Little Ferry, New Jersey

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Borough of Little Ferry, New Jersey
Map highlighting Little Ferry's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey
Map highlighting Little Ferry's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Little Ferry, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Little Ferry, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40°50′58″N 74°2′27″W / 40.84944, -74.04083
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Bergen
Incorporated September 18, 1894
Government
 - Type Borough
 - Mayor Mauro D. Raguseo (D, 2011)
Area
 - Total 1.7 sq mi (4.4 km²)
 - Land 1.5 sq mi (4.0 km²)
 - Water 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
Elevation [1] 3 ft (1 m)
Population (2006)[2]
 - Total 10,715
 - Density 7,075.2/sq mi (2,725.4/km²)
Time zone U.S. EST (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) U.S. EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 07643
Area code(s) 201
FIPS code 34-40680[3]
GNIS feature ID 0877837[4]
Website: http://www.littleferrynj.org

Little Ferry is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 10,800.

Little Ferry was formed on September 18, 1894, from portions of both Lodi Township and New Barbadoes Township, at the height of Bergen County's "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County.[5][6]

New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Little Ferry as its 35th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.[7]

Contents

[edit] Geography

Little Ferry is located at 40°50′58″N, 74°2′27″W (40.849338, -74.040868)[8].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), of which, 1.5 square miles (4.0 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (9.47%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1900 1,240
—
1910 2,541 104.9%
1920 2,715 6.8%
1930 4,155 53%
1940 4,545 9.4%
1950 4,955 9%
1960 6,175 24.6%
1970 9,064 46.8%
1980 9,399 3.7%
1990 9,989 6.3%
2000 10,800 8.1%
Est. 2006 10,715 [2] −0.8%
Population 1930 - 1990.[9][10]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 10,800 people, 4,366 households, and 2,785 families residing in the borough. The population density was 7,075.2 people per square mile (2,725.4/km²). There were 4,449 housing units at an average density of 2,914.6/sq mi (1,122.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 68.76% White, 4.71% African American, 0.15% Native American, 17.10% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 5.75% from other races, and 3.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.19% of the population.

There were 4,366 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the borough the population was spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 36.3% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $49,958, and the median income for a family was $59,176. Males had a median income of $42,059 versus $34,286 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,210. About 5.9% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

Little Ferry 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.[11]

The Mayor of Little Ferry is Mauro D. Raguseo (D, term ends December 31, 2011). Members of the Borough Council are Council President Roberta Henriquez (D, term ends 2008), Thomas Quirico (D, 2008), George J. Muller (D, 2009), Patricia Navarro-Cohen (D, 2008), Thomas Sarlo (D, 2010) and Sue Schuck (D, 2010).[12][13]

In elections held on November 6, 2007, voters filled the position of Mayor and two seats on the Borough Council, with 32% of registered voters participating. Council President Mauro D. Raguseo (1,020 votes), the Democratic Party candidate, won the race for mayor, defeating Republican Foster Lowe (445). The 29-year-old Raguseo will become the youngest mayor in borough history when he takes office in January 2008. Democratic incumbents Sue Schuck (904) and Thomas Sarlo (895) won re-election to the borough council, defeating Republican challengers Bernard C. Sobolewski (555) and Beatrice Stoft (533), to retain the Democratic Party monopoly in borough government that has prevailed since 2005.[14][15]

On Election Day, November 7, 2006, two three-year terms on the borough council were up for election. As of Election Day, the council was comprised entirely of Democrats, in a community in which registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a nearly 2-1 margin. Incumbents George Muller (1,465 votes) and Mauro D. Raguseo (1,466) ran unopposed and each won their second full term on the council.[16][17][18]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Little Ferry is in the Ninth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 38th Legislative District.[19]

New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District, covering the southern portion of Bergen County and sections of Hudson County and Passaic County, is represented by Steve Rothman (D, Fair Lawn). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 38th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Robert M. Gordon (D, Fair Lawn) and in the Assembly by Joan Voss (D, Fort Lee) and Connie Wagner (D, Paramus).[20] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[21]

Bergen County's County Executive is Dennis McNerney (D).[22] The executive, along with the seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. As of 2008, Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairman Tomas J. Padilla (D, Park Ridge), Vice-Chairman Elizabeth Calabrese (D, Wallington), James M. Carroll (D, Demarest), David L. Ganz (D, Fair Lawn), Bernadette P. McPherson (D, Rutherford), Julie O'Brien (D, Ramsey) and Vernon Walton (D, Englewood).[23]

Other countywide elected officials are Sheriff Leo McGuire (D), Surrogate Court Judge Mike Dressler (D, Cresskill) County Clerk Kathleen Donovan (R, Rutherford).[24]

[edit] Politics

As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 10,840 in Little Ferry, there were 5,016 registered voters (46.3% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 956 (19.1% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 595 (11.9% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 3,464 (69.1% vs. 60.1% countywide) are registered as Undeclared. There was one voter registered to another party.[25]

On the national level, Little Ferry leans toward the Democratic Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 55% of the vote here, defeating Republican George W. Bush, who received around 44%.[26]

[edit] Education

The Little Ferry Public Schools serve students in Kindergarten through eighth grade. The district has two schools that are located across the street from each other. Grades Pre-K & 1 reside in the Washington School building (with 197 students as of 2005-06). Memorial School (756 students) houses two units. Memorial Elementary School includes Pre-K and Grades 2 - 4, while Memorial Middle School includes grades 5 - 8 and the Board of Education Offices. Two principals administer nearly 1,000 students and 77+ teachers.[27][28]

Since Little Ferry does not have its own high school, for grades 9-12, public school students attend Ridgefield Park High School, in Ridgefield Park only a couple of minutes away, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Ridgefield Park Public Schools that has been in place since 1953.[29].

[edit] Transportation

The Little Ferry Circle connects U.S. Route 46 and Bergen Turnpike. The circle was originally constructed in 1933. The circle was largely reconstructed in 1985, allowing vehicles traveling on Route 46 to pass directly through the circle. The circle has been a constant site of accidents, with 40-50 accident per year at the circle each year from 2004 through 2006.[30]

In March 2007, the New Jersey Department of Transportation proposed its latest plan to address issues at the circle. The plan would realign the circle into a straight intersection, complete with turning lanes; prohibit left turns onto many residential streets; and would include construction of a pump station to move water off the oft-flooded highway and into the Hackensack River.[31][30]

New Jersey Transit bus routes 161, 165 and 772 serve Little Ferry.[32]

The Little Ferry Seaplane Base (FAA LID: 2N7) is a public-use seaplane base located 1 mile (2 km) east of the borough's central business district, on the Hackensack River. The base is privately owned.[33]

[edit] References

  1. ^ USGS GNIS: Borough of Little Ferry, Geographic Names Information System, accessed September 19, 2007.
  2. ^ a b Census data for Little Ferry, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 30, 2007.
  3. ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  4. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  5. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 80.
  6. ^ "History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630-1923", p. 375. Only shows Lodi Township as parent municipality.
  7. ^ "Best Places To Live - The Complete Top Towns List 1-100", New Jersey Monthly, February 21, 2008. Accessed February 24, 2008.
  8. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  9. ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  10. ^ Historical Population Trends in Bergen County (1900 - 2000), Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed December 23, 2007.
  11. ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 160.
  12. ^ Little Ferry Elected officials, Borough of Little Ferry. Accessed March 24, 2008.
  13. ^ "County of Bergen: 2007 County and Municipal Directory", Bergen County, New Jersey, p. 49.
  14. ^ "Little Ferry results", The Record (Bergen County), November 6, 2007. Accessed November 10, 2007.
  15. ^ Bergen County election results, The Record (Bergen County), November 7, 2007. Accessed November 10, 2007.
  16. ^ Little Ferry Election Guide, The Record (Bergen County), November 1, 2006.
  17. ^ "Election 2006: Municipal Results", The Record (Bergen County), November 8, 2006.
  18. ^ Bergen County 2006 General Election Results, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed February 1, 2007.
  19. ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 60. Accessed August 30, 2006.
  20. ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
  21. ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
  22. ^ Bergen County Executive, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed March 25, 2008.
  23. ^ Freeholder Home Page, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed March 25, 2008.
  24. ^ Constitutional Officers, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed March 25, 2008.
  25. ^ "County of Bergen: Voter Statistics by Municipality, Ward & District", Bergen County, New Jersey, dated April 1, 2006.
  26. ^ 2004 Presidential Election results: Bergen County, New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety: Division of Elections, dated December 13, 2004.
  27. ^ About our schools, Little Ferry Public Schools. Accessed February 8, 2008.
  28. ^ Data for the Little Ferry Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed May 27, 2008.
  29. ^ James, George. "School Districts' Battle On Tuition Goes to Court", The New York Times, December 16, 1989. Accessed May 27, 2008. "Little Ferry, a borough of 1.5 square miles and 9,900 people, has sent its high school students to this neighboring 1.92-square mile village of 12,000 people, since 1953."
  30. ^ a b Furschein, Merry. DOT releases new plan to fix Little Ferry circle. The Record (Bergen County), March 30, 2007.
  31. ^ FY 2007-10 STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed April 2, 2007.
  32. ^ New Jersey Transit Bus Schedules. New Jersey Transit. Accessed August 30, 2007.
  33. ^ FAA Airport Master Record for 2N7 (Form 5010 PDF), effective 2007-12-20

[edit] Sources

  • "History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630-1923;" by "Westervelt, Frances A. (Frances Augusta), 1858-1942."
  • "Municipal Incorporations of the State of New Jersey (according to Counties)" prepared by the Division of Local Government, Department of the Treasury (New Jersey); December 1, 1958.

[edit] External links

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