Palisades Park, residential borough (1990 pop. 14,536), Bergen co., NE N.J.; inc. 1899.

Palisades Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 17,073.

The Borough of Palisades Park was created by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 22 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township. A portion of its area was taken by Fort Lee in April 1909.

Geography

Palisades Park is located at (40.845742, -73.994795).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²), of which, 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (4.72%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, 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/sq mi (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. In this same 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.

Government

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. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office and only votes to break a tie. 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.

The Mayor of Palisades Park is James Rotundo (D, term ends December 31, 2010). Members of the Borough Council are Yolanda Iacobino (D, 2009), Jason Kim (D, 2010), Mark Pasquali (D, 2008), Cynthia Pierra (D, 2008), Henry Ruh (D, 2010) and Joseph Testa (D, 2009).

In elections held on November 6, 2007, 31% of registered voters turned out to fill two three-year seats on the Borough Council. Democratic incumbent Jason Kim (1,236 votes) and running mate Henry Ruh (1,239) won election to the council, defeating Republicans Anthony Sambogna (671) and Anne Fiscella (620).

On Election Day, November 7, 2006, Democratic Party incumbents won re-election to all three open seats on the ballot, retaining their full control of the municipal government. James M. Rotundo (1,961 votes) won his first full four-year term as Mayor — a position he had been appointed to in 2004 after the death of his predecessor, Sandy Farber — defeating Republican Anthony Sambogna (842). Joseph A. Testa (1,902) and Yolanda Iacobino (1,770) were re-elected to three-year terms of office on the Borough Council, defeating Democrats Carol Magner (899) and Alan McLean (809).

Federal, state and county representation

Palisades Park is in the Ninth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 37th Legislative District.

Politics

As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 18,301 in Palisades Park, there were 6,593 registered voters (36.0% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 1,105 (16.8% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,193 (18.1% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 4,294 (65.1% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There was one voter registered to another party.

On the national level, Palisades Park leans strongly toward the Democratic Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 59% of the vote here, defeating Republican George W. Bush, who received around 41%.

Education

The Palisades Park Public School District serve students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Lindbergh Elementary School, which serves 787 students in grades K-7 and Palisades Park High School with 649 students in grades 8-12.

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.

New Jersey Transit bus routes 127, 154, 155, 157, 168, 166, 751 and 755 all serve Palisades Park.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Palisades Park include:

• John J. Dickerson (1900-1966), politician who served as Mayor of Palisades Park from 1939-1952, and was Chairman of the New Jersey Republican State Committee.

References

External links

• Palisades Park Public School District
• Palisades Park Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics
• Palisades Park Public Library Multimedia Center
• Palisades Park city data