Old Tappan, New Jersey

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Old Tappan, New Jersey
Map highlighting Old Tappan's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Old Tappan, New Jersey
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Bergen
Incorporated	October 18, 1894
Government
- Type	Borough
- Mayor	Victor Polce (R, 2011)
- Borough Administrator	Mary Carmenini
Area
- Total	4.1 sq mi (10.6 km˛)
- Land	3.2 sq mi (8.4 km˛)
- Water	0.8 sq mi (2.2 km˛)
Elevation	79 ft (24 m)
Population (2006)
- Total	6,013
- Density	1,697.4/sq mi (655.4/km˛)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	07675
Area code(s)	201
FIPS code	34-54870
GNIS feature ID	0885336
Website: http://oldtappan.net

Old Tappan is a Borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 5,482.

Old Tappan was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on October 18, 1894, from portions of Harrington Township, at the height of the Boroughitis phenomenon sweeping through Bergen County, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier. On April 23, 1896, additional territory was annexed from Harrington Township.

Geography

Old Tappan is located at 41°0′41″N, 73°59′1″W (41.011342, -73.983546) One of only four confluence points in New Jersey, the 41°N 74°W crossing, is in Old Tappan on watershed property owned by United Water (see link below).

Old Tappan is bordered to the north by the town of Tappan in Orangetown, New York. Lake Tappan and the Hackensack River are on the western side of the town, bordering River Vale. Harrington Park is to the south and Northvale and Norwood are to the east.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.6 km˛), of which, 3.2 square miles (8.4 km˛) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.2 km˛) of it (20.83%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,482 people, 1,778 households, and 1,541 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,697.4 people per square mile (655.3/km˛). There were 1,804 housing units at an average density of 558.6/sq mi (215.6/km˛). The racial makeup of the borough was 82.69% White, 0.60% African American, 0.05% Native American, 15.63% Asian, 0.44% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.75% of the population.

There were 1,778 households out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.7% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.3% were non-families. 12.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the borough the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $102,127, and the median income for a family was $106,772. Males had a median income of $77,635 versus $48,047 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $48,367. About 1.0% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

The Borough of Old Tappan operates under the Borough form of government. The Borough is governed by a Mayor and six Borough Council members. The Mayor is elected to a 4-year term; the Council members are elected to 3-year terms, with two seats coming up for election each year. The Mayor votes only in the event of a tie.

This seven-member governing body is empowered to enact local ordinances, to levy municipal taxes and conduct the affairs of our community. In almost all cases, it can review and approve the actions of other Borough of Old Tappan boards, committees and agencies. The Mayor and Borough Council conducts all of it business during monthly meetings open to the public.

All Legislative powers of the Borough are exercised by the Mayor and Council. These powers can take the form of a resolution, ordinance or proclamation.

The Mayor of Old Tappan is Victor Polce (R, term ends December 31, 2011). Members of the Old Tappan Borough Council are Ronald Binaghi Jr. (R; 2008), Guy Carnazza (R; 2009), Victor Cioce (R; 2010), Anna Haverilla (R; 2009), John Kramer (R; 2008) and Matthew M. Nalbandian (R, 2010).

In elections held on November 6, 2007, voters turned out to fill a four-year term for mayor and two three-year seats on the Borough Council. Republican incumbent Victor M. Polce (1,174 votes) won re-election as mayorr, defeating Democratic challenger Carmen Ein (655). Republican councilmembers Matthew M. Nalbandian (1,106) and Victor Cioce (1,072) won new three-year terms, ahead of Democrats John L. Shahdanian II (725) and Dominic J. Mingione (678).

On Election Day, November 7, 2006, voters filled two three-year seats on the Borough Council. As of Election Day, the Mayor and Council were all Republicans, in a community in which registered Republicans outnumbered Democrats by an almost 2-1 margin. Republican incumbents Anna Haverilla (1,086 votes) and Guy Carnazza (1,063) were both re-elected, defeating Democrats John Shahdanian II (896) and Stuart Abrams (876).

Federal, state and county representation

Old Tappan is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 39th Legislative District.

New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District, covering the northern portions of Bergen County, Passaic County and Sussex County and all of Warren County, is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). 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 39th district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Gerald Cardinale (R, Demarest) and in the Assembly by John E. Rooney (R, Northvale) and Charlotte Vandervalk (R, Hillsdale). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Bergen County's County Executive is Dennis McNerney (D). The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairman Tomas J. Padilla (D, Park Ridge), Vice-Chairman Elizabeth Calabrese (D, Wallington), David L. Ganz (D, Fair Lawn), James M. Carroll (D, Demarest), Bernadette P. McPherson (D, Rutherford), Julie O'Brien (D) and Connie Wagner (D).

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

Politics

As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 5,869 in Old Tappan, there were 3,680 registered voters (62.7% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 451 (12.3% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 814 (22.1% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 2,414 (65.6% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There was one voter registered to another party.

On the national level, Old Tappan leans toward the Republican Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 56% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry, who received around 43%.

Education

The Old Tappan Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The T. Baldwin Demarest School serves 444 students in grades Kindergarten to 4. Charles DeWolf School serves 364 students in grades 5 - 8.

Students in public school for grades 9-12 attend Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan which serves students from Harrington Park, Northvale, Norwood and Old Tappan. The high school is part of the Northern Valley Regional High School District, which also serves students from Closter, Demarest and Haworth at Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest.

Transportation

Main roads include Tappan Road, Old Tappan Road, Westwood Avenue, and Orangeburg Road.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Old Tappan include: