The City of Hackensack will hold a special meeting of the Mayor and Council this Wednesday to authorize a $6.5 million emergency transfer to the Hackensack Board of Education, a move designed to ensure educational continuity for the remainder of the 2025–2026 school year.
This one-time infusion aims to prevent a catastrophic mid-year disruption of student instruction following the discovery of a $17 million budgetary shortfall. Without this intervention, hundreds of children would face the immediate loss of their classroom teachers due to a widespread Reduction in Force, and the severing of essential instructional relationships just as they prepare for state testing and college admissions.
This anticipated action follows a powerful public meeting on January 21, where students, parents, and educators spoke for over three hours. Their testimony highlighted the devastating impact a mid-year upheaval would have on student success and emotional well-being.
The Mayor and Council share the firm belief that the City’s children should not “pay the price” for a crisis they did not create.
“While it is unfortunate that our community has to grapple with this news, the Board is encouraged and thankful that the City Council is helping our schools during this unprecedented time of need,” said Board President Jennifer Harris.
“Working together to support all of our City’s children is what this is truly about,” she continued. “The Council’s actions reflect the shared dedication of the Board, City, and district administration to ensuring stability in our schools and minimizing any mid-year interruption to our students’ education.”
Beyond protecting students, this transfer is a calculated, fiscally responsible move for Hackensack taxpayers. By stabilizing the District now, the City aims to avoid the appointment of a State Monitor—which could cost taxpayers up to $208,000 annually—and bypass the need for a potentially divisive public referendum to close the deficit. This intervention protects local property values and ensures that Hackensack remains in control of its own educational future.
“We have a moral responsibility to the kids of this City,” Deputy Mayor Agatha Toomey said. “We have an obligation to support them, while also doing the right thing by our taxpayers.”
A recent, rigorous audit of the Hackensack Public Schools’ finances revealed a systemic lack of fiscal diligence by previous administrators and the former Board majority. Key findings include:
- Unchecked Spending: Between 2019 and 2024, the former Board majority—most of whom were endorsed by former Mayor John Labrosse—unquestioningly “rubber-stamped” over forty unbudgeted hires. These positions cost the District $3.6 million in salary and $985,650 in health benefits.
- Failed Oversight: This environment was fostered by then-Board President Scott James-Vickery, who repeatedly claimed Trustees could not oppose any personnel recommendations by the Superintendent, directly contradicting their statutory and fiduciary duties.
- Massive Revenue Losses: The District lost approximately $15 million in tuition since 2020—plus $4 million annually into perpetuity—due to the 2019 severance of the sending-receiving relationship with Maywood Public Schools, a move championed by former Mayor Labrosse and former Councilwoman Stephanie Von Rudenborg.
- Rampant Tax Exemptions: The Labrosse Administration granted over two dozen long-term corporate tax exemptions (PILOTs) for luxury housing developments that increased student enrollment without contributing toward their education costs.
The Mayor and Council further commend the current Board Trustees for pursuing every appropriate avenue for accountability and solvency. This includes active litigation against suspended Superintendent Thomas McBryde, Jr. and former Business Administrator Lydia Singh for allegedly contributing to the shortfall by conspiring with vendors to defraud the District.
The City’s $6.5 million contribution serves as a bridge to prevent the District from falling over a “financial cliff,” but Board of Education leadership remains candid about the work ahead. While this funding is dedicated to preserving the direct educational services that impact students daily, the Board must still implement significant cost-saving measures to ensure the long-term financial solvency of the District subject to the approval of the New Jersey Department of Education.
The Board will continue their oversight role by working with District leadership to ensure that these funds prioritize the retention of classroom-facing roles to ensure instructional continuity. Efficiency measures will focus on non-instructional areas that do not directly touch the student learning experience. This balanced approach allows the District to honor its social responsibility to the youth of Hackensack while simultaneously correcting the course of its financial future.
To finalize this rescue plan, the City Council must vote to approve the transfer and the Board must vote to accept it. Residents are encouraged to attend these two pivotal sessions, which will both take place on Wednesday, January 28:
- City Council Special Meeting: 5:00 PM at City Hall
- Board of Education Special Meeting: 6:15 PM at Hackensack High School Auditorium
