School Vote: IMPACT OF YES VOTES ON HOMEOWNERS’ TAX BILLS

This table shows the impact of Yes votes on Q1 and Q2 on homeowners’ tax bills. A Yes vote on either question will result in a tax increase. The amount of the tax increase depends on your home’s assessed value. The numbers for the average homeowner have been shared widely, but everyone's individual picture will look different depending on the home’s assessed value.

While many homes in Montclair are selling for over $1 million, most homes are assessed for less. The chart below shows how the tax impact will vary based on the percentage of homes that fall within a grouping of assessed values (this table is based on a current assessed values, which will change with a reassessment, which Essex County has ordered must be in place by 2028).

The chart depicts only the potential increases due to the ballot measure, and does not cover other increases that could happen.

Using column 1, here’s how to read this table:  10% of homes in town are assessed at or below $288,200. The next 10% of homes are taxed between $288,200 and $362,900, and so on. The 90th percentile means that 10% of homes have an assessed value of at least $1,020,360.

Look up your home’s assessed value here.

Find the database used for this analysis here.

Author: Jason Bell

This table shows the impact of Yes votes on Q1 and Q2 on homeowners’ tax bills. A Yes vote on either question will result in a tax increase. The amount of the tax increase depends on your home’s assessed value. The numbers for the average homeowner have been shared widely, but everyone's individual picture will look different depending on the home’s assessed value.

While many homes in Montclair are selling for over $1 million, most homes are assessed for less. The chart below shows how the tax impact will vary based on the percentage of homes that fall within a grouping of assessed values (this table is based on a current assessed values, which will change with a reassessment, which Essex County has ordered must be in place by 2028).

The chart depicts only the potential increases due to the ballot measure, and does not cover other increases that could happen.

Using column 1, here’s how to read this table:  10% of homes in town are assessed at or below $288,200. The next 10% of homes are taxed between $288,200 and $362,900, and so on. The 90th percentile means that 10% of homes have an assessed value of at least $1,020,360.

Look up your home’s assessed value here.

Find the database used for this analysis here.

Author: Jason Bell