North Haledon, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 3.498 square miles (9.061 km²), including 3.454 square miles (8.946 km²) of land and 0.044 square miles (0.115 km²) of water (1.27%).

The borough borders the municipalities of Haledon, Hawthorne, Prospect Park and Wayne in Passaic County; and Franklin Lakes and Wyckoff in Bergen County.

2010 Census

The 2010 United States Census counted 8,417 people, 3,123 households, and 2,386 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,436.8 per square mile (940.9/km²). The borough contained 3,213 housing units at an average density of 930.2 per square mile (359.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 91.53% (7,704) White, 1.76% (148) Black or African American, 0.02% (2) Native American, 3.78% (318) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.27% (107) from other races, and 1.64% (138) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 7.46% (628) of the population.

Out of a total of 3,123 households, 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.6% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the borough, 20.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.0 years. For every 100 females the census counted 89.8 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 87.8 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $103,562 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,006) and the median family income was $107,623 (+/- $8,363). Males had a median income of $71,850 (+/- $10,067) versus $49,038 (+/- $4,709) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $41,694 (+/- $4,002). About 0.7% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 0.0% of those age 65 or over.

Same-sex couples headed 24 households in 2010, more than double the 10 counted in 2000.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 7,920 people, 2,626 households, and 2,077 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,300.6 people per square mile (888.9/km²). There were 2,675 housing units at an average density of 777.0 per square mile (300.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.03% White, 1.44% African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.95% from other races, and 1.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.89% of the population.

There were 2,626 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.2% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the borough the population was spread out with 19.7% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $74,700, and the median income for a family was $80,936. Males had a median income of $52,006 versus $34,854 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,322. About 2.4% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.3% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

North Haledon 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 North Haledon, 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 North Haledon is Republican Randolph J. "Randy" George, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2018. Members of the North Haledon Borough Council are Council President Rocco Luisi (R, 2017), Michael Galluccio (D, 2016), Dennis F. Marco (D, 2016), Raymond T. Melone (R, 2017), George Pomianek (R, 2018) and Donna Puglisi (R, 2018).

Mayor Randy George was criticized by residents for his use of two borough-owned generators in the persistent electric outages during the days following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy to provide power to the refrigerators in his ice cream store, while Police Chief Robert Bracco had used another municipal-owned generator to provide power at his home. A special committee formed of borough council members found that the actions were justifiable in light of the circumstances and enabled them to serve the borough during the emergency, but recommended that rules be established to govern personal use of borough property by municipal employees and officials.

Federal, state and county representation

North Haledon is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 35th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, North Haledon had been part of the 8th 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 Eleventh Congressional District is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). 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).

Passaic County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected at-large to staggered three-year terms office on a partisan basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At a reorganization meeting held in January, the board selects a Director and Deputy Director from among its members to serve for a one-year term. As of 2015, Passaic County's Freeholders are John W. Bartlett (D, 2015; Wayne), Theodore O. Best, Jr. (D, 2017; Paterson), Ronda Cotroneo (D, 2015; Ringwood), Terry Duffy (D, 2016; West Milford), and Pat Lepore (D, 2016; Woodland Park). The last seat, vacated by Hector Lora who resigned to become mayor of Passaic, is still up for discussion as of December 2016. Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Kristin M. Corrado (R, 2019), Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik (2016) and Surrogate Bernice Toledo (2016).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 6,156 registered voters in North Haledon, of which 1,180 (19.2% vs. 31.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,051 (33.3% vs. 18.7%) were registered as Republicans and 2,923 (47.5% vs. 50.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 73.1% (vs. 53.2% in Passaic County) were registered to vote, including 91.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.8% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 64.1% of the vote (2,916 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 35.0% (1,593 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (40 votes), among the 4,584 ballots cast by the borough's 6,364 registered voters (35 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 72.0%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 3,016 votes (62.0% vs. 37.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,678 votes (34.5% vs. 58.8%) and other candidates with 46 votes (0.9% vs. 0.8%), among the 4,864 ballots cast by the borough's 6,241 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.9% (vs. 70.4% in Passaic County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,951 votes (62.9% vs. 42.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,567 votes (33.4% vs. 53.9%) and other candidates with 32 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 4,692 ballots cast by the borough's 5,831 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.5% (vs. 69.3% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.0% of the vote (2,304 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 26.3% (831 votes), and other candidates with 0.7% (22 votes), among the 3,230 ballots cast by the borough's 6,439 registered voters (73 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 50.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 2,169 votes (67.2% vs. 43.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 932 votes (28.9% vs. 50.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 79 votes (2.4% vs. 3.8%) and other candidates with 20 votes (0.6% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,226 ballots cast by the borough's 6,117 registered voters, yielding a 52.7% turnout (vs. 42.7% in the county).

Education

The North Haledon School District serves students in public school for kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its two schools had an enrollment of 812 students and 62.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.9:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Memorial School with 414 students in grades K–4 and High Mountain School with 292 students in grades 5–8.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Manchester Regional High School, which serves students from Haledon, North Haledon, and Prospect Park. The school is located in Haledon. The district participates in the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, which allows non-resident students to attend the district's schools without cost to their parents, with tuition paid by the state. Available slots are announced annually by grade. North Haledon residents had successfully voted in 2003 to leave the district, choosing to send their high school aged students to Midland Park High School in nearby Bergen County, New Jersey. In August 2004, the New Jersey Supreme Court decided against North Haledon, citing that the town's exit from the district would shift the ethnic and racial balance of the high school. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 896 students and 64.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.9:1.

Founded in 1892, Eastern Christian High School serves over 700 students in four separate school facilities covering preschool through 12th grade.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 36.97 miles (59.50 km) of roadways, of which 30.16 miles (48.54 km) were maintained by the municipality and 6.81 miles (10.96 km) by Passaic County

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides local service on the 703 route.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with North Haledon include: