Carneys Point Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 17.739 square miles (45.944 km²), including 16.864 square miles (43.678 km²) of land and 0.875 square miles (2.266 km²) of water (4.93%). The Salem River flows along a portion of the township's southern boundary.

Carneys Point CDP (with a 2010 Census population of 7,382) is a unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Carneys Point Township.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Biddles Landing, Helms Cove, Iddles Landing, Laytons Lake, and Riddles Landing.

The township borders the Salem County municipalities of Mannington Township, Pennsville Township, Oldmans Township, Penns Grove and Pilesgrove Township.

Carneys Point Township is connected to the State of Delaware by the Delaware Memorial Bridges over the Delaware River.

Dupont Chambers Work

The town is home to Dupont Corporation Chamber Works. The facility was listed No. 4 on the Mother Jones Top 20 polluters of 2010, legally discharging over 5,000,000 pounds (2,300,000 kg) of toxic chemicals into New Jersey/Delaware waterways. In 2016, the township initiated a $1.1 billion lawsuit against the corporation, accusing it of divesting an unprofitable company with out first remediating the property as required by law.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 8,049 people, 3,264 households, and 2,033 families residing in the township. The population density was 477.3 per square mile (184.3/km²). The township contained 3,502 housing units at an average density of 207.7 per square mile (80.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 74.08% (5,963) White, 16.91% (1,361) Black or African American, 0.21% (17) Native American, 0.81% (65) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 5.65% (455) from other races, and 2.34% (188) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 11.18% (900) of the population.

Out of a total of 3,264 households, 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the township, 20.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.2 years. For every 100 females the census counted 90.2 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 85.3 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $51,277 (with a margin of error of +/- $4,039) and the median family income was $65,224 (+/- $7,825). Males had a median income of $46,529 (+/- $2,972) versus $39,722 (+/- $5,309) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,020 (+/- $2,212). About 4.3% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 7,684 people, 3,121 households, and 2,050 families residing in the township. The population density was 439.1 people per square mile (169.5/km²). There were 3,330 housing units at an average density of 190.3 per square mile (73.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 78.53% White, 16.27% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.10% from other races, and 1.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.98% of the population.

There were 3,121 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the township the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $41,007, and the median income for a family was $52,213. Males had a median income of $39,861 versus $26,773 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,978. About 8.3% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Carneys Point Township is governed under the Township form of government. The five-member Township Committee is elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, members of the Carneys Point Township Committee are Mayor Joseph F. Racite (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2017; term as mayor ends 2016), Deputy Mayor Wayne Pelura (R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2016), Ken Brown (D, 2017), Kenneth R. Dennis (R, 2018) and Marcus E. Dowe Jr. (D, 2016).

After counting all ballots in the November 2014 general election, incumbent Democrat Charles C. Newton and his Republican challenger Joseph F. Racite were deadlocked at 1,001 votes for the second of two seats up for vote on the township committee, despite Newton's initial four-vote edge after the machine votes were counted. In a runoff election held on December 30, Racite prevailed and was elected to take the seat by a 660-585 margin.

Federal, state and county representation

Carneys Point Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.

New Jersey's Second Congressional District is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Ventnor City). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 3rd Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Stephen M. Sweeney (D, West Deptford Township) and in the General Assembly by John J. Burzichelli (D, Paulsboro) and Adam Taliaferro (D, Woolwich Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Salem County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders who are elected at-large to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Director and a Deputy Director from among its members. As of 2014, Salem County's Freeholders (with party, residence, term-end year and committee chairmanship listed in parentheses) are Director Julie A. Acton (R, Pennsville Township, 2016; Administration), Deputy Director Dale A. Cross (R, Pennsville Township, 2014; Public Safety), Bruce L. Bobbitt (D, Pilesgrove Township, 2014; Public Services), Ben Laury (R, Elmer, 2015; Public Works) Beth E. Timberman (D, Woodstown, 2015; Social Services), Robert J. Vanderslice (R, Pennsville Township, 2014; Health and Human Services) Lee R. Ware (D, Elsinboro Township, 2016; Transportation, Agriculture and Cultural Affairs). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Gilda T. Gill (2014), Sheriff Charles M. Miller (2015) and Surrogate Nicki A. Burke (2015).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 5,154 registered voters in Carneys Point Township, of which 1,587 (30.8% vs. 30.6% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 927 (18.0% vs. 21.0%) were registered as Republicans and 2,640 (51.2% vs. 48.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 64.0% (vs. 64.6% in Salem County) were registered to vote, including 80.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 84.4% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 58.1% of the vote (1,974 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 40.6% (1,379 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (46 votes), among the 3,429 ballots cast by the township's 5,397 registered voters (30 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 63.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,138 votes (57.3% vs. 50.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,494 votes (40.0% vs. 46.6%) and other candidates with 61 votes (1.6% vs. 1.6%), among the 3,732 ballots cast by the township's 5,471 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.2% (vs. 71.8% in Salem County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 1,671 votes (52.6% vs. 45.9% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 1,455 votes (45.8% vs. 52.5%) and other candidates with 28 votes (0.9% vs. 1.0%), among the 3,177 ballots cast by the township's 4,886 registered voters, for a turnout of 65.0% (vs. 71.0% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.4% of the vote (1,352 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 36.5% (804 votes), and other candidates with 2.0% (45 votes), among the 2,375 ballots cast by the township's 5,308 registered voters (174 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 44.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 987 ballots cast (42.7% vs. 39.9% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 926 votes (40.1% vs. 46.1%), Independent Chris Daggett with 209 votes (9.0% vs. 9.7%) and other candidates with 47 votes (2.0% vs. 2.0%), among the 2,312 ballots cast by the township's 5,406 registered voters, yielding a 42.8% turnout (vs. 47.3% in the county).

Education

Students in public school for pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional School District, together with students from Penns Grove. Most students in grades 9 to 12 from Oldmans Township attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Oldmans Township School District, with the balance attending Woodstown High School in the Woodstown-Pilesgrove Regional School District.

As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's five schools had an enrollment of 2,312 students and 202.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.45:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Lafayette-Pershing School for grades Pre-K to K (368 students), Field Street School for grades 1 - 3 (519), Paul W. Carleton School for grades 4 and 5 (344), Penns Grove Middle School for grades 6 - 8 (516) and Penns Grove High School grades 9 - 12 (565).

Roads and highways

Carneys Point hosts various state routes, US routes, and limited access roads. As of May 2010, the township had a total of 78.17 miles (125.80 km) of roadways, of which 35.61 miles (57.31 km) were maintained by the municipality, 20.50 miles (32.99 km) by Salem County and 17.37 miles (27.95 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 4.69 miles (7.55 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Two major county routes that passes through are County Route 540 and County Route 551. For state roads, it houses Route 48, Route 49 and Route 140. U.S. Route 40 runs through the southern part of the municipality while U.S. Route 130 travels through the northwest and goes right into Carneys Point. Interstate 295 passes through and two exits are within the township: Exits 2 and 4. The New Jersey Turnpike also travels through and houses Interchange 1 and its high-speed toll gate featuring E-ZPass Express Lanes, and a "lighthouse" to mark the gateway of New Jersey. The Delaware Memorial Bridge is outside the township in neighboring Pennsville.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers bus service to Philadelphia on the 402 route, with local service offered on the 423 and 468 routes.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Carneys Point Township include: