Teaneck, New Jersey

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Township of Teaneck, New Jersey
Map highlighting Teaneck's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Teaneck, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40°53′51″N 74°00′58″W / 40.8975, -74.01611
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Bergen
Incorporated	February 19, 1895
Government
- Type	Council-Manager
- Mayor	Elie Y. Katz
- Township Manager	Helene Fall[1]
Area
- Total	6.2 sq mi (16.2 km²)
- Land	6.0 sq mi (15.7 km²)
- Water	0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
Elevation [2]	108 ft (33 m)
Population (2006)[3]
- Total	39,610
- Density	6,601.6/sq mi (2,475.6/km²)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	07666
Area code(s)	201
FIPS code	34-72360[4]
GNIS feature ID	0882227[5]
Website: http://www.TeaneckNJGov.org

Teaneck (pronounced /ˈtiːnɛk/) is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and is a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 39,260. The Census Bureau's 2006 population estimate for the township is 39,610.^[3]

Teaneck was the second-most populous municipality in Bergen County (as of the 2000 Census), and lies at the crossroads of Interstate 95 and the eastern terminus of Interstate 80. In 1965, Teaneck became the first community in the nation with a white majority to voluntarily desegregate its public schools.^[6]

Teaneck was created on February 19, 1895 by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature. Teaneck was formed from portions of Englewood Township and Ridgefield Township, both of which are now defunct (despite existing municipalities with similar names), along with portions of Bogota and Leonia.^[7] Independence followed the results of a referendum held on January 14, 1895, in which voters favored incorporation by a 46-7 margin.^[8] To assuage the concerns of Englewood Township's leaders, the new municipality was formed as a township, rather than succumbing to the borough craze sweeping across Bergen County at the time.^[8] On May 3, 1921 and on June 1, 1926, portions of what had been Teaneck were transferred to Overpeck Township.^[9]

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early history 1.2 The Revolutionary War period 1.3 The Phelps Estate 1.4 Township formed 1.5 Growth in early 20th century 1.6 Development after World War II 1.7 Historic homes 2 Geography 2.1 Climate 3 Demographics 3.1 2000 Census 3.2 Historical population data 3.3 Crime 4 Economy 5 Government 5.1 Local government 5.2 Federal, state and county representation 5.3 Politics 5.4 Taxation 6 Education 6.1 Public Schools 6.2 Private and parochial schools 7 Arts and culture 8 Athletics 9 Transportation 9.1 Highways 9.2 Public transportation 10 See also 11 References 12 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Early history

The origin and meaning of the name "Teaneck" is not known. The resemblance to certain Dutch words has encouraged speculation about a possible Dutch derivation and meaning. Likewise, the two syllables "Tea" and "Neck" have equally distinct English meanings. Teaneck is probably Native American in origin, and may mean "the woods".^[10] An alternative is from the Dutch "Tiene Neck" meaning "neck where there are willows" (from the Dutch "tene" meaning willow).^[9]

When Europeans first entered the area, "Teaneck" referred to the north-south ridge that runs along present-day Queen Anne Road, with Lenni Lenape Native Americans having established camps on either side of the ridge. The Lenape were led by a chief named Oratam, who led a group that lived in a village called Achikinhesacky, on the banks of the Tantaqua (Overpeck) Creek, on the eastern slope of Teaneck Ridge near today's Fycke Lane.^[11]

Troubles persisted between the Native Americans and the Europeans until 1655, and it wasn't until 1704 that any reference to a permanent structure within Teaneck's current boundaries can be found. Later, more houses and farm buildings were constructed along the old Indian trail that ran along and above the west bank of the Hackensack River. The neighborhood that grew here came to be known as East Hackensack or New Hackensack.

A separate group of Dutch farm houses was constructed along the eastern slope of the Teaneck ridge. There were only a few European families in this neighborhood. Teaneck has several of these early stone houses still standing, each privately owned and maintained as reminders of Teaneck's 17th and 18th century Dutch farm heritage.

[edit] The Revolutionary War period

During November of 1776, Teaneck was witness to General George Washington's famous withdrawal of Colonial forces from nearby Fort Lee on the Hudson River. Early on the morning of November 20, 1776, Washington rode by horseback from his headquarters in Hackensack through Teaneck and across the Overpeck Creek to Fort Lee. There he watched as 6,000 British troops made their way by boats up the Hudson River. He arranged for his own troops to abandon their vulnerable position on the Palisades. Abandoning camp and most of their provisions, they hastily made their way across Overpeck Creek and through Teaneck to New Bridge Landing (today's Brett Park in Teaneck). They crossed the bridge, marching barefoot, two abreast, their garments so worn that they were exposed to the cold rain that fell that day.

Bergen County was the site of such events, and Teaneck was right in the middle of it. Throughout the war, both British and American forces occupied local homesteads at various times, and Teaneck citizens played key roles on both sides of the conflict.

After the war, Teaneck returned to being a quiet farm community. Fruits and vegetables grown locally were taken by wagon to busy markets in nearby Paterson and New York City. New growth and development were aroused at mid-century by the establishment of railroads throughout the regions. Wealthy New Yorkers and others purchased large tracts of land on which they built spacious mansions and manor houses. They maintained New York City as their principal places of employment and traveled daily to work by train, thus becoming Teaneck's first suburban commuters.

[edit] The Phelps Estate

The largest estate built in Teaneck belonged to William Walter Phelps, the son of a wealthy railroad magnate and New York City merchant. In 1865, Phelps arrived in Teaneck and enlarged an old farmhouse into a spectacular Victorian mansion on the site of the present Municipal Government Complex. Phelps' "Englewood Farm" eventually encompassed nearly 2,000 acres (8 km²) of landscaped property within the central part of Teaneck, on which some 600,000 trees were planted.^[12] Subsequent development and house construction refocused along the perimeters of the Township, the central part being a tract crisscrossed by roads and trails.

[edit] Township formed

The Township of Teaneck was established on February 19, 1895 and was composed of portions of Englewood Township, Ridgefield Township and Bogota. Teaneck's choice to incorporate as a Township was unusual in an era of "Boroughitis," where most new municipalities were being formed using the Borough form of government.

At a referendum held on January 14, 1895, 46 of 53 voters approved incorporation as a Borough. Citizens of Englewood Township challenged the creation of the borough, but accepted the new municipality as a Township, given its more rural character. A bill supporting the creation of the Township of Teaneck was put through the New Jersey General Assembly on February 18, 1895 and in the New Jersey Senate on the 19th. Governor of New Jersey George Werts signed the bill into law, and Teaneck was an independent municipality.^[8]

William W. Bennett, overseer of the Phelps Estate, was the Chairman of the first three-man Township Committee. The town's population was 811. During these early days of the 20th century, the town's affairs focused on construction of streets and street lamps (originally gaslights), trolley lines (along DeGraw Avenue), telephones and speeding traffic. Social activities centered on church events and harness racing at the popular racetrack on Cedar Lane, near River Road. Small inns offered fine dining and dancing to overnight guests.

[edit] Growth in early 20th century

Residential development began in earnest after the opening of the Phelps Estate in 1927. The completion of the George Washington Bridge in 1931 and its connection to Teaneck via Route 4 brought thousands of new home buyers. The population nearly quadrupled between 1920 and 1930, growing from 4,192 to 16,513.

Rapid growth led to financial turmoil, and inefficiencies in the town government resulted in the adoption of a new non-partisan Council-Manager form of government under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law in a referendum on September 16, 1930. A full-time Town Manager, Paul A. Volcker, Sr. (father of former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Paul A. Volcker, Jr.), was appointed to handle Teaneck's day-to-day business affairs. Volcker's 20-year term, from 1930 to 1950, provided Teaneck with economic stability, zoning and long-term development plans, a paid fire department and civil service for Township employees. It also established a model for future administrations.

[edit] Development after World War II

Teaneck's reputation was enhanced when it was selected in 1949 from over 10,000 communities as America's model community. A film made, and photographs taken, in Teaneck was shown in Occupied Japan as a part of the United States Army's education program to show democracy in action.^[13]

After World War II, there was a second major spurt of building and population growth. The rapid changes and complicated demands of the modern era were met by careful consideration and adherence to the principles established by Teaneck's early citizens and planners. In 1965, after a long and difficult struggle to address de facto segregation, Teaneck became the first community in the nation where a white majority voted voluntarily for school integration. The sequence of events was the subject of a book entitled Triumph in a White Suburb written by Township resident Reginald G. Damerell (1968. New York: William Morrow & Company, Inc.)^[14]

The African-American population in the Northeast corner of Teaneck grew substantially starting in the 1960s, accompanied by white flight triggered by blockbusting efforts of township real estate agencies.^[15] As this de facto racial segregation increased, so did tensions between residents of the Northeast and members the predominantly white male Teaneck Police Department. Complaints by African-American youths of being pulled over by police officers while walking in the streets increased into the 1980s. A perception grew among African-American residents that they were not treated equally by the township and its employees.

On the evening of April 10, 1990, the Teaneck Police Department responded to a call from a resident complaining about a teenager with a gun. After an initial confrontation near the Bryant School and a subsequent chase, Phillip Pannell, an African-American teenager, was shot and killed by Gary Spath, a white Teaneck police officer. Spath said he thought Pannell had a gun and was turning to shoot him. Witnesses said Pannell was unarmed and had been shot in the back. Protest marches, some violent, ensued; most African-Americans believed that Pannell had been killed in cold blood, and some residents insisted that Spath had been justified in his actions. Testimony at the trial claimed that Pannell was shot in the back, and that he was carrying a gun. Spath was ultimately acquitted on charges of reckless manslaughter in the shooting. The incident was an international news event that brought Reverend Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to the community and inspired the 1995 book Color Lines: The Troubled Dreams of Racial Harmony in an American Town, by Mike Kelly.^[16]

Teaneck, and the neighboring communities of Bergenfield and New Milford, has drawn a large number of Modern Orthodox Jews who have established at least fourteen synagogues and four yeshivas (three high schools and one for young men).^[17][18] It's the functional center of northern New Jersey Orthodox community with nearly twenty kosher shops (restaurants, bakeries and supermarkets).^[19] It is within ten minutes' driving time of Yeshiva University in New York City. This community tends to be involved with Religious Zionist causes and offers strong support of Israel.

[edit] Historic homes

Several homes in Teaneck date back to the colonial era and to the period after the American Revolutionary War and have been preserved and survive to this day. Teaneck sites on the National Register of Historic Places are:^[20]

• Christian Cole House
• Adam Vandelinda House
• Banta-Coe House
• Brinkerhoff-Demarest House
• Caspar Westervelt House
• James Vandelinda House
• Zabriskie-Kipp-Cadmus House

[edit] Geography

Teaneck is located at 40°53′27″N, 74°0′40″W (40.890964, -74.011156)^[21].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16.2 km²), of which, 6.1 square miles (15.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (3.20%) is water.

Teaneck is bordered to the West by River Edge and Hackensack which lie across the Hackensack River, to the North by New Milford and Bergenfield, to the East by Englewood and Leonia, and to the South by Ridgefield Park and Bogota.

Teaneck has 23 municipally owned parks, of which 14 are developed.^[22] Overpeck County Park, along the shores of Overpeck Creek, a tributary of the Hackensack River, is more than 8,000 acres (32 km²) in size, of which about 500 were donated by Teaneck, and which is also in portions of Englewood, Leonia, Ridgefield Park and Palisades Park.^[23]

[edit] Climate

Although located at about the same latitude as the much warmer European cities of Naples and Madrid, Teaneck has a humid continental climate (Köppen classification Dfa) resulting from prevailing wind patterns that bring cool air from the interior of the North American continent.^[24] Its location a few miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean means that Teaneck does not receive the ocean's moderating influence on temperature, resulting in readings lower in winter and higher in summer than communities closer to the shore, including portions of New York City.

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Avg high °F (°C)	37 (3)	37 (4)	46 (8)	59 (15)	69 (21)	78 (26)	84 (29)	80 (27)	75 (24)	64 (18)	51 (11)	41 (5)	59 (15)
Avg low temperature °F (°C)	26 (-3)	26 (-3)	32 (0)	42 (6)	51 (11)	60 (16)	68 (20)	66 (19)	59 (15)	48 (9)	39 (4)	30 (-1)	44 (7)
Rainfall in. (mm)	3.4 (86)	3.3 (84)	3.8 (97)	3.6 (91)	3.9 (99)	3.5 (89)	4.2 (107)	4.4 (112)	3.7 (94)	3.5 (89)	3.5 (89)	3.6 (91)	44.3 (1,125)
Source: Weatherbase[25]

[edit] Demographics

[edit] 2000 Census

As of the census ^[4] of 2000, there were 39,260 people, 13,418 households, and 10,076 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,486.2 people per square mile (2,505.5/km²). There were 13,719 housing units at an average density of 2,266.5/sq mi (875.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 56.25% White, 28.78% African American, 0.15% Native American, 7.13% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.16% from other races, and 3.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.45% of the population.

There were 13,418 households out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the township the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $74,903, and the median income for a family was $84,791. Males had a median income of $53,327 versus $40,085 for females. The per capita income for the township was $32,212. About 2.4% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

English is spoken by 74.31%of residents. Other languages (accounting for more than 1% of residents) include Spanish (10.53%), Hebrew (2.81%), Tagalog (1.88%), Urdu (1.22%) and Russian (1.11%).^[26]

[edit] Historical population data

	Township of Teaneck[27]			County of Bergen[27]
Census   Year	Total   Population	Population   Change	Percent   Change	Total   Population	Population   Change	Percent   Change
1900	768			78,441
1910	2,082	1,314	171.1%	138,002	59,561	75.9%
1920	4,192	2,110	101.3%	210,643	72,641	52.6%
1930	16,513	12,321	293.9%	364,977	154,334	73.3%
1940	25,275	8,762	53.1%	409,646	44,669	12.2%
1950	33,772	8,497	33.6%	539,139	129,493	31.6%
1960	42,085	8,313	24.6%	780,255	241,116	44.7%
1970	42,355	270	0.6%	897,148	116,893	15.0%
1980	39,007	-3,348	-7.9%	845,385	-51,763	-5.8%
1990	37,825	-1,182	-3.0%	825,380	-20,005	-2.4%
2000	39,260	1,435	3.8%	884,118	58,738	7.1%

After its founding as a township, Teaneck saw rapid growth in its population during the first half of the 20th century. As Teaneck changed from a sparsely populated rural area into a suburb, particularly after development of property that had been part of the Phelps estate started in the late 1920s, Teaneck's population grew rapidly, far outpacing the growth of Bergen County.

After World War II, the 1950 census showed growth in Teaneck (33.6%) pacing Bergen County overall (31.6%). Starting in 1960, a substantial decline in the rate of growth compared to Bergen County occurred as Teaneck reached the limits of developable land, and the township neared its peak population. Population growth in the 1970 census was small, but positive, with Teaneck reaching its historical maximum of 42,355. Absolute declines in population followed in both the 1980 (-7.9%) and 1990 (-3.0%) data. The 2000 census showed recovery in Teaneck's population to 39,260, though growth (3.8%) was smaller than in Bergen County overall (7.1%)

With almost no land left to develop for housing, Teaneck's population is likely to remain stable for the foreseeable future. A reluctance to permit high-rise development as a means to increase population density also places a limit on growth. Changes in family size are one of the few influences that may affect population over time.

[edit] Crime

Teaneck has a violent crime rate of 187 incidents per 100,000 people, compared to a rate of 391 in New Jersey as a whole and 596 nationwide. Teaneck's property crime rate is 1860.6 incidents per 100,000 people, compared to an average of 2533.8 in New Jersey and 4296 nationally.^[28]

Gang violence hit Teaneck in July 2006 with the death of Ricky Lee Smith, Jr., a teenager shot outside a house party by a member of the Bloods gang who had attended the party. Other gang violence involving the Bloods and Crips has erupted since then. In May 2007, the Chief of Police requested the addition of 14 new officers to Teaneck's existing 98-member police force to establish a gang unit.^[29][30] In June, the Township Council approved the hiring of five additional officers at a cost of $500,000 per year, though there are concerns that the gang problem in Teaneck has been "hyped".^[31]

Teaneck has received attention in the media due to sexual crimes committed against minors by New Jersey educators. Joseph White, former principal of Teaneck High School pleaded guilty to official child endangerment in June 2006 and was sentenced to one year in prison. White had been charged in 2002 with fondling a 17-year-old student and was subsequently acquitted.^[32] James Darden, an award-winning former eight grade teacher at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, was charged with sexual assault and misconduct in June 2007. He pleaded guilty on December 2007 to a charge of aggravated sexual assault and faces up to 8½ years in prison when sentenced on January 18, 2008.^[33]

[edit] Economy

Major institutions in Teaneck include a campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University — the largest private university in the state^[34] — and Holy Name Hospital. The Teaneck Armory is the home of the New Jersey National Guard's 50th Main Support Battalion.^[35]

Teaneck has four main commercial districts: Cedar Lane, north Teaneck Road, West Englewood Avenue/The Plaza and Queen Anne Road/DeGraw Avenue.^[36] Cedar Lane underwent a $3.9 million Streetscape project, completed in 2006, designed to attract additional business to the area.^[37]

Teaneck's largest single group of commercial ratables is the Glenpointe Centre, completed in the 1980s, which includes a 350-room Marriott hotel and 650,000 square feet (60,000 m²) of Class A office space at the intersection of Interstate 95 and Interstate 80.^[38] As of 2007, 150,000 square feet (14,000 m²) of space was vacant, including 100,000 vacated by Eisai Pharmaceuticals earlier in the year.^[39]

The Givaudan Fragrances Corp Creative Fragrances Centre, a division of Givaudan, was constructed in 1972 from a design by Der Scutt, architect of the Trump Tower.^[40]

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

From its founding in 1895, Teaneck used the traditional Township form of government, led by a three-man Township Committee (later expanded to five seats) elected on a partisan basis. On September 16, 1930, Teaneck residents voted to establish a nonpartisan Council-Manager form of government under the terms of the 1923 Municipal Manager Law, with five members elected concurrently on an at-large basis. In 1962, the Council was expanded to its current size of seven members and the position of Deputy Mayor was created. In 1987, a referendum to alter the form to a Faulkner Act Council-Manager form of government was approved, providing for staggered terms for the Council. With this change, Council elections now take place every two years on the second Tuesday in May. The Council's seven members serve staggered, four-year terms which expire in even numbered years as follows: three will expire in 2008, four will expire in 2010, etc. Members are elected to the Council at large.

The Township Council serves as Teaneck's governing body. It sets policies and standards and passes laws, known as ordinances. It adopts an annual budget and approves contracts and agreements for services. The Council appoints the Manager, Clerk, Auditor, Attorney, Magistrate and Assessor. The Council appoints seven members of the Planning Board, the members of the Redevelopment Agency, Board of Adjustment, and all other statutory and advisory boards.

Members of the Teaneck Township Council are:^[41]

• Mayor Elie Y. Katz (term as Councilmember ends in June 30, 2010; term as Mayor ends in 2008)
• Deputy Mayor Lizette Parker (term as Councilmember ends in 2010; term as Deputy Mayor ends in 2008)
• Kevie Feit (2010)
• Adam Gussen (2010)
• Monica Honis (2008)
• Jacqueline B. Kates (2008). Kates announced that she would not run for re-election in 2008.^[42]
• Elnatan Rudolph (2008). Rudolph was elected on May 9, 2006, to fill the remaining two years of the seat vacated by Deborah Veach when she stepped down to accept a position as Teaneck's Municipal Prosecutor. The seat had been filled on an interim basis by David Langford, who the Township Council unanimously chose at their January 17, 2006 meeting to fill the portion of the unexpired term until June 30, 2006, and was sworn in to office on January 24, 2006.^[43] In a three-way race to fill the seat, Langford lost to Rudolph in his bid to win election to serve the balance of the unexpired term.

On July 1 following a municipal election, the Township Council holds an Organizational Meeting at which time those individuals elected (or re-elected) to serve on the Council are sworn in and begin their terms of office. The Municipal Clerk presides over the meeting until a Mayor is elected by the new Council from among its members. Following the election of the Mayor, a Deputy Mayor is elected who presides in the absence of the Mayor.

The Mayor, elected from among the Council members themselves, serves for a two-year term of office. The Mayor presides over all meetings and votes on every issue as a regular member. The Mayor is a member of the Planning Board and the Library Board. The Mayor appoints the members of the Library Board, and one member of the Planning Board. The Mayor executes bonds, notes, contracts and written obligations of the Township and is empowered by State Law to perform marriages.

The Municipal Manager, appointed to the position by the Council, is the Township's full-time professional chief executive officer. The duties include implementation of Council policies, enforcing ordinances and coordination of the activities of all departments and employees. The Manager makes recommendations to the Council on relevant matters, appoints and removes Township employees and investigates and acts on complaints. The Manager appoints the Municipal Courts Prosecutor and Public Defender, members of the Rent Board and one member of the Teaneck Economic Development Corporation, and one member of the Civilian Complaint Review Board.

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Teaneck is part of New Jersey's 37th Legislative District and is in the Ninth Congressional District.^[44]

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 37th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Loretta Weinberg (D, Teaneck) and in the Assembly by Valerie Huttle (D, Englewood) and Gordon M. Johnson (D, Englewood). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Bergen County's County Executive is Dennis McNerney (D).^[45] 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).^[46]

Other countywide elected officials are Sheriff Leo McGuire (D), Surrogate Court Judge Mike Dressler (D, Cresskill) County Clerk Kathleen Donovan (R, Rutherford).^[47]

[edit] Politics

As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 39,853, there were 23,378 registered voters (58.7% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 7,889 (33.7% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,704 (7.3% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 13,774 (58.9% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There were 11 voters registered to other parties.^[48]

On the national level, Teaneck leans strongly toward the Democratic Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 69% of the vote here, defeating Republican George W. Bush, who received around 30%.^[49]

[edit] Taxation

New Jersey has the highest median property tax rates in the United States.^[50] Teaneck, situated in Bergen County, the fourth wealthiest county in New Jersey, has among the highest equalized tax rates in New Jersey.

Roughly 60% of a Teaneck property owner's tax goes to support the local school system (ranked 93rd out of 104 from lowest to highest cost in per-pupil spending, relative to comparable K-12 school districts in the state).^[51] Most of the rest of the property tax (33%) goes to municipal taxes and the remainder (7%) to county services. Much of Teaneck's current cost structure is a result of long term labor agreements.

The 2006 tax rate was set at $4.64 per $100 of assessed value, which is composed of school taxes of $2.690, municipal taxes of $1.592, county taxes of $0.338, and county and municipal open space taxes of one cent each per $100 of assessed value.^[52] A property assessed at the township average of $200,000^[53] would pay annual property taxes of $9,280. The average sale price of a single family home in Teaneck during 2003 was $357,834; the estimated 2006 average price is well over $400,000.

At the April 2006 school elections, voters rejected the proposed $84.8 million budget for the Teaneck Public Schools for the 2006-07 school year by a 1,644 to 1,336 margin. Based on recommendations specified by the Township Council, the Board of Education approved $544,391 in cuts.^[54]

During 2006, Teaneck underwent a revaluation of all privately-owned real estate, as required periodically by the state. This revaluation adjusted property values to market prices, ensuring that taxes are equitably allocated. The average property in Teaneck is assessed at approximately $417,900, an increase of 132.1% from the prior year's average. The new valuations will take effect for the 2007 tax year.^[55]

A significant portion of the township's taxes fund Teaneck's four fire stations, each of which are continually staffed by paid full-time fire fighters. Teaneck is one of four cities in Bergen County with a paid fire department. Teaneck is the number one responder to the Bergen Country fire mutual aid system.

Another significant portion of municipal taxes goes to fund municipal services including the Police Department, Department of Public Works and the Court, all township responsibilities rather than County or State.

[edit] Education

[edit] Public Schools

The Teaneck Public Schools serves students in pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade. Schools in the district (with 2004-05 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) include Bryant School, with 372 students in pre-K and Kindergarten; three lower schools serving grades 1-4: Hawthorne School, with 364 students; Lowell School, with 363 students; and Whittier School, with 395 students {Longfellow Elementary school was discontinued in 1998}; two middle schools serving grades 5-8: Benjamin Franklin Middle School, with 638 students, and Thomas Jefferson Middle School, with 726 students; and Teaneck High School, which has an enrollment of 1,398 students in grades 9-12.^[56]

The Teaneck Public Schools budgeted spending of $15,183 per student for the 2006-07 school year on a Comparative Cost per Pupil basis (a measure that excludes out-of-district tuition payments, transportation costs and judgments against the school district), 98th highest of the 103 K-12 school districts in the state with more than 3,500 students; this is up more than $2,000 (more than 15%) since the 2004-05 school year actual results. Of the 2006-07 per-pupil allocation, $8,774 goes to classroom instruction (98th highest in its grouping), $2,200 to Support Services (77th), $1,517 to Administrative Costs (96th) and $2,299 to Operations and Maintenance (101st). The district's Median Teacher Salary of $69,742 ranked 98th in its group.^[57]

The Teaneck Community Charter School is a charter school that operates independently of the Teaneck Public Schools under a charter granted by the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education. Admission is open to the public for available slots (after returning students and siblings of existing students are entered) and covers kindergarten through eighth grade, with an after school program and summer camp. As the school is a public school, no tuition is charged. Funding comes from the Teaneck Public Schools (and other home districts of non-resident students), which provides 90% of its cost per pupil in the district; the balance of funding comes directly from the state of New Jersey.

[edit] Private and parochial schools

Teaneck is home to the Metropolitan Campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University, which straddles the Hackensack River, in Teaneck and Hackensack.

Private Orthodox Jewish day schools include the Torah Academy of Bergen County (for males) and Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School (for females), both high schools (grades 9-12).

Teaneck was home to the Metropolitan Schechter High School, a co-ed Conservative Jewish high school, which closed its doors in August 2007 due to fundraising problems.^[58]

The Al-Ghazaly High School is a co-ed religious day school (grades 7 through 12) primarily serving the Muslim community. Students come from the greater Teaneck area.

The Community School is a private school, founded in 1968 to serve the bright child with learning and attentional disabilities. Both the lower school and high school are in Teaneck.

[edit] Arts and culture

The Puffin Foundation and its Puffin Cultural Forum have been leading supporters and producers of art in Teaneck, sponsoring plays and art exhibitions at it location on Puffin Way.^[59]

Teaneck is home to the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, founded in 1953. The Bergen Society is a member organization of the American Ethical Union.

The Teaneck Community Band presents a series of five outdoor summer band concert each summer. The 67th annual series, in 2007, was sponsored by the Puffin Foundation.^[60]

The now-defunct Teaneck Cultural Arts Coalition had organized many community-wide cultural events, including an annual First Night community celebration of the arts held for several years through New Year's 2005.^[61]

Teaneck New Theatre, founded in 1986, performs productions at St. Mark's Church in Teaneck and at the Hackensack Cultural Arts Center, across the river in Hackensack, New Jersey.

Cedar Lane Cinema is the township's lone movie theater, and hosts live performances on its stage by local performance groups. Nevertheless, Teaneck has been the site of many films, including The Family Man, the 2000 film starring Nicolas Cage.^[62] The Teaneck Armory has been used for films including Sweet and Lowdown, and for interior scenes of You've Got Mail.^[63][64]

In 2007, two non-fiction volumes appeared dealing, inter alia, with Teaneck's Orthodox Jewish community. In Foreskin's Lament, writer Shalom Auslander describes living in Teaneck and finding the Jewish community stifling and claustrophobic. In contrast, Rifka Rosenwein, in Life in the Present Tense, describes the close-knit community as a gift she couldn't imagine when living in Manhattan.

[edit] Athletics

The New Jersey Nets NBA pro basketball team were founded as the New Jersey Americans in Teaneck for the 1967-68 season, as charter members of the American Basketball Association. The team played their home games at the Teaneck Armory for that one season, and was scheduled to play a one-game playoff at the armory. However, the circus had been booked for the week, and the game was relocated to a court in Commack, New York that was unplayable, and the game had to be forfeited. After the one season in Teaneck, the team relocated to Long Island and was renamed the New York Nets.^[65]

Portions of Fairleigh Dickinson University's Metropolitan Campus are located in Teaneck, with most of the school's athletic facilities are located across the river in Hackensack. The school's University Stadium, home for its men's and women's soccer teams, lies on the Hackensack River, just north of Route 4. The 1,000-seat stadium has hosted NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament games in recent years.^[66] The natural grass field was resurfaced with FieldTurf in 2004.^[67]

The FDU baseball field is situated between Route 4 and University Stadium.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Highways

Teaneck is situated along a number of major transportation routes, including the northern terminus of the New Jersey Turnpike (a portion of Interstate 95). Teaneck is the eastern terminus of Interstate 80, which stretches over 2,900 miles west to downtown San Francisco, California.

Route 4 runs east-west through Teaneck, where, unlike all other towns situated along the highway, there is no commercial development. Route 4 narrows from three lanes on the eastbound section between Belle Avenue and Englewood, causing rush-hour traffic backups that may extend all the way back into Hackensack. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has discussed a series of proposed replacement projects for bridges over the highway, which could start in 2011, pending completion of feasibility studies and design work. While the township has indicated its willingness to cede space along the Greenbelt for a third lane, the lack of space for a shoulder may preclude the creation of a full three-lane route through Teaneck, due to safety concerns by the NJDOT.^[68]

New Jersey's other main trunk route, the Garden State Parkway, can be reached just a few miles west of Teaneck.

Access to New York City is available for motorists across the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee which can be reached by highway via Route 4 or Interstate 95, and (via the Turnpike) through the Lincoln Tunnel in Hudson County into Midtown Manhattan.

[edit] Public transportation

Ample New Jersey Transit bus service is available in Teaneck, with frequent service on Teaneck Road, Route 4 and Cedar Lane, and less frequent service on other main streets. NJTransit bus service is offered to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 155, 157, 167, 168 routes; to the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal on the 171, 175, 178, 186 routes; and to other New Jersey communities served on the 751, 753, 755, 756, 772, 780 routes.^[69] Bus service is also available from private companies such as Red and Tan Lines to the Port Authority Bus Terminal and George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, as well as within New Jersey.

While there is no passenger train operation in Teaneck, train service is available on New Jersey Transit on the Pascack Valley Line at the North Hackensack station (in River Edge) and the Anderson Street station (in Hackensack). This line runs north-south to Hoboken Terminal with connections to the PATH train from the Hoboken PATH station and New Jersey Transit connecting service to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan via the Secaucus Junction transfer station. Connections are also available at Hoboken Terminal to New York Waterways ferry service to the World Financial Center and other destinations and for the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system, serving routes along the Hudson River in Hudson County.

Teaneck is split east and west by railroad tracks, which currently provide freight service by CSX Transportation. Until 1959, passenger train service was provided on these same tracks by the West Shore Railroad, with Teaneck stations at Cedar Lane and West Englewood Avenue. Commuter service was available from these stations, with 44 passenger trains operating to and form Weehawken, with ferry service available across the Hudson River to New York City at 42nd Street and at the Financial District in lower Manhattan.^[70] Service was also available north along the west shore of the river to Albany. Efforts are continuing to restore passenger train service on this line for the commuters heading into New York City. However, with recent decisions to extend Hudson-Bergen Light Rail service via the Northern Branch to Tenafly, this possibility seems far less likely.

The closest airport in New Jersey with scheduled passenger service is Newark Liberty International Airport, 19.7 miles (31.7 km) away (about 27 minutes) in Newark / Elizabeth.^[71] New York City's LaGuardia Airport is 14.7 miles (23.7 km) away in Flushing, Queens via the George Washington Bridge, an estimated 22 minutes (in ideal conditions).^[72] John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens is 25.7 miles (and 34 minutes) from Teaneck.^[73] Teterboro Airport offers general aviation service, and is a 9.2-mile (14.8 km) drive (about 13 minutes) away.^[74]

[edit] See also

• List of people from Teaneck, New Jersey

[edit] References