Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • September 7, 2011
Franklin Lakes
Borough rated among top 10 New Jersey towns
by Frank J. McMahon The Borough of Franklin Lakes has been rated one of the top 10 towns in New Jersey. The survey was conducted for New Jersey Monthly magazine by Leflein Associates, an independent Ringwood based research company. The borough was listed as the ninth best place to live in the state based on five categories that represent the quality of life in New Jersey’s 566 municipalities: home values, property taxes, crime rate, school performance and a lifestyle factor, which the research company explained as the number of acute-care hospitals, live performing-arts theaters, and full-service restaurants within 10 miles of the municipality’s main zip code, and average commute time for those working out of home. Due to a lack of statistically significant data, towns with a population of under 1,500 were not considered in the survey, but the research team ranked each of the remaining towns based on the following indicators: change in median property tax bills from 2007 to 2010 combined with effective property tax rate for 2010, the change in median home sales price from 2007 to 2010, the total crime rate in 2009 combined with violent crime rate in that year, student proficiency on state-mandated standardized tests for students in grades four, eight, and 11 in 2010, and the lifestyle factor. The final rankings were based on each municipality’s combined rankings for all five indicators. In the survey Franklin Lakes was reported to have a population of 10,590, a median household income of $154,018, and a 2010 median property tax bill of $11,021. The ranking in the September issue of the New Jersey
Monthly magazine listed Franklin Lakes as tied with the Essex County town of Essex Fells and one of two Bergen County towns in the top 10 with Ho-Ho-Kus ranked first in the top 100 towns in the state. Mayor Frank Bivona reacted to the report saying, “I think it is great recognition for a great town. Our focus is on keeping Franklin Lakes property tax rates among the lowest in the state while maintaining the quality of life in our community though excellence in schools, public safety, public service, recreation, and open space.” The magazine report pointed out that the market for homes is not what it used to be and falling home prices, rising taxes, and the financial pressures facing most towns have reshaped the nation’s real estate landscape. “Some towns are more susceptible than others to the latest shift,” the magazine stated. “Our 2011 list of New Jersey’s Top Towns reflects that reality, with the state’s most affluent towns dominating the rankings. What’s more, the top-ranked towns in our list are generally in northern counties such as Bergen, Morris and Somerset, where much of the state’s wealth is concentrated. Conversely, the rural and southern counties which have been hard hit by job losses and foreclosures fared poorly.” The Township of Wyckoff was ranked in 20th place in the survey while Upper Saddle River was ranked in 30th place, Oradell in 32nd place, Ridgewood in a tie for 35th (continued on page 25)
The Franklin Lakes Republican Club will meet on Monday, Sept. 12 at 7:45 p.m. in the Bender Court Ambulance Corps Building. The group will welcome prospective members who are interested in learning about the club’s activities and programs and will focus on upcoming election issues. The Franklin Lakes Republican Club is a non-profit organization established to represent the Republican Party in Franklin Lakes. The organization is devoted to the cause
Republican Club welcomes new members
of community improvement and good government through the medium of an organized Republican Party and the support of candidates for public office who will best represent the interests of the residents and taxpayers of Franklin Lakes. All meetings are open to club members and registered Republicans.
For more information, or to join the club, call Membership Chair Ann Swist at (201) 337-5140.
You’re Invited To Our Open House - Join Us Saturday, September 24th - 1 pm – 3 pm
$
100 Off Any Session Package when you sign up at our Open House!
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