In a frank and revealing interview on The Montclair Pod, Montclair’s new schools superintendent, Ruth B. Turner, announced that the district’s financial deficit has swelled to approximately $18 million. The startling figure combines inherited debts with a newly discovered $4 to $5 million shortfall in the current budget. Compounding the crisis, Turner revealed that after a direct appeal for help, the Township of Montclair has declined to provide any financial support to the schools.
The interview, coming just two-and-a-half months into her tenure, casts a harsh light on the deep-seated fiscal and procedural issues plaguing a district that has struggled for years with leadership instability.
Read the full transcript here.
Read and Listen to Turner’s previous visit to The Montclair Pod.
Top Takeaways from the Interview
- Deficit Grows to $18 Million: The district requires approximately $18 million to settle past-due bills and properly fund the current 2025-26 school year’s budget.
- Town Denies Financial Aid: Turner met with the town’s finance committee to request assistance. Despite support from the mayor, the committee ultimately told the district they were “not able to help.”
- Cause Identified as ‘Incompetence,’ Not Fraud: Turner was adamant that a state-assigned monitor and internal reviews have found no evidence of fraud. She attributed the crisis to “bad accounting” and a history of previous administrations failing to operate within their means.
- Cuts Are Underway, and So Is Pushback: The administration has already cut all conference and travel spending. Turner expressed serious concern that she is already receiving “major pushback” on even minor cuts.
- Bond Money Is Off-Limits: The superintendent reiterated that the $180 million bond referendum passed by voters is restricted for capital improvements and cannot be used to solve this operating deficit.
- A Call for Systemic Change: Turner argued that the long-term solution requires a “greater collective effort to really look at how schools are funded” and advocate with state lawmakers for reform.
A ‘Revolving Door’ and a History of Fiscal Strain
Turner’s arrival in Montclair comes after a period of significant leadership turnover, a phenomenon she acknowledged in the interview when she urged the community to ask itself, “Why is it that we’ve had a revolving door?” She is the district’s eighth leader (including interims) in the past decade, following interim superintendent Damen Cooper who took over after the death of Jonathan Ponds in 2024. This instability has been a consistent concern for parents and staff, contributing to a sense of systemic drift.
The district’s financial woes are not new, though the scale of the current deficit is unprecedented. Past budget seasons have been fraught with difficult choices, and the debate over funding sources, particularly the township’s use of PILOT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) funds from new developments, has been a recurring point of contention. For years, education advocates have argued that the school district is entitled to a portion of these funds, a topic Turner confirmed she raised again with town officials.
Uncovering an $18 Million Crisis
Upon starting her job on July 1, Turner said she and the interim Business Administrator prioritized understanding the “financial health of the district.” It quickly became “very clear to us that things just did not seem to really add up.”
They uncovered a deficit of approximately $11.5 million, but now, factoring in the current 2025-2026 fiscal year needs, it appears that number is closer to $18 million, Turner said.
She explained the deficit is the result of years of poor fiscal practices. She described a system where budgets were built with artificially low numbers for major expenses like salaries. While payroll was always met, other massive bills were left unpaid and carried over, accumulating year after year. These include a $4.5 million debt to Essex Regional Educational Services Commission from previous years and overdue payments to utility companies.
“We’ve just kicked it down the road,” Turner said, summarizing the historical problem. She firmly placed the blame on operational failures. “It is really incompetence. It’s bad accounting,” she stated. “And it’s also… administration’s inability to say no. Decisions were made after the budget was adopted that provided services outside of the budget.”
A Plea for Help and a Difficult ‘No’
Facing a crisis she did not create, Turner reached out to the township for support. “The mayor was really gracious,” she noted, and invited the district to present its case to the town’s finance committee. Turner and Ms. Sullivan laid out the full extent of the deficit and asked for financial support.
“I was really hopeful that we would get maybe a million or two,” she admitted. But the answer was no. “To my disappointment, a week or so later, I followed up and we were told that they’re not able to help us… which was very disappointing.”
The Path Forward: Tough Choices and a Call for Unity
With no municipal bailout on the horizon, Turner is forced to make difficult decisions. She has already implemented a freeze on non-essential spending, but this has not been met with understanding. “What I get is, ‘Don’t do that. Give me this back. We need this back,'” she said, describing the community’s reaction. “We’re not even up to the point where we’re making tough decisions and I’m getting major pushback. That’s a concern for me.”
She stressed that her primary responsibility is to the district’s nearly 7,000 students and its overall financial health. “It was not my doing, but it is my responsibility,” she said of the deficit.
Looking ahead, Turner believes the only sustainable solution is to address the fundamental flaws in New Jersey’s school funding formula. But in the short term, she appealed for community cohesion. “I am optimistic that if we are open and honest and are willing to recognize that everybody’s not going to get everything that they want, but everybody should be able to have what they need… as a community we can solve this problem.”
Addressing fears that she might be the next leader to depart, she offered a firm reassurance. “I’m a firm believer… when you make a commitment, you see it to the end,” she said. “I’m optimistic that it’s a storm that we’re in, but sunny days are ahead. They really are.”
To reach the Superintendent with thoughts, questions, or concerns, you can email mpsfeedback@montclair.k12.nj.us.
Catch the latest from The Montclair Pod:
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- “Ask Our Agent”: Love It or List It? Montclair Style
- Montclair Film Fest Goes Big: Bellevue Reopening with the Sound of Music, Spike & Colbert, and a Clooney Opener
- Montclair Schools Face $19.6M Deficit: Loan and/or Tax Hike on the Horizon
