The preliminary 2026 municipal budget for Montclair, New Jersey, is still being debated. Interim chief financial officer Joseph Monzo revealed that employees group health insurance premiums were the largest increase. The proposal also highlighted the rising cost of health insurance, with Monzo stating that the town made a "fiscally responsible" decision to withdraw from the state health benefits plan in 2025. The proposed budget also includes a $851 tax hike for the average homeowner and a $1.01 million dip in fund balance. However, town administrators are recommending that Montclair uses only $7 million of its surplus, an $8 million decrease from the previous year.