Montclair to close middle school as tax vote goes down to the wire
The district has already laid off about 150 staffers, and announced it is closing the Renaissance Middle School and turning it into a pre-K. That will save just over $2 million.
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Montclair is set to close one school to help bridge a $20 million budget gap, and parents fear another could be next. It comes as less than a dozen votes separate a plan to increase taxes year-over-year.
The district isn't sharing its final decisions publicly before the budget is unveiled Wednesday night. They say they have been difficult.
Edgemont Elementary parents and students took to the park across from the school Tuesday afternoon in a demonstration to save their school.
“All the teachers and people are so supportive, and I know that at all schools that can't always be the case," said Edgemont fourth-grader Karina.
The district has already laid off about 150 staffers and announced it is closing the Renaissance Middle School and turning it into a pre-K. That will save just over $2 million.
The town's tax vote has been razor-thin. Tuesday's updated numbers show that a single-year tax increase passed 51-49%, but the vote on a multiyear tax increase is separated by just eight votes, with mail-in ballots still pending.
It looks like we unfortunately may have fallen short on the funding vote, which is just going to bring a cycle of increasingly tough decisions," said Edgemont Elementary School PTA President Rich Reynics.
The one-year tax hike costs about $1,100 for the average assessed home value in Montclair. The potential permanent tax hike would run about $450 for the average home value.
Montclair is one of the 15 highest-taxed boroughs in New Jersey, with an average bill of over $22,000.
“If you look across New Jersey, there's probably 20-25 districts during this budget season that are all in similar predicaments," said Reynics.
Staff and parents are expecting to learn more about the plans for Edgemont Elementary, with the full district budget plan set to come out Wednesday night.
