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In my opinion Cliffside Park is a bit underappreciated. It's in a great location with good amenities and transportation. Of course it's not perfect -- no place is. But you can still get a relatively affordable home on a nice residential lot in a pretty safe neighborhood, and get to Times Square (Port Authority) on a NJ Transit express bus in 35 minutes. Not bad at all.
Just to the north in Fort Lee, or east in Edgewater, real estate costs a lot more, but you really don't get much more for your money. Just the south in Fairview and North Bergen, the neighborhoods are a little rougher. Cliffside Park is that transitional town that people seem to forget about, with more than enough good things to offset the bad.
The local government is as old-school as it gets, though, with the Calabrese family having had a grip on power for over 50 years and the council members being pretty old fashioned too. They're not the type to make bold moves to beautify the main avenues, attract great businesses and fix the schools. Their idea of progress was to build a giant, gaudy condo complex in the middle of town which, after a disastrous decade of stalled development, won't offer much besides tax 'ratables' for the town to collect. No community center like Fort Lee, no art galleries like Englewood, no vision to do any of the things that can really help make a town great. If they don't step it up, Cliffside risks becoming absorbed more into the run down areas to the south than the better areas to its north and east.
That said, it's still a good place by virtue of its location. You can get to all the Edgewater shops and restaurants in minutes without having to put up with living there. The new Food Bazaar supermarket bordering Fairview is fantastic for foodies. There are a few good new restaurants that recently opened, including Mexican and Malaysian.
Edgewater is condo-development gone wild with the town willing to rubber stamp just about anything as long as the developer throws them enough money. Forget about buying a house there unless you want to see a high rise go up next door, if there isn't one there already.
In my opinion Cliffside Park is a bit underappreciated. It's in a great location with good amenities and transportation. Of course it's not perfect -- no place is. But you can still get a relatively affordable home on a nice residential lot in a pretty safe neighborhood, and get to Times Square (Port Authority) on a NJ Transit express bus in 35 minutes. Not bad at all.
Just to the north in Fort Lee, or east in Edgewater, real estate costs a lot more, but you really don't get much more for your money. Just the south in Fairview and North Bergen, the neighborhoods are a little rougher. Cliffside Park is that transitional town that people seem to forget about, with more than enough good things to offset the bad.
The local government is as old-school as it gets, though, with the Calabrese family having had a grip on power for over 50 years and the council members being pretty old fashioned too. They're not the type to make bold moves to beautify the main avenues, attract great businesses and fix the schools. Their idea of progress was to build a giant, gaudy condo complex in the middle of town which, after a disastrous decade of stalled development, won't offer much besides tax 'ratables' for the town to collect. No community center like Fort Lee, no art galleries like Englewood, no vision to do any of the things that can really help make a town great. If they don't step it up, Cliffside risks becoming absorbed more into the run down areas to the south than the better areas to its north and east.
That said, it's still a good place by virtue of its location. You can get to all the Edgewater shops and restaurants in minutes without having to put up with living there. The new Food Bazaar supermarket bordering Fairview is fantastic for foodies. There are a few good new restaurants that recently opened, including Mexican and Malaysian.
Edgewater is condo-development gone wild with the town willing to rubber stamp just about anything as long as the developer throws them enough money. Forget about buying a house there unless you want to see a high rise go up next door, if there isn't one there already.
My 2 cents.
Mafia style politics with that one.
In fact in one of the elections the elder Calabrese promised repaved roads if he got reelected.
Also the homeowners of Cliffside Park okay property tax increases (last time was in 2016) for teachers time and time again, they should demand that in return that their roads get repaved in exchange for their vote.
I just get wrap my head around in the amount of taxes collected verses what is lightly provided for its residents. THEY CAN DO A LOT BETTER!!!!
I was raised and lived in the neighboring towns for 50 plus years till about 5 years ago, so I know Cliffside Park of their past better days.
In fact in one of the elections the elder Calabrese promised repaved roads if he got reelected.
Also the homeowners of Cliffside Park okay property tax increases (last time was in 2016) for teachers time and time again, they should demand that in return that their roads get repaved in exchange for their vote.
I just get wrap my head around in the amount of taxes collected verses what is lightly provided for its residents. THEY CAN DO A LOT BETTER!!!!
I was raised and lived in the neighboring towns for 50 plus years till about 5 years ago, so I know Cliffside Park of their past better days.
The politics in all of New Jersey are like that, though. Why do you think 'The Sopranos' was set here?
The roads are the least of their troubles. Hey, it's springtime, there are potholes all over the place in every town. They'll get fixed.
I agree taxpayers should really be demanding better schools for their money, though. One look at the at the statewide ratings should be enough to tell anyone that the people in charge of Cliffside Park's schools aren't getting the job done. Too bad the borough doesn't put as much effort into quality education as they do with athletics.
The politics in all of New Jersey are like that, though. Why do you think 'The Sopranos' was set here?
The roads are the least of their troubles. Hey, it's springtime, there are potholes all over the place in every town. They'll get fixed.
I agree taxpayers should really be demanding better schools for their money, though. One look at the at the statewide ratings should be enough to tell anyone that the people in charge of Cliffside Park's schools aren't getting the job done. Too bad the borough doesn't put as much effort into quality education as they do with athletics.
A lot of BS (more than the NJ normal imo) with the Towne Center.
The politics in all of New Jersey are like that, though. Why do you think 'The Sopranos' was set here?
The roads are the least of their troubles. Hey, it's springtime, there are potholes all over the place in every town. They'll get fixed.
I agree taxpayers should really be demanding better schools for their money, though. One look at the at the statewide ratings should be enough to tell anyone that the people in charge of Cliffside Park's schools aren't getting the job done. Too bad the borough doesn't put as much effort into quality education as they do with athletics.
Agree. For the property tax amount in Cliffside Park, the schools should really be a whole lot better. Was it better in the days before there was a share relationship with Fairview?
Agree. For the property tax amount in Cliffside Park, the schools should really be a whole lot better. Was it better in the days before there was a share relationship with Fairview?
The quality of a school district has nothing to do with property taxes. It has everything to do with the demographics of the people living in the district. Why do you think all the top school districts in the state are in predominantly white, wealthy suburbs. Throwing more money at a school district does not translate to better students. Just look at how poorly all the abbott districts are performing.
Agree. For the property tax amount in Cliffside Park, the schools should really be a whole lot better. Was it better in the days before there was a share relationship with Fairview?
I don't know, but Fairview should share with North Bergen which is more demographically similar.
And Cliffside Park should share with Edgewater instead. Edgewater high school students go all the way to Leonia which makes no sense. This would be a win/win.
I don't know, but Fairview should share with North Bergen which is more demographically similar.
And Cliffside Park should share with Edgewater instead. Edgewater high school students go all the way to Leonia which makes no sense. This would be a win/win.
once cliffside park ends their relationship with farview then it will grow big time! there is no reason why they still do.....
And Cliffside Park should share with Edgewater instead. Edgewater high school students go all the way to Leonia which makes no sense. This would be a win/win.
Edgewater would be the looser so it won't happen. Cliffside Park public schools aren't as good as Leonia so why would Edgewater contribute $$$ to send students to poorer performing hs? Just because of commute? Not going to fly.
The quality of a school district has nothing to do with property taxes. It has everything to do with the demographics of the people living in the district. Why do you think all the top school districts in the state are in predominantly white, wealthy suburbs. Throwing more money at a school district does not translate to better students. Just look at how poorly all the abbott districts are performing.
There is no single factor on what result with better school system.
Money is definitely part of it, so are demographics, parent engagement level, level of teacher quality, hunger, family and school environment, etc.
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