Teterboro was incorporated on March 26, 1917, from land that was originally part of the boroughs of Moonachie, Little Ferry and Lodi Township. The borough was enlarged on July 5, 1918, by the addition of an area annexed from Hasbrouck Heights. The borough was named for Walter C. Teter, a New York investment banker, who had purchased land in 1917 to build a racetrack and developed a 700-acre (280 ha) site, reclaiming marshland and building an airport and an 18-hole golf course.[26][27] The name Teterboro was changed on April 14, 1937, to Bendix Borough, but reverted to Teterboro Borough on June 1, 1943.[28] In 1951, Vera Martucci became the first woman to be elected mayor of the town.[29]
Throughout the borough's history, neighboring municipalities, such as Hasbrouck Heights and South Hackensack, have made repeated attempts to dissolve Teterboro, in hopes of absorbing the borough's ratables (the value of land and buildings which are assessed for property taxes). Some have argued that the population is too small for the borough to justify its own existence. However, all such attempts have met with failure. In July 2010, a bill was introduced in the New Jersey state senate in a renewed effort to divide Teterboro among neighboring towns.[30] The bill, sponsored by Senator Robert M. Gordon and Assemblypersons Connie Wagner and Vincent Prieto, stalled in the state Legislature after its introduction, due to opposition from borough officials, residents, business and land owners, and the neighboring municipalities of Moonachie and Hasbrouck Heights.[31] Legislators attempted to include a 20-year tax abatement within the bill to alleviate the concerns of Teterboro business and property owners who were concerned that taxes could spike if the borough was dissolved. The legality of such an abatement was also called into question.[32]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.11 square miles (2.88 km2), including 1.11 square miles (2.87 km2) of land and <0.01 square miles (0.01 km2) of water (0.36%).[1][2]
Of the 25 households, 28.0% had children under the age of 18; 36.0% were married couples living together; 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 48.0% were non-families. Of all households, 32.0% were made up of individuals and 20.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.85.[20]
23.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 86.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.2 males.[20]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $78,571 (with a margin of error of +/− $31,104) and the median family income was $79,107 (+/− $46,857). Males had a median income of $72,031 (+/− $9,149) versus $24,286 (+/− $75,310) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $32,446 (+/− $14,230). About none of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 100.0% of those age 65 or over.[43]
As of the 2000 United States census[17] there were 18 people, 7 households, and 4 families residing in the borough. The population density was 16.2 people per square mile (6.3/km2). There were 8 housing units at an average density of 7.2 per square mile (2.8/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 83.33% White, and 16.67% from two or more races.[41][42]
There were 7 households, out of which 42.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 28.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.00.[41][42]
In the borough the population was spread out, with 33.3% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 50.0% from 25 to 44, 5.6% from 45 to 64, and 5.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.[41][42]
The median income for a household in the borough was $44,167, and the median income for a family was $43,750. Males had a median income of $18,750 versus $38,750 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $72,613. None of the population or families were below the poverty line.[41][42]
Borough officials stated that the 2000 census had failed to count any of the residents of the Vincent Place housing units who had moved into the newly built homes in 1999.[45] The uncounted residents, including the Mayor and all four council members, would help account for a projected tripling of the population enumerated by the census.[46] Previously, the Mayor and Council, as well as several other Vincent Place residents, had all been residents of Huyler Street, the only other street zoned as a residential area in the borough. In a March 2010 article, published in The Record, Teterboro's municipal manager at the time noted that the actual population of the town had grown to approximately 60.[47]
Government
Local government
Teterboro is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law form of New Jersey municipal government. The borough is one of seven municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.[48] The governing body is comprised of a five-member Borough Council, with all positions elected at-large on a non-partisan basis to four-year terms on a concurrent basis in elections held as part of the November general election.[8][49] At a reorganization meeting held in July after each election, the Council members provide nominations from within itself before electing one of its members to serve as mayor.[3]
As of 2023[update], Teterboro's Borough Council consists of Mayor John P. Watt, Christie Emden, Juan Ramirez, Gregory Stein and John B. Watt, all serving concurrent terms of office ending December 31, 2026.[3][50][51][52]
Starting in January 2016, the Moonachie Police Department assumed responsibility for all law enforcement services, which are provided under contract. From 2012 through 2015, Moonachie had patrolled the southern portion of the borough, while the northern portion was covered by the Bergen County Police Department.[53]
In 2018, the borough had an average property tax bill of $2,059, the lowest in the county, compared to an average bill of $11,780 in Bergen County and $8,767 statewide.[54][55]
Federal, state and county representation
Teterboro is located in the 9th Congressional District[56] and is part of New Jersey's 38th state legislative district.[57]
Bergen County is governed by a directly elected County Executive, with legislative functions performed by a Board of County Commissioners comprised of seven members who are elected at-large to three-year terms in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each November; a Chairman and Vice Chairman are selected from among its seven members at a reorganization meeting held every January. As of 2024[update], the county executive is James J. Tedesco III (D, Paramus), whose four-year term of office ends December 31, 2026.[64]
As of March 2011, there were a total of 39 registered voters in Teterboro, of which 12 (30.8% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 10 (25.6% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 17 (43.6% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.[86] Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 58.2% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 76.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).[86][87]
In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 13 votes (50.0% vs. 54.2% countywide) as did Republican Donald Trump with 13 votes (50.0% vs. 41.1%) and other candidates with zero votes (0% vs. 4.6%), among the 26 ballots cast by the borough's 41 registered voters, for a turnout of 63.4% (vs. 72.5% in Bergen County).[88][89] In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 14 votes (58.3% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 9 votes (37.5% vs. 43.5%) and other candidates with one vote (4.2% vs. 0.9%), among the 24 ballots cast by the borough's 43 registered voters, for a turnout of 55.8% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County).[90][91] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 13 votes (52.0% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 12 votes (48.0% vs. 53.9%), among the 25 ballots cast by the borough's 34 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.5% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County).[92][93] In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 14 votes (56.0% vs. 51.7% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 8 votes (32.0% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 2 votes (8.0% vs. 0.7%), among the 25 ballots cast by the borough's 36 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.4% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county).[94]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 55.6% of the vote (10 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 16.7% (3 votes), and other candidates with 27.8% (5 votes), among the 14 ballots cast by the borough's 36 registered voters for a turnout of 38.9%.[95][96] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 10 votes (50.0% vs. 45.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 6 votes (30.0% vs. 48.0%) and Independent Chris Daggett with 3 votes (15.0% vs. 4.7%), among the 20 ballots cast by the borough's 35 registered voters, yielding a 57.1% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).[97]
Education
The Hasbrouck Heights School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Hasbrouck Heights and from Teterboro.[98] Teterboro, a non-operating district, was merged into the Hasbrouck Heights School District following its dissolution on July 1, 2010.[99] As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 1,745 students and 145.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.0:1.[100] Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[101]) are
Euclid Elementary School[102] with 338 students in grades Pre-K–5,
Lincoln Elementary School[103] with 386 students in grades Pre-K–5,
Hasbrouck Heights Middle School[104] with 426 students in grades 6–8 and
Hasbrouck Heights High School[105] with 558 students in grades 9–12.[106][107][108]
Interstate 80 eastbound on the border of South Hackensack and Teterboro
Roads and highways
As of May 2010[update], the borough had a total of 4.65 miles (7.48 km) of roadways, of which 3.28 miles (5.28 km) were maintained by the municipality, 0.30 miles (0.48 km) by Bergen County and 1.07 miles (1.72 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[112]
U.S. Route 46 travels east–west through Teterboro to the north of Teterboro Airport,[113] while a small piece of Interstate 80 travels along the northern edge of the borough.[114]Route 17 travels parallel to the Hasbrouck Heights – Teterboro border on the Hasbrouck Heights side.[115]
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.
^ abcMayor & Council, Borough of Teterboro. Accessed March 16, 2023. "The Teterboro Municipal Council adopted the Council-Manager form of government in 1938 under New Jersey's 1923 original charter plan and continues to operate under this form with a five-member, non-partisan Council and a professionally trained Municipal Manager. Municipal Council elections for all five seats are held every four years on the second Tuesday of May. The Mayor is elected from among the council members." Note that as of date accessed, members are listed with 2022 term-end dates.
^Directory, Teterboro, New Jersey. Accessed March 16, 2023.
^Gavin, John A. "Teterboro manager plans retirement after 12 years on job", The Record, February 22, 2011, backed up by the Internet Archive as of July 14, 2011. Accessed November 4, 2017. "Paul Busch, the borough's municipal manager, will retire at the end of the month.... Busch, 69, who has held the position for 12 1/2 years, said he wants to spend more time at his Monmouth County seaside home. Nick Saros, Ramsey's longtime borough administrator, will replace Busch, starting March 15."
^Borough Clerk, Teterboro, New Jersey. Accessed March 16, 2023.
^Wirths, Harold J. "New Jersey's Redistricting Data and the Municipal Highlights"Archived November 3, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Municipalities, Volume 88, Number 4, April 2011. Accessed February 8, 2012. "Four smallest municipalities still had less than 100 residents. Bergen County's Teterboro Borough (population: 67), Sussex County's Walpack Township (population: 16) and Camden County's Pine Valley Borough (population: 12) and Tavistock Borough (population: 5) have been the state's smallest municipalities for decades."
^Symons, Michael. "The new list of the 20 smallest towns in NJ", WKXW, December 30, 2021. Accessed February 27, 2022. "The roll call of New Jersey municipalities is about to shrink, as Pine Valley merges into Pine Hill at the start of 2022.... Teterboro Population 61 … Most of this Bergen County borough is Teterboro Airport, though the residential population has actually tripled from where it was for most of the second half of the 20th century."
^"She's Operator, Mayor Too". Essex County Republican. Keeseville, New York. May 11, 1951. p. 10. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
^Gartland, Michael; and Sheingold, Dave. "S. Hackensack, Little Ferry up for windfalls if Teterboro is divided", The Record, July 15, 2010. Accessed December 19, 2013. "South Hackensack and Little Ferry would benefit most from a proposal to divide and distribute Teterboro among four neighboring towns and redraw the boundaries of South Hackensack, according to an analysis by The Record."
^Gartland, Michael. "Teterboro breakup in doubt", The Record, August 27, 2010. Accessed November 6, 2013. "Sarlo attributed the difficulties in gaining support for the bill to the special interests of the towns around Teterboro and to questions about the legality of a 20-year tax abatement proposed for Teterboro businesses, which could see their taxes double."
^Kim, Yung. "Census math puzzles Teterboro", copy of article from The Record, March 22, 2001. Accessed July 31, 2013. "If you believe the recent census count, all of 18 people call Teterboro home, making it the state's smallest municipality. There's just one problem: Forty-five folks live there."
^Chen, David W. "At Three Times the Population, This Town Will Still Be Tiny", The New York Times, March 17, 1996. Accessed February 8, 2012. "In most towns, a dozen or so new apartments would be little more than a footnote to community history. But in this borough, a proposal to build 12 to 16 apartments on a 2.5-acre site represents a seismic change in the landscape, with the potential of tripling its population."
^Ervolino, Bill. "Where the grass is greener … if you can find it", The Record, February 27, 2010. Accessed February 8, 2012. "Outside of the Vincent Place apartments, and a few more on nearby Huyler Street, there is no place to live in The Best Place to Live which, according to municipal manager Paul Busch, has a mere 60 residents."
^Ballantine-Armonaitis, Faith. "Teterboro Council Members Will Return for Another Four-Year Term", TAP into Hasbrouck Heights / Wood-Ridge / Teterboro, May 13, 2022. Accessed July 27, 2022. "All five Teterboro Council members will return for another four-year term after Tuesday's non-partisan municipal election."
^Ballantine-Armonaitis, Faith. "Teterboro Moves Municipal Election to November", TAP into Hasbrouck Heights / Wood-Ridge / Teterboro, October 14, 2022. Accessed October 16, 2022. "Teterboro Moves Municipal Election to November"
^"Moonachie Police Department To Take Over As Primary Police For Borough of Teterboro"Archived February 11, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Bergen Dispatch, December 31, 2015. Accessed May 24, 2016. "As of 12:01 A.M. on January 1, 2016 the Moonachie Police Department will be the primary police department for the entire Borough of Teterboro. Since 1996 the Borough of Moonachie has had a shared service agreement for some police services with the Borough of Teterboro. The Moonachie Police Department was responsible for the eastbound lane of Route 46 and south to the Hasbrouck Heights border. The Little Ferry Police and Bergen County Police were responsible for the northern half of Teterboro."
^Marcus, Samantha. "These are the towns with the lowest property taxes in each of N.J.’s 21 counties", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, April 30, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019. "New Jersey’s average property tax bill may have hit $8,767 last year — a new record — but taxpayers in some parts of the state pay just a fraction of that.... The average property tax bill in Teterboro Borough was $2,059 in 2018, the lowest in Bergen County."
^Biography, Congressman Bill Pascrell. Accessed January 3, 2019. "A native son of Paterson, N.J., Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. has built a life of public service upon the principles he learned while growing up on the south side of the Silk City."
^Biography of Bob Menendez, United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
^Cattafi, Kristie. "Democrats pick Bergenfield councilman to fill vacancy on Bergen County commissioners board", The Record, March 13, 2023. Accessed March 16, 2023. "A Democratic councilman from Bergenfield will be sworn in as a Bergen County commissioner Wednesday night, filling a vacancy on the governing body for almost 1 million residents. Rafael Marte will serve until Dec. 31, taking on the unexpired term left by former Commissioner Ramon Hache, a Democrat who resigned last week to lead the Ridgewood YMCA as its chief executive officer."
^Hasbrouck Heights Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Hasbrouck Heights School District. Accessed March 15, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the Hasbrouck Heights School District. Composition: The Hasbrouck Heights School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Hasbrouck Heights."
^Graham, Aaron R. Bergen County Report on Consolidation and Regionalization, Bergen County Executive County Superintendent, March 15, 2010. Accessed June 15, 2011. "Hasbrouck Heights (PK-12) and Teterboro (non-op): The two districts will form the newly merged district of Hasbrouck Heights with Teterboro, a non-operating district scheduled for elimination on July 1, 2010."
^Staff. "Guide To School Elections – Teterboro", The Record, April 4, 2001. Accessed September 4, 2008. "Teterboro sends its students to South Hackensack schools and has a three-member board that prepares its annual school budget."
United States
New Jersey_at_Exit_65_(Green_Street,_Teterboro,_South_Hackensack)_on_the_border_of_South_Hackensack_Township_and_Teterboro_in_Bergen_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
