North Bergen, New Jersey

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North Bergen, New Jersey
Map highlighting North Bergen within Hudson County. Inset: Location of Hudson County in New Jersey.
Map highlighting North Bergen within Hudson County. Inset: Location of Hudson County in New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of North Bergen, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of North Bergen, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40°47′41″N 74°1′11″W / 40.79472, -74.01972
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Hudson
Incorporated April 10, 1843
Government
 - Type Walsh Act (New Jersey)
 - Mayor Nicholas Sacco
Area
 - Total 5.6 sq mi (14.5 km²)
 - Land 5.2 sq mi (13.5 km²)
 - Water 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km²)
Elevation [1] 210 ft (64 m)
Population (2006)[2]
 - Total 57,237
 - Density 11,179.6/sq mi (4,316.5/km²)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 07047
Area code(s) 201
FIPS code 34-52470[3]
GNIS feature ID 0882223[4]
Website: http://www.northbergen.org

North Bergen is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 58,092.

North Bergen was incorporated as a township on April 10, 1843, by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature, from Bergen Township. Portions of the township have been taken to form Hoboken Township (April 9, 1849, now the City of Hoboken), Hudson Town (April 12, 1852, later part of Hudson City), Hudson City (April 11, 1855, later annexed by Jersey City), Guttenberg (formed within the township on March 9, 1859, and set off as an independent municipality on April 1, 1878), Weehawken (March 15, 1859), Union Township and West Hoboken Township (both created on February 28, 1861), Union Hill town (March 29, 1864) and Secaucus (March 12, 1900).[5]

Contents

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 5.6 square miles (14.6 km²), of which, 5.2 square miles (13.5 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (7.47%) is water. North Bergen meets with Union City and Jersey City at a single point.

Shaped like an inverted "L", North Bergen has a large section stretching from north to south, and a smaller section stretching from east to west. That small north-east portion of North Bergen is considered the Woodcliff section. This area is directly juxtaposed to the Braddock North Hudson Park, along Woodcliff Avenue & JFK Boulevard East. Since this small stretch of land has river exposure to the east, the park to the west, and is sandwiched between the two towns of Cliffside Park (Bergen County) to the north, and Guttenberg (Hudson county) to the south, it is in high demand. This area is considered geographically and demographically separated from the rest of North Bergen.

North Bergen also has a diverse amount of geological features. For example, a rock formation in western North Bergen (located at 40°48′27″N, 74°01′05″W) is composed of unusual serpentine rock and made up of small rock cliffs. Because of this, it is unusable by developers, and is one of the few undeveloped parts of North Bergen.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1930 40,714
—
1940 39,714 -2.5%
1950 41,560 4.6%
1960 42,387 2.0%
1970 47,751 12.7%
1980 47,019 -1.5%
1990 48,414 3.0%
2000 58,092 20.0%
Est. 2006 57,237 [2] -1.5%
Population 1930 - 1990.[6]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 58,092 people, 21,236 households, and 14,249 families residing in the township. The population density was 11,179.6 people per square mile (4,313.4/km²). There were 22,009 housing units at an average density of 1, 634.2/km² (4,235.5/sq mi). The racial makeup of the township was 67.36% White, 2.72% African American, 0.40% Native American, 6.47% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 15.53% from other races, and 7.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 57.25% of the population.

There were 21,236 households out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the township the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $40,844, and the median income for a family was $46,172. Males had a median income of $35,626 versus $29,067 for females. The per capita income for the township was $20,058. About 9.6% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Commerce

North Bergen is in a state-established "Urban Enterprise Zone," which was implemented through a program designed to assist businesses in communities across New Jersey. Businesses within the zone are eligible for a variety of incentives, including a sales tax reduction to customers of 3½% (from the mandated 7% statewide sales tax), with no tax on clothing or on purchases made by merchants related to running their businesses. Revenue generated from the reduced sales tax is maintained in a special fund dedicated for use within the zone for specific economic development and physical improvement projects. The zone was established in February 1995 through the efforts of Senator Sacco, one of the sponsors of the state's Urban Enterprise Zone legislation.[7]

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

North Bergen is governed under the Walsh Act form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of five commissioners elected at large to the Township Committee in non-partisan elections to serve four-year terms of office on a concurrent basis. After each election, the commissioners select one of their members to serve as mayor and each individual is assigned to head one of the five commissions.[8] North Bergen has been governed under the Walsh Act by a five-member commission since 1931.[9]

Members of the North Bergen Township Committee are[10]:

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

North Bergen is split between the Ninth and Thirteenth Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 32nd Legislative District.[11]

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's Thirteenth Congressional District, covering portions of Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, and Union Counties, is now represented by Albio Sires (D, West New York), who won a special election held on November 7, 2006 to fill the vacancy the had existed since January 16, 2006. The seat had been represented by Bob Menendez (D), who was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the seat vacated by Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine. New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 32nd District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nicholas Sacco (D, North Bergen) and in the Assembly by Vincent Prieto (D, Secaucus) and Joan M. Quigley (D, Jersey City).[12] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[13]

Hudson County's County Executive is Thomas A. DeGise. The executive, together with the Board of Chosen Freeholders in a legislative role, administer all county business. Hudson County's nine Freeholders (as of 2006) are: District 1: Doreen McAndrew DiDomenico; District 2: William O'Dea; District 3: Jeffrey Dublin; District 4: Eliu Rivera; District 5: Maurice Fitzgibbons; District 6: Tilo Rivas; District 7: Gerald Lange Jr.; District 8: Thomas Liggio; and District 9: Albert Cifelli.

[edit] Education

The North Bergen School District serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[14]) are six elementary schools — Robert Fulton School (K-8; 1,157), Franklin School (K-8; 660 students), John F. Kennedy School (K-8; 547), Lincoln School (PreK-8; 1,195), Horace Mann School (K-8; 1,048) and McKinley School (PreK-8; 461) — and North Bergen High School for grades 9-12 (2,399). Students from Guttenberg attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Guttenberg Public School District.[15]

[edit] Transportation

Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) service is available at the Tonnelle Avenue station. HBLR is a light rail system, owned by New Jersey Transit and operated by the 21st Century Rail Corporation, that connects the Hudson County communities of Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City and North Bergen. Service is available to Hoboken Terminal and two stations at West Side Avenue in Jersey City and 22nd Street in Bayonne.

Route 495, Route 3 and U.S. Route 1/9 are major highways within the township's borders, and the New Jersey Turnpike is easily accessible.

New Jersey Transit bus service is available to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 121, 125, 127, 128, 154, 156, 158, 159, 165, 166, 168, 320 routes. The George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal is served by the 181 and 188. Jersey City is accessible via the 22, 23, 83, 84, 85, 86, 88 and 89 routes. Local routes are served by the 751.[16]

The closest airport in New Jersey with scheduled passenger service is Newark Liberty International Airport, located 13.7 miles away straddling the border between Newark and Elizabeth. New York City's LaGuardia Airport is 16.0 miles away in Flushing, Queens, via the George Washington Bridge.

[edit] Noteworthy residents

[edit] Points of interest

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ USGS GNIS: Township of North Bergen, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed January 4, 2008.
  2. ^ a b Census data for North Bergen township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 11, 2007.
  3. ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  4. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  5. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 145.
  6. ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  7. ^ District 32 Profile, accessed May 13, 2007. "Senator Nicholas J. Sacco, a Senator since 1994, is chair of the Transportation Committee; he also has been the mayor of North Bergen since 1985.... He was a sponsor of the state's Urban Enterprise Zone legislation..."
  8. ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 142.
  9. ^ The Commission Form of Municipal Government, p. 53. Accessed August 11, 2007.
  10. ^ Elected Officials, North Bergen Township. Accessed May 22, 2008.
  11. ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 61, accessed August 30, 2006.
  12. ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
  13. ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
  14. ^ Data for the North Bergen School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed May 22, 2008.
  15. ^ Staff. "Schools and taxes: Vote on school board, budgets this Tuesday", Hudson Reporter, April 13, 2008. Accessed May 22, 2008. "In tiny Guttenberg, the race is actually more interesting, even though the town only has one school (Anna L. Klein School) and sends its high schoolers to North Bergen High."
  16. ^ Hudson County Bus/rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed July 3, 2007.
  17. ^ "New Champion", Time (magazine), June 24, 1935. Accessed May 13, 2007. "Improvident of his earnings when he was a top-flight light heavyweight seven years ago, 29-year-old Jimmy Braddock had, after successive defeats, toppled completely out of the prize ring. He worked briefly as a janitor. He made a pittance as a stevedore on the New Jersey docks opposite Manhattan. Finally he changed his name to No. 2796 on the North Bergen (N. J.) relief rolls last year."
  18. ^ Diamond, Jamie. "FILM; Bringing You a Musical . . . With No Music", The New York Times, January 30, 1994. Accessed November 28, 2007.
  19. ^ James L. Brooks, Internet Movie Database. Accessed November 29, 2006.
  20. ^ Hague, Jim; "A teen Latin pop star" Union City Reporter; November 11]], 2007]
  21. ^ Abbott, Gary. "NYAC beats Russia, 14-11 in freestyle and Romania 14-12 in Greco-Roman in dual meet in New Jersey", United States Olympic Committee, November 16, 2007. Accessed December 1, 2007. "Hometown hero Steve Mocco, who grew up in nearby North Bergen, N.J., stopped Soslan Gagloev of Russia, 1-0, 2-0."
  22. ^ Bill Raisch, Internet Movie Database. Accessed November 29, 2006.
  23. ^ Frederick Reines - 1995 Nobel Prize in Physics, High Tech Mag, March 16, 2005.
  24. ^ Obituary: John Scarne, Gambling Expert, The New York Times, July 9, 1985.
  25. ^ Blumenthal, Max. "Hannity's Soul-Mate of Hate", The Nation (web-only), June 3, 2005. Accessed May 13, 2007. "This year a man named Hal Turner sat before his computer at his suburban home in North Bergen, New Jersey, posting bomb-making tips on his website, hailing the firebombing of an apartment containing "Savage Negroes" and calling for the murder of immigrants."
  26. ^ "Ice-T turns from cop-killing talk to posing nude", MSNBC, November 3, 2006. Accessed May 13, 2007

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Municipalities and communities of
Hudson County, New Jersey
County seat: Jersey City
Cities
Map of New Jersey highlighting Hudson County
Borough
Towns
Townships

North Bergen | Weehawken
Communities

Coordinates: 40°48′15″N, 74°00′44″W