East Rutherford, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 8,716.
East Rutherford's claim to national fame is that it is the home of the Meadowlands Sports Complex, which includes Continental Airlines Arena, where both the NBA New Jersey Nets and the NHL New Jersey Devils play their home games; and Giants Stadium, home of the NFL New York Giants and New York Jets as well as Red Bull New York of Major League Soccer. This makes East Rutherford the only town of fewer than 10,000 people to be home to five professional sports teams.
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[edit] Geography
East Rutherford is located at (40.830158, -74.097079)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 10.7 km² (4.2 mi²). 9.9 km² (3.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.9 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (8.19%) is water.
The Borough of East Rutherford is bounded on the north by the Boroughs of Carlstadt and Wallington and to the south by the Borough of Rutherford. The Passaic River is the western boundary and the Hackensack River is the eastern boundary. The area in which East Rutherford is located is the valley of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 8,716 people, 3,644 households, and 2,157 families residing in the borough. The population density was 883.3/km² (2,289.1/mi²). There were 3,771 housing units at an average density of 382.1/km² (990.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 79.68% White, 3.72% African American, 0.11% Native American, 10.69% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.21% from other races, and 2.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.65% of the population.
There were 3,644 households out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the borough the population was spread out with 19.4% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 36.5% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $50,163, and the median income for a family was $59,583. Males had a median income of $40,798 versus $36,047 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,072. About 7.4% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
East Rutherford is governed under the Borough form of government. In addition to a Mayor, the Borough Council consists of six members elected at large to three-year terms on a staggered basis in partisan elections.
East Rutherford's Mayor is James L. Cassella, whose current, four-year term of office ends on December 31, 2007. The Borough Council members are Joel Brizzi, Jeffrey L. Lahullier (2006), George Perry (2006), Edward Ravettine, Sam Stallone and Gary M. Viccaro.[1]
On Election day, November 7, 2006, the two parties split one seat each, on a council that is evenly split with three Republicans and three Democrats. Jeffrey J. Lahullier was successful in his bid for a second term in office, while Democratic incumbent George E. Perry, Jr., won his third term on the Council. Voters rejected a ballot initiative to add a tax of 5¢ per $100 in assessed value that would have gone to an Open Space Trust Fund.[2][3]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
East Rutherford is in the Ninth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 36th Legislative District.[4]
New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District, covering the southern portion of Bergen County and sections of Hudson County and Passaic County, is represented by Steve Rothman (D, Fair Lawn). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 36th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Paul Sarlo (D, Wood-Ridge) and in the Assembly by Frederick Scalera (D, Nutley) and Gary Schaer (D, Passaic). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Bergen County's County Executive is Dennis McNerney (D). The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairwoman Bernadette P. McPherson (D, Rutherford), Vice-Chairman David L. Ganz (D, Fair Lawn), Elizabeth Calabrese (D, Wallington), James M. Carroll (D, Demarest), Tomas J. Padilla (D, Park Ridge), Elizabeth Randall (R), Westwood) and Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D, Englewood).
Other countywide elected officials are Sheriff Leo McGuire (D), Surrogate Court Judge Mike Dressler (D, Cresskill) County Clerk Kathleen Donovan (R).
[edit] Politics
As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 8,754 in East Rutherford, there were 4,349 registered voters (49.7% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 750 (17.2% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,114 (25.6% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 2,484 (57.1% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There was one voter registered to another party.[5]
On the national level, East Rutherford is almost evenly split. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 50% of the vote here, edging Republican George W. Bush, who received around 49%.[6]
[edit] Education
Students in grades K through 8 attend the East Rutherford School District. Schools in the district (with 2003-04 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Alfred S. Faust School (403 students) and McKenzie School (361 students), both of which serve students in Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade.
For grades 9 to 12, students attend the Henry P. Becton Regional High School in East Rutherford, which serves high school students from both Carlstadt and East Rutherford. The school is part of the Carlstadt-East Rutherford Regional School District.
[edit] History
By an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1889, a portion of the old Union Township was incorporated under the name of Boiling Springs Township. The new township took its name from a spring in the community.
On March 28, 1894, Boiling Springs Township was dissolved, and in its place the Borough of East Rutherford was created. While there was no change in its borders, the name and form of government were changed[7].
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents include:
- Dick Vitale, sports broadcaster who attended high school and coached at his alma mater, East Rutherford High School. Inducted into the East Rutherford Hall of Fame in 1985.[8]
[edit] Sources
- "History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630-1923;" by "Westervelt, Frances A. (Frances Augusta), 1858-1942."
- "Municipal Incorporations of the State of New Jersey (according to Counties)" prepared by the Division of Local Government, Department of the Treasury (New Jersey); December 1, 1958.
[edit] References
- ^ East Rutherford Mayor and Borough Council, accessed September 25, 2006
- ^ East Rutherford Election guide, The Record (Bergen County), November 1, 2006
- ^ East Rutherford election results, The Record (Bergen County), November 8, 2006
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 56, accessed August 30, 2006
- ^ "County of Bergen: Voter Statistics by Municipality, Ward & District," dated April 1, 2006
- ^ 2004 Presidential Election results: Bergen County New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety: Division of Elections, dated December 13, 2004
- ^ "Municipal Incorporations, p. 77
- ^ Dick Vitale bio, ESPN.com, dated November 2004
[edit] External links
- East Rutherford official website
- East Rutherford School District
- East Rutherford School District's 2004-2005 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the East Rutherford School District
- Carlstadt-East Rutherford Regional School District
- Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Meadowlands Liberty Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
