Palisades Park, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.276 square miles (3.304 km²), including 1.251 square miles (3.241 km²) of land and 0.025 square miles (0.064 km²) of water (1.93%).

The borough borders Fort Lee, Leonia, Ridgefield and Ridgefield Park.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Morsemere.

2010 Census

The 2010 United States Census counted 19,622 people, 6,934 households, and 5,020 families residing in the borough. The population density was 15,681.6 per square mile (6,054.7/km²). The borough contained 7,362 housing units at an average density of 5,883.6 per square mile (2,271.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 28.90% (5,670) White, 1.96% (385) Black or African American, 0.31% (60) Native American, 57.84% (11,350) Asian, 0.05% (10) Pacific Islander, 9.00% (1,765) from other races, and 1.95% (382) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 18.22% (3,575) of the population.

Out of a total of 6,934 households, 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the borough, 16.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 37.9% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.0 years. For every 100 females the census counted 99.7 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 98.3 males.

As of the 2010 Census, 51.5% of the population (10,115) reported themselves as being of Korean ancestry, with both the highest Korean-American density and percentage of any municipality in the United States. Broad Avenue in Palisades Park's Koreatown has been characterized as a major epicenter of Korean American life.

Same-sex couples headed 41 households in 2010, an increase from the 37 counted in 2000.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $55,602 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,300) and the median family income was $66,725 (+/- $8,196). Males had a median income of $43,919 (+/- $8,170) versus $46,014 (+/- $6,780) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,666 (+/- $2,900). About 12.0% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 17,073 people, 6,247 households, and 4,447 families residing in the borough. The population density was 14,112.4 people per square mile (5,447.9/km²). There were 6,386 housing units at an average density of 5,278.6 per square mile (2,037.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 48.27% White, 1.38% African American, 0.19% Native American, 41.09% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.80% from other races, and 3.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.48% of the population.

In 2000, 36.38% of Palisades Park residents identified as being of Korean heritage. This was the highest percentage of Korean Americans of any place in the country with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry and more than double that of second-ranked Cerritos, California. Also in the 2000 Census, 3.1% of Palisades Park's residents identified themselves as being of Croatian ancestry. This was the second highest percentage of people with Croatian ancestry in any place in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.

There were 6,247 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the borough, the population was spread out with 19.4% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 37.8% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $48,015, and the median income for a family was $54,503. Males had a median income of $37,204 versus $31,997 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $22,607. About 8.5% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Palisades Park is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government 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 Palisades Park, 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 Palisades Park is Democrat James Rotundo, whose term of office ends December 31, 2018. Members of the Borough Council are Christopher J. Chung (D, 2016; elected to serve an unexpired term), Frank Donohue (D, 2017), Jong Chul Lee (D, 2018), Cyndy Pirrera (D, 2017), Henry Ruh (D, 2016) and Joseph Testa (D, 2018).

Christopher Chung was sworn into office in January 2014, having been selected by the council from among three names submitted by the Democratic Municipal Committee to fill the vacant seat of Jason Kim, who had resigned earlier that month.

Federal, state and county representation

Palisades Park is located in the 9th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 37th 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 37th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Loretta Weinberg (D, Teaneck) and in the General Assembly by Valerie Huttle (D, Englewood) and Gordon M. Johnson (D, Englewood). 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 6,410 registered voters in Palisades Park, of which 1,839 (28.7% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,128 (17.6% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 3,443 (53.7% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 32.7% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 39.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,487 votes here (67.1% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1,147 votes (31.0% vs. 43.5%) and other candidates with 39 votes (1.1% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,704 ballots cast by the borough's 6,925 registered voters, for a turnout of 53.5% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,646 votes here (58.7% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,746 votes (38.7% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 46 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 4,508 ballots cast by the borough's 6,906 registered voters, for a turnout of 65.3% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 2,650 votes here (58.6% vs. 51.7% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 1,830 votes (40.4% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 22 votes (0.5% vs. 0.7%), among the 4,525 ballots cast by the borough's 7,033 registered voters, for a turnout of 64.3% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 50.6% of the vote (919 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 47.6% (864 votes), and other candidates with 1.8% (33 votes), among the 1,878 ballots cast by the borough's 6,473 registered voters (62 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 29.0%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 1,498 ballots cast (58.1% vs. 48.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 913 votes (35.4% vs. 45.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 91 votes (3.5% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 14 votes (0.5% vs. 0.5%), among the 2,578 ballots cast by the borough's 6,693 registered voters, yielding a 38.5% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).

Education

The Palisades Park Public School District serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's three schools had an enrollment of 1,371 students and 126.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.83:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Dr. Charles R. Smith Early Childhood Center (326 students in grades K-1) Charles A. Lindbergh Elementary School (549 students in grades 2-7) and Palisades Park High School (496 students in grades 8-12).

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 28.00 miles (45.06 km) of roadways, of which 22.80 miles (36.69 km) were maintained by the municipality, 1.01 miles (1.63 km) by Bergen County and 4.19 miles (6.74 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Roadways in Palisades Park include U.S. Route 1/9, U.S. Route 46, Route 5, Route 63, Route 93 and County Route 501.

The nearby George Washington Bridge, the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge, provides access to Palisades Park from Manhattan in New York City via adjacent Fort Lee.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service between the borough and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 127, 154, 155, 157, 166 and 168 routes, to Jersey City on the 83 route, with local service offered on the 751 and 755 bus lines.

Rockland Coaches provides service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal on routes 11T/11AT, 14ET, 20/20T and 21T and on the 14K route to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station.

Comfort women controversy

In May 2012, borough officials in Palisades Park rejected requests by two diplomatic delegations from Japan to remove a small monument from a public park, a brass plaque on a block of stone, dedicated in 2010 to the memory of the 200,000 comfort women forced into sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers during World War II. Japanese officials from the first delegation had cited apologies offered by that country's government for its involvement as justifying the removal of the monument, while officials from the second delegation claimed the "comfort women were a lie". Days later, a South Korean delegation endorsed the borough's decision.

Notable people

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