East Newark, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.123 square miles (0.320 km²), including 0.102 square miles (0.265 km²) of land and 0.021 square miles (0.055 km²) of water (17.13%).

The borough is bordered on the west by Newark, on the north by Kearny, and on the south and east by Harrison.

2010 Census

The 2010 United States Census counted 2,406 people, 759 households, and 569.3 families residing in the borough. The population density was 23,532.1 per square mile (9,085.8/km²). The borough contained 794 housing units at an average density of 7,765.8 per square mile (2,998.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 63.01% (1,516) White, 1.91% (46) Black or African American, 0.42% (10) Native American, 7.81% (188) Asian, 0.04% (1) Pacific Islander, 22.90% (551) from other races, and 3.91% (94) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 61.39% (1,477) of the population.

Out of a total of 759 households, 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 18.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.17 and the average family size was 3.38.

In the borough, 22.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 14.6% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.9 years. For every 100 females the census counted 101.8 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 100.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $54,722 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,909) and the median family income was $59,423 (+/- $9,367). Males had a median income of $41,173 (+/- $3,762) versus $28,224 (+/- $4,249) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $22,242 (+/- $2,054). About 7.9% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 16.1% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 2,377 people, 767 households, and 605 families residing in the borough. The population density was 23,330.0 people per square mile (9,177.6/km²). There were 799 housing units at an average density of 7,842.1 per square mile (3,085.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 67.02% White, 1.68% African American, 0.50% Native American, 2.52% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 20.99% from other races, and 7.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 47.54% of the population.

As of the 2000 Census, 10.1% of East Newark's residents identified themselves as being of Peruvian American ancestry. This was the highest percentage of Peruvian American people in any place in the United States. In the same census, 6.2% of East Newark's residents identified themselves as being of Brazilian American ancestry, which was the highest percentage of Brazilian American people in any place in the United States. As of the 2000 Census, 7.67% of East Newark's residents identified themselves as being of Ecuadorian ancestry, which was the highest of any municipality in New Jersey and the third highest percentage of Ecuadorian people in any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.

There were 767 households out of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.1% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.40.

In the borough the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 36.7% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 103.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.5 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $44,352, and the median income for a family was $46,375. Males had a median income of $31,875 versus $24,231 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $16,415. About 11.3% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.7% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

East Newark is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by East Newark, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

As of 2016, the Mayor of East Newark is Democrat Joseph R. Smith, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the East Newark Borough Council are Council President Charles F. Tighe (D, 2016), Hans Peter Lucas (D, 2017), Yamara Salas (D, 2018), Kenneth M. Sheehan Sr. (D, 2018), Jose Silva (D, 2016) and Jeanne Zincavage (D, 2017).

In May 2014, the borough council selected Kenneth Sheehan to fill the vacant seat of Edward Serafin, who resigned from office in the previous month.

Mayor Smith is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The Coalition is co-chaired by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and former New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg.

The individuals who have served as the borough's mayor are:

Federal, state and county representation

East Newark is located in the 8th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 32nd state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, East Newark had been part of the 13th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

New Jersey's Eighth Congressional District is represented by Albio Sires (D, West New York). 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 32nd Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nicholas Sacco (D, North Bergen) and in the General Assembly by Angelica M. Jimenez (D, West New York) and Vincent Prieto (D, Secaucus). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Hudson County is governed by a directly elected County Executive and by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, which serves as the county's legislative body. As of 2015, the County Executive is Democrat Thomas A. DeGise, whose term of office ends December 31, 2015. Hudson County's nine Freeholders (with district, municipalities in district and place of residence) are Kenneth Kopacz (District 1, Bayonne and parts of Jersey City; Bayonne), William O'Dea (District 2, parts of Jersey City), Gerard M. Balmir (District 3, parts of Jersey City), Chairman E. Junior Maldonado (District 4, parts of Jersey City), Anthony Romano (District 5, Hoboken and parts of Jersey City; Hoboken), Vice-Chairman Tilo Rivas (District 6, Union City), Caridad Rodriguez (District 7, Guttenberg, Weehawken and West New York; West New York), Chairman Pro-Tempore Anthony P. Vainieri, Jr. (District 8, North Bergen, parts of Jersey City and Secaucus; North Bergen) and Albert Cifelli (District 9, East Newark, Harrison, Kearny and parts of Secaucus; Kearny), all Democrats serving terms of office ending December 31, 2017. Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Barbara A. Netchert, Sheriff Frank X. Schillari and Surrogate Joseph J. Ryglicki.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 753 registered voters in East Newark, of which 469 (62.3%) were registered as Democrats, 35 (4.6%) were registered as Republicans and 249 (33.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 82.3% of the vote (400 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 16.5% (80 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (6 votes), among the 492 ballots cast by the borough's 844 registered voters (6 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 58.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 76.0% of the vote (414 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 22.6% (123 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (4 votes), among the 545 ballots cast by the borough's 904 registered voters, for a turnout of 60.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 71.2% of the vote (337 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 26.4% (125 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (6 votes), among the 473 ballots cast by the borough's 800 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 59.1.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 64.9% of the vote (148 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 32.9% (75 votes), and other candidates with 2.2% (5 votes), among the 232 ballots cast by the borough's 884 registered voters (4 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 26.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 71.8% of the vote (234 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 21.8% (71 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 4.0% (13 votes), among the 326 ballots cast by the borough's 765 registered voters, yielding a 42.6% turnout.

Education

The East Newark School District serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade at East Newark Public School. As of the 2013-14 school year, the district's one school had an enrollment of 254 students and 19.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.1:1.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Harrison High School in Harrison, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Harrison Public Schools. Citing rising tuition costs, the district announced in 2013 that it was seeking to sever its relationship with Harrison and send its students to Kearny High School, where tuition costs for students would be substantially lower than the $14,674 per student paid to Harrison for the 2012-13 school year. In 2015, the district agreed to a new six-year sending agreement with the Kearney district under which East Newark would pay $13,000 per student, rising by 2% annually, a drop from the $16,100 cost per student paid as of the 2014-15 school year.

Public safety

East Newark is protected by a volunteer fire department. There are approximately 34 firefighters who staff one ladder and two engines. The department also has shared use of a mass decontamination unit with the Kearny and Harrison Fire Departments. The Fire Department has mutual aid agreements with all Hudson County departments and is also a member of the Southern Bergen County Mutual Aid Association.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 2.71 miles (4.36 km) of roadways, of which 2.27 miles (3.65 km) were maintained by the municipality and 0.44 miles (0.71 km) by Hudson County.

Interstate 280 passes through the southern portion of East Newark, but the entrances to interchange 16 lie in adjacent Harrison, and those for interchange 15B lie in Newark across the William A. Stickel Memorial Bridge over the Passaic River, which is crossed by the Clay Street Bridge.

Public transportation

NJ Transit bus service is available to Newark on the 30 and 76 routes.

Newark Broad Street Station is the rail station closest to East Newark, with connections to New Jersey Transit's Montclair-Boonton Line and both branches of the Morris & Essex Lines. The Broad Street Stations is also served by Newark Light Rail. The closest rapid transit service is the Harrison PATH station a few blocks south of East Newark.

The closest airport with scheduled passenger service is Newark Liberty International Airport, located 4.8 miles (7.7 km) away in Newark and Elizabeth. John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport are in Queens, New York City.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with East Newark include: