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Highland Park, New Jersey

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Highland Park is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 13,999. It was founded in 1905 when it broke away from the then Raritan Township (present day Edison) to form an independent borough.

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Geography

Highland Park is located at [40°30′1″N, 74°25′33″W] (40.500254, -74.425700)[Geographic references#1GR1].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 4.8 km² (1.8 mi²), all land.

Highland Park received its name for its "Park-like setting", on the highland of the banks of the Raritan River, overlooking New Brunswick.

Highland Park borders Edison, New Brunswick, and Piscataway.

Demographics

As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 13,999 people, 5,899 households, and 3,409 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,937.5/km² (7,614.1/mi²). There were 6,071 housing units at an average density of 1,273.9/km² (3,302.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 72.06% White, 7.94% African American, 0.11% Native American, 13.63% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 3.59% from other races, and 2.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.18% of the population.

There were 5,899 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the borough the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 37.1% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $53,250, and the median income for a family was $71,267. Males had a median income of $47,248 versus $36,829 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,767. About 5.3% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

The borough supports several active Jewish communities, and in 1978 was one of the first towns in New Jersey to gain an Eruv. Through an arrangement with New Jersey Bell (now Verizon), a continuous wire was strung from pole to pole around the borders of the borough. The wires are inspected every Friday to ensure that the connections are complete. When intact, this Eruv, or symbolic wall, satisfies most Orthodox Jewish religious requirements allowing residents to treat the entire borough as their home during the Sabbath. (The eruv now extends into parts of Edison, New Jersey.)

Highland Park has at times been a bedroom community for nearby Rutgers University and Johnson & Johnson in New Brunswick, with a resulting academic flair to the community. Nobel laureate Selman Waksman (Medicine, 1952) lived in the borough until he moved to Piscataway in 1954, and laureate Arno Penzias (Physics, 1978) lived in the borough until the 1990s.

Government

Local government

Of New Jersey's 566 municipalities, Highland Park is one of 222 Boroughs in the state. It has a Mayor-Council form of government in which the Mayor and Borough Council have executive and legislative powers. This was meant to provide a system of checks and balances by avoiding a large concentration of power in either the Council or the office of Mayor. The Mayor votes only in case of a tie. The municipal governing body is empowered to provide for the general health, safety and welfare of its citizens; to acquire and dispose of property; make contracts; tax and enact laws. Terms of all elected officers begin January 1st following their election. The Mayor serves for four years; the six Council Members serve three-year staggered terms.

The Borough operates through Committees of the Council: Administration, Finance, Public Works, Public Safety, Community Affairs, Public Utilities, and Health, Welfare, and Recreation. The various departments, boards and commissions report to the Council through these committees.

The Mayor of Highland Park is Meryl L. Frank. The Borough Council consists of Elsie Foster-Dublin (Council President), Fern Goodhart, Jon Erickson, Gary Minkoff, Jeffrey Morris and Mark Watson

Federal, state and county representation

Highland Park is in the Sixth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 17th Legislative District.

New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District, covering portions of Middlesex County and Monmouth County, is represented by Frank Pallone (D). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Union City).

The 17th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Bob Smith (D, Piscataway) and in the Assembly by Upendra J. Chivukula (D, Somerset) and Joseph V. Egan (D, New Brunswick). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Middlesex County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Middlesex County's Freeholders are: Freeholder Director David B. Crabiel, Freeholder Deputy Director Stephen J. "Pete" Dalina, Camille Fernicola, H. James Polos, John Pulomena, Christopher D. Rafano and Blanquita B. Valenti.

Education

The Highland Park Public Schools serve students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district are [Irving Primary School] PreK-2, Principal: Eva Ogens; [Bartle Elementary School] grades 3-6, Principal: Lauren Fraser; [Highland Park Middle School] grades 7&8, Principal: Richard Horowitz; and Highland Park High School grades 9-12, Interim Building Principal: Roy Knapp.

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