Elmwood Park, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.758 square miles (7.143 km²), including 2.648 square miles (6.858 km²) of land and 0.110 square miles (0.285 km²) of water (3.99%).

The borough borders Clifton, Paterson in Passaic County across the Passaic River to the West; Fair Lawn across Willow Street, Cyril Avenue, New Jersey Route 4 (Broadway), and the Bergen County Line to the North and East; and Saddle Brook across the Bergen County Line (continued from the Fair Lawn / Saddle Brook Border along the extension of Rosario Court) and Dye Avenue continuing to between Garwood Court North and Kipp Avenue to the East and South where it borders Garfield.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names within the borough include Cherry Hill, Dundee Lake, Passaic Junction and Rosemont.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 19,403 people, 7,032 households, and 5,140 families residing in the borough. The population density was 7,327.9 per square mile (2,829.3/km²). The borough contained 7,385 housing units at an average density of 2,789.1 per square mile (1,076.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 75.37% (14,624) White, 5.25% (1,019) Black or African American, 0.33% (65) Native American, 10.72% (2,080) Asian, 0.02% (4) Pacific Islander, 5.47% (1,062) from other races, and 2.83% (549) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 21.22% (4,117) of the population.

Out of a total of 7,032 households, 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the borough, 20.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females the census counted 91.5 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 88.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $66,719 (with a margin of error of +/- $8,506) and the median family income was $75,587 (+/- $4,326). Males had a median income of $50,943 (+/- $1,704) versus $41,654 (+/- $3,193) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,959 (+/- $2,217). About 3.7% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

Same-sex couples headed 49 households in 2010, an increase from the 33 counted in 2000.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 18,925 people, 7,089 households, and 5,075 families residing in the borough. The population density was 7,129.8 people per square mile (2,757.4/km²). There were 7,242 housing units at an average density of 2,728.3 per square mile (1,055.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 78.53% White, 4.16% African American, 0.11% Native American, 7.80% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 4.44% from other races, and 2.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.39% of the population.

There were 7,089 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the borough the population was spread out with 20.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $52,319, and the median income for a family was $59,131. Males had a median income of $40,684 versus $39,535 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,588. About 4.7% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Elmwood Park 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, 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 November 2016, Robert Colletti is serving as interim mayor, following the death of Republican Richard A. Mola, who had served continuously as mayor for nearly 45 years, from 1972 (a year before the borough's name was changed from East Paterson) until his death on October 20, 2016; Colletti will serve until the November 2017 general election, when voters will choose a candidate to serve the two years remaining on Mola's term of office. Members of the Elmwood Park Borough Council are Council President Louis Vuoncino (R, 2017), Frank Caramagna (D, 2016), Anthony Chirdo (R, 2018), Joseph Dombrowski (D, 2016) and Magdalena Giandomenico (R, 2016), with a vacant seat expiring in 2017 that had been held by Robert Colletti until his appointment as mayor.

In September 2016, the borough council selected Frank Caramagna, a former concilmember, to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Democrat Stephen Martino until his resignation earlier that month after announcing that he was moving out of the borough.

Federal, state and county representation

Elmwood Park is located in the 9th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 35th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Elmwood Park had been in the 38th state legislative district.

New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District is represented by Bill Pascrell (D, Paterson). 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 35th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nellie Pou (D, North Haledon) and in the General Assembly by Shavonda E. Sumter (D, Paterson) and Benjie E. Wimberly (D, Paterson). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Bergen County is governed by a directly elected County Executive, with legislative functions performed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. As of 2015, the County Executive is James J. Tedesco III (D, Paramus; term ends December 31, 2018). The seven freeholders are elected at-large in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year, with a Chairman, Vice Chairman and Chairman Pro Tempore selected from among its members at a reorganization meeting held each January. Bergen County's Freeholders are Freeholder Chairwoman Joan Voss (D, 2017; Fort Lee), Vice Chairman Steve Tanelli (D, 2015; North Arlington) Chairman Pro Tempore John A. Felice (R, 2016; River Edge), David L. Ganz (D, 2017; Fair Lawn), Maura R. DeNicola (R, 2016; Franklin Lakes) Thomas J. Sullivan Jr., (D, Montvale, 2015; serving the unexpired term of office that had been occupied by James Tedesco before he was sworn in as County Executive) and Tracy Silna Zur (D, 2015; Franklin Lakes). Countywide constitutional officials are County Clerk John S. Hogan (D, Northvale), Sheriff Michael Saudino (R) and Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 10,470 registered voters in Elmwood Park, of which 3,256 (31.1% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,898 (18.1% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 5,312 (50.7% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 54.0% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 68.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 4,506 votes (60.6% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 2,790 votes (37.5% vs. 43.5%) and other candidates with 59 votes (0.8% vs. 0.9%), among the 7,434 ballots cast by the borough's 11,262 registered voters, for a turnout of 66.0% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 4,462 votes (55.0% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 3,459 votes (42.7% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 93 votes (1.1% vs. 0.8%), among the 8,109 ballots cast by the borough's 11,201 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.4% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 4,246 votes (54.3% vs. 51.7% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 3,474 votes (44.4% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 56 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 7,819 ballots cast by the borough's 10,922 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.6% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 58.8% of the vote (2,498 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 39.9% (1,695 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (57 votes), among the 4,383 ballots cast by the borough's 10,906 registered voters (133 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 40.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 2,297 ballots cast (48.4% vs. 48.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 2,099 votes (44.2% vs. 45.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 264 votes (5.6% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 27 votes (0.6% vs. 0.5%), among the 4,750 ballots cast by the borough's 10,758 registered voters, yielding a 44.2% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).

Education

The Elmwood Park Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2013-14 school year, the district's five schools had an enrollment of 2,529 students and 152.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 16.6:1. Schools in the district (with 2013-14 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are: Gantner Avenue Elementary School (grades K-5; 368 students), Gilbert Avenue Elementary School (K-5; 421), Sixteenth Avenue Elementary School (PreK-5; 477), Memorial Middle School (6-8; 546) and Elmwood Park Memorial High School (9-12; 717).

Despite boasting several state championship football teams in the early 1970s, the Elmwood Park High School Crusaders football team went into a lengthy period of decline. The Crusader football team had a 41-game losing streak in effect from 2002 until September 30, 2006, when they defeated the Manchester Regional High School Falcons, 33-14, snapping the four-year-long losing streak.

Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 52.86 miles (85.07 km) of roadways, of which 41.87 miles (67.38 km) were maintained by the municipality, 5.95 miles (9.58 km) by Bergen County and 3.40 miles (5.47 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 1.64 miles (2.64 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Route 4, Interstate 80, U.S. Route 46, and the Garden State Parkway serve Elmwood Park.

Public transportation

Elmwood Park is served by NJ Transit buses 160 and 161 to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, with local service on the 702, 712, 758 and 770 routes. NJ Transit's Bergen County Line tracks travel through Elmwood Park, but does not have a station stop in the borough, with the nearest stations being the Radburn and Broadway stations in Fair Lawn.

The Passaic-Bergen Rail Line is a proposed rail system that is planned to have a stop in Elmwood Park.

Points of interest

The Van Houten-Hillman House, named for Cornelius J. Van Houten who constructed the house c. 1782 and Herman Hillman who purchased it in 1898, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 9, 1983.

The House of Loud, recording studio where numerous metalcore, punk and post-hardcore bands recorded such as Pierce the Veil, Breaking Benjamin, Paramore, Papa Roach and Bring Me the Horizon.

Controversy

White supremacist groups had been meeting at a local branch of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics since the 1990s. David Duke stopped there during his 1988 presidential campaign. On September 25, 2007, the locks were changed, reported the secretary treasurer of the JOUAM. At this time, he states, "As soon as we found out, we took action," referring to the revelation that some members of the Junior Order chapter were white power activists. Numerous boxes containing tapes and books were recovered by the police, which were soon forwarded to the FBI.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Elmwood Park include: