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Passaic ( [21] or local [22]) is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781,[9][11][12] maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents (+2.8%) from the 2000 Census population of 67,861,[10] which had in turn increased by 9,820 (+16.9%) from the 58,041 counted in the 1990 Census.[23]
Located north of Newark on the Passaic River, it was first settled in 1678 by Dutch traders, as Acquackanonk Township. The city and river draw their name from the Lenape word "pahsayèk" which has been variously attributed to mean "valley" or "place where the land splits."[24][25][26][27]
The city originated from a Dutch settlement on the Passaic River established in 1679 which was called Acquackanonk. Industrial growth began in the 19th century, as Passaic became a textile and metalworking center. Passaic was formed within Acquackanonk Township on March 10, 1869, and was incorporated as an independent village on March 21, 1871. Passaic was chartered as a city on April 2, 1873.[28]
The Albert Weisbord had 36,000 mill workers leave their jobs to oppose wage cuts demanded by the textile industry. The workers successfully fought to keep their wages unchanged but did not receive recognition of their union by the mill owners.[29]
Passaic has been called "The Birthplace of Television".[30] In 1931, experimental television station W2XCD began transmitting from DeForest Radio Corp. in Passaic. It has been called the first television station to transmit to the home, and was the first such station to broadcast a feature film. Allen B. DuMont, formerly DeForest's chief engineer, opened pioneering TV manufacturer DuMont Laboratories in Passaic in 1937, and started the DuMont Television Network, the world's first commercial television network, in 1946. The Okonite company began manufacturing electrical cable here in 1888, with early uses of the company's insulated wires including some of the earliest telegraph cables and the wiring for Thomas Edison's Pearl Street Station in Lower Manhattan.[31]
In 1992, the voters of Passaic Township in Morris County voted to change the name of their municipality to Long Hill Township, to avoid confusion between the City of Passaic and the largely rural community 22 miles (35 km) away, as well as association with the more urban city.[32]
Passaic is served by two newspapers, The Record and Herald News.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 3.244 square miles (8.401 km2), including 3.146 square miles (8.149 km2) of land and 0.098 square miles (0.253 km2) of water (3.01%).[1][2]
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Davis Bridge and Pleasant Plains.[33]
Passaic's only land border is with neighboring Clifton, which borders Passaic to the north, south, and west. The Passaic River, which flows to the east of Passaic, provides the city with four additional borders across the water in Bergen County: East Rutherford, Garfield, Rutherford and Wallington.[34] Passaic and Wallington are connected by four bridges (Market Street Bridge, Eighth Street Bridge, Gregory Avenue Bridge, Main Avenue Bridge), while the city connects with Garfield at two bridges (Monroe Street Bridge, Passaic Street Bridge) and Rutherford at the Union Avenue Bridge, which is located on New Jersey Route 21. One cannot cross from Passaic into East Rutherford by vehicle, however, as there is no bridge connecting the two municipalities; Drivers wanting to cross from Passaic to East Rutherford must use either the Main Avenue Bridge, which is located near Wallington's border with East Rutherford, or the Union Avenue Bridge, where East Rutherford can be accessed via surface streets.
Passaic is located 10 miles (16 km) from New York City, and 12 miles (19 km) from Newark Airport.
Passaic has several business districts: Main Avenue begins in Passaic Park and follows the curve of the river to downtown. Broadway runs east – west through the center of the city, ending at Main Avenue in downtown. Monroe Street has many shops, restaurants and businesses reflecting the city's Latino and Eastern European populations.
The city is home to several architecturally notable churches, including St. John's Lutheran Church, First Presbyterian of Passaic, and St. John's Episcopal Church.
Southwest Passaic (known as Passaic Park) is a residential and institutional center of Orthodox Judaism, with 25-30 minyanim on Shabbos, and 1,300 families, making it one of the state's fastest-growing Orthodox communities. Home to numerous yeshivas, schools and other institutions, there are also many kosher food and shopping establishments.[35]
Passaic Park takes its name from Third Ward Park. This area is also noted for its large mansions and homes of various architectural styles, especially Victorian and Tudor. Several condominium and cooperative apartment complexes are also located here including: Carlton Tower (at 22 stories, the city's tallest structure[36]), Presidential Towers, and Barry Gardens (which are all located within walking distance of each other near a stretch of Passaic Avenue between Lafayette Avenue and Green Court).
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Passaic has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[37]
Among the speakers of Polish in Passaic are many Gorals.[48]
Passaic has a sizable Orthodox Jewish community that reaches into neighboring Clifton, with 20 Orthodox synagogues serving a Jewish population of 12,000 that is predominantly Orthodox.[49]
At the 2010 United States Census, there were 69,781 people, 19,411 households, and 14,597 families residing in the city. The population density was 22,179.6 per square mile (8,563.6/km2). There were 20,432 housing units at an average density of 6,494.2 per square mile (2,507.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 45.06% (31,440) White, 10.64% (7,425) Black or African American, 1.07% (745) Native American, 4.36% (3,040) Asian, 0.04% (27) Pacific Islander, 33.37% (23,284) from other races, and 5.47% (3,820) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 71.02% (49,557) of the population.[9] The city's Hispanic population represented the fourth-highest percentage among municipalities in New Jersey as of the 2010 Census.[50]
There were 19,411 households, of which 42.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 23.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.57 and the average family size was 4.02.[9]
In the city, 31.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.2 years. For every 100 females there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.2 males.[9]
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $31,135 (with a margin of error of +/- $1,280) and the median family income was $34,934 (+/- $2,987). Males had a median income of $30,299 (+/- $1,883) versus $25,406 (+/- $2,456) for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,424 (+/- $581). About 25.0% of families and 27.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.9% of those under age 18 and 25.5% of those age 65 or over.[51]
Same-sex couples headed 107 households in 2010, a decline of the 142 counted in 2000.[52]
As of the 2000 United States Census[18] there were 67,861 people, 19,458 households, and 14,457 families residing in the city of Passaic, New Jersey. The population density was 21,804.7 people per square mile (8,424.8/km²). There were 20,194 housing units at an average density of 6,488.6 per square mile (2,507.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 35.43% White, 13.83% African American, 0.78% Native American, 5.51% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 39.36% from other races, and 5.04% from two or more races. The cultural groupings for Hispanic or Latino of any race were 62.46% of the population.[46][47]
As of the 2000 Census, 59.3% of residents spoke Spanish at home, while 28.9% of residents identified themselves as speaking only English at home. An additional 2.5% were speakers of Gujarathi and 2.4% spoke Polish.[53] There were 31,101 foreign-born residents of Passaic in 2000, of which 79.4% were from Latin America, with 31.3% of foreign-born residents from Mexico and 27.2% from the Dominican Republic.[54]
There were 19,458 households out of which 42.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 21.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 8.2% of Passaic households were same-sex partner households. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.46 and the average family size was 3.93.[46][47]
In the city the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 16.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.[46][47]
The median income for a household in the city was $33,594, and the median income for a family was $34,935. Males had a median income of $24,568 versus $21,352 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,874. About 18.4% of families and 21.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.6% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.[46][47]
Portions of Passaic are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3½% sales tax rate (versus the 7% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants.[55]
Since 1994, the Hercules Chemical Company has been located in Passaic.[56]
The city of Passaic is governed within the Faulkner Act system of municipal government, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Mayor-Council (Plan B), enacted by direct petition as of July 1, 1973.[57] Under this form of government, the mayor is elected directly by the voters for a four-year term of office. Seven council Members serve four-year terms on a staggered basis, with either three or four seats up for election in odd-numbered years. Elections are non-partisan, with all positions selected at-large in balloting held in May.[3]
As of 2015, the Mayor of Passaic is Alex Blanco, whose term of office ends June 30, 2017.[58] Blanco won a special election in November 2008 to succeed acting mayor Gary Schaer, who, as City Council president automatically moved into this position upon the resignation by previous mayor Samuel Rivera, after Rivera pleaded guilty to corruption charges filed against him.[59] Blanco was elected to serve the remainder of Rivera's term, and was re-elected to a full term on May 12, 2009, with 4,751 votes (53.2% of votes cast), defeating Passaic Board of Education member Vinny Capuana who received 4,177 (46.8%).[60] Members of the Passaic City Council are Council President Gary Schaer (term ends June 30, 2019), Jose R. "Joe" Garcia (2017), Terrence L. Love (2017), Thania Melo (2019), Chaim M. Munk (2019), Zaida Polanco (2019) and Daniel J. Schwartz (2017).[4][4][58][61][62][63]
In addition to his role as council president, Schaer also holds a seat in the New Jersey General Assembly. This dual position, often called double dipping, is allowed under a grandfather clause in the state law enacted by the New Jersey Legislature and signed into law by Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine in September 2007 that prevents dual-office-holding but allows those who had held both positions as of February 1, 2008, to retain both posts.[64]
Corruption charges over the past decades have resulted in the federal convictions of two mayors, seven councilman and other public officials.[65][66] Passaic Business Administrator Anthony Ianoco was terminated in February 2011 after he was charged with cocaine possession, following his arrest in Hoboken, where police arrested him after he was caught driving the wrong way in a Passaic city vehicle.[67]
Passaic is located in the 9th Congressional District[68] and is part of New Jersey's 36th state legislative district.[11][69][70] Prior to the 2010 Census, Passaic had been part of the 8th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.[71]
New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District is represented by Bill Pascrell (D, Paterson).[72] New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021)[73] and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).[74][75]
The 36th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Paul Sarlo (D, Wood-Ridge) and in the General Assembly by Marlene Caride (D, Ridgefield) and Gary Schaer (D, Passaic).[76] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township).[77] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[78]
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Passaic include:
Commuter jitney buses operate along Main Avenue providing non-scheduled service to Washington Heights, Manhattan, and points between.[139]
Passaic formerly had four train stations (Passaic Park, Prospect Street, Passaic and Harrison Street) on the Erie Railroad main line. In 1963, these stations were abandoned and the main line was moved to the Boonton Branch.[138]
New Jersey Transit's Passaic rail station[136] is located in the Passaic Park section, providing service on the Main Line southbound to Hoboken Terminal, and to Secaucus Junction for New Jersey Transit connections to Pennsylvania Station in Midtown Manhattan, Newark Airport and points north and south. Northbound service is provided to Paterson, Ridgewood and New York stations in Suffern and Port Jervis.[137]
Local bus transportation, much passing through the Passaic Bus Terminal, is provided by New Jersey Transit and Community Coach with service to Paterson, Rutherford, Newark, Clifton, Garfield, and Wallington among other locations on the 74, 702, 703, 705, 707, 709, 744, 758, 780 and 970 routes. New Jersey Transit bus routes 161 and 190 provides local service and interstate service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.[134][135]
Passaic is served by state roadways including Route 3 and Route 21. The Garden State Parkway and Interstate 80 are nearby. There are five bridges crossing the Passaic River.
As of May 2010, the city had a total of 70.14 miles (112.88 km) of roadways, of which 53.20 miles (85.62 km) were maintained by the municipality, 13.82 miles (22.24 km) by Passaic County and 3.12 miles (5.02 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[133]
In October 2015, the city approved a contract under which ambulance service in the city is covered by Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service Corporation (MONOC), a non-profit consortium which also provides paramedic services to other municipalities in the area. Under the plan, Passaic laid off 30 EMS workers who had been employed by the city.[132]
The Passaic Fire Department (PFD) is a paid fire department with 93 firefighters. The PFD was organized in November 1869 and became a paid department in 1909. There are two fire houses that contain seven Engines and three Ladder trucks.[131]
The Yeshiva Gedola of Passaic is an institute of Talmudic learning for post-high-school-age men. Passaic has two Mesivtas, Mesivta Tiferes Rav Tzvi Aryeh Zemel Zal, and Mesivta Zichron Baruch. Passaic also has a number of Orthodox educational institutions for primary education as well as other advanced seminaries and kollels for married students.
Established in 1895, the Collegiate School is a private coeducational day school located in Passaic, serving students in pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade.[130]
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School is an elementary school founded in 1943 that operates under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson and the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia.[128][129]
Passaic County Community College opened a new campus in the city of Passaic on September 11, 2008, which will allow PCCC to reach the 15% of its students who come from the city of Passaic. The college's nursing program will be relocated and expanded at the new campus to provide a qualified program to help fill the longstanding nursing shortage.[127]
As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's 16 schools had an enrollment of 13,136 students and 1,011.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.98:1.[107] Schools in the district (with 2010-11 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[108]) are Vincent Capuana School No. 15[109] (209; K), Passaic School No. 16[110] (500; PreK-K), Passaic School No. 17[111] (377; PreK-K), Jefferson School No. 1[112] (739; 1-6), Washington School No. 2[113] (233; K-2), Mario Drago School No. 3[114] (formerly Franklin School - 963; PreK-6), School No. 5[115] (332; 4-6), Martin Luther King, Jr. School No. 6[116] (1,143; PreK-6), Grant School No. 7[117] (283; PreK-2), Casimir Pulaski School No. 8[118] (541; PreK-3), Etta Gero School No. 9[119] (718; 3-6), Theodore Roosevelt School No. 10[120] (761; K-4), William B. Cruise Memorial School No. 11[121] (1,332; 1-6), Daniel F. Ryan School No. 19[122] (705; PreK-5), Abraham Lincoln Middle School No. 4[123] (1,702; 7-8), Passaic High School[124] (2,598; 9-12).[125][126]
The Passaic City School District is a type II school district, and is an independent legal entity administered by a nine-member Board of Education elected by the voters of the school district. The Superintendent of Schools is Pablo Muñoz.[103] The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide,[104] which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.[105][106]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 59.6% of the vote (4,109 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 39.1% (2,697 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (88 votes), among the 7,143 ballots cast by the city's 28,209 registered voters (249 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 25.3%.[100][101] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 5,958 ballots cast (68.7% vs. 50.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 2,319 votes (26.7% vs. 43.2%), Independent Chris Daggett with 124 votes (1.4% vs. 3.8%) and other candidates with 52 votes (0.6% vs. 0.9%), among the 8,672 ballots cast by the city's 24,219 registered voters, yielding a 35.8% turnout (vs. 42.7% in the county).[102]
[99] In the
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 24,227 registered voters in Passaic, of which 8,753 (36.1% vs. 31.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,063 (8.5% vs. 18.7%) were registered as Republicans and 13,408 (55.3% vs. 50.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties.[94] Among the city's 2010 Census population, 34.7% (vs. 53.2% in Passaic County) were registered to vote, including 50.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.8% countywide).[94][95]
[93][92][91] and Surrogate Bernice Toledo (2016).[90] Richard H. Berdnik (2016)Sheriff [89], 2019),R Kristin M. Corrado (County Clerk Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are [88][87][86]).Woodland Park (D, 2016; Pat Lepore and [85]),West Milford Terry Duffy (D, 2016; [84]),Ringwood Ronda Cotroneo (D, 2015; [83]),Paterson Theodore O. Best, Jr. (D, 2017; [82]),Wayne John W. Bartlett (D, 2015; [81]),Clifton (D, 2017; Bruce James Freeholder Deputy Director [80]),Passaic, term ends December 31, 2015; D As of 2015, Passaic County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Hector C. Lora ([79]
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