Mayor Calabrese – The Man of the People

With some 25,000 people living in slightly less than 1 square mile, local officials have to be very well attuned to the needs — and complaints — of the residents and be ready to address every issue in order to ensure a well-functioning municipality and happy society.

Beyond its attractive and storied location atop the Palisades and close proximity to New York City, Cliffside Park, established in 1895, offers an intimate and safe small town-persona thanks to the tireless efforts of Mayor Tom Calabrese and his fellow borough officials.

This type of idyllic atmosphere needs a nurturing and supportive borough council and Mayor that strive to create close-knit relationships with its ethnically diversified population. Indeed, many ethnic groups and religious faithful, exemplified by the many different houses of worship, businesses and restaurants, call Cliffside Park home.

“Satisfying the needs of the residents of Cliffside Park is my top priority as mayor, and I’ve vowed to work tirelessly to achieve our goal of providing the best municipal services in Bergen County,” said the mayor, adding that feedback from the residents has influenced the borough’s multiple physical improvement programs.

Mayor Calabrese has achieved this level of service by maintaining an “open door policy” for the residents. He urges them to contact his office either through Internet or telephone and he invites them to visit him at Borough Hall, where they may either voice concerns or provide ideas about improving a wide range of municipal services from the simplest to the most complex.

The Mayor’s mojo is “Working Around the Clock” for residents, community and businesses.

Himself a full-time sales executive, Mayor Calabrese spends hours in his borough office during the week. He also attends dozens of local events, including business openings and civic events, mingling freely, hugging, and shaking hands with residents who are eager to say hello. He’s also personally keyed into the school district’s concerns since he currently has two children in the system. In the summer, he is a regular fixture at the Cliffside Park Junior Police Academy.

The town’s old-world character is maintained through the hundreds of older traditional and sturdy brick houses across town. In addition to the sprouting high-rises, two of the best known facilities are the senior citizens’ center hear Borough Hall and the nearby PAL hall for youth.

It is indeed an enviable position for Mayor Tom Calabrese as he campaigns for reelection on Tuesday, November 5.

Follow Mayor Calabrese on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thomas.calabrese.750

Cliffside Park Rides a Wave of Prosperity ahead of 2019 Elections

Mayor Tom Calabrese

Cliffside Park, a town of some 25,150 residents, situated atop of the storied Palisades, just across the Hudson from Manhattan, is riding a wave of prosperity ahead of the 2019 elections thanks to the diligence and hard work of Mayor Tom Calabrese and the Borough officials.

Cliffside Park officials’ efforts, which are capped by the motto of “Working Around the Clock,” have resulted in the expansion and improvement of its municipal services to residents perhaps more than any other community in Bergen County. This amazing feat was accomplished without additional costs to taxpayers. The borough’s noteworthy strides as the community to consider for your residence and business also caught the attention of The New York Times in its favorable article this past summer.

According to officials, with a total of some $19 million spent since 2016, they have revitalized the borough with a multi-faceted beautification program for its two major avenues – Palisade and Anderson – and shopping hub. It has overhauled all of its parks, including purchasing new recreational equipment for children and attractive benches and sitting areas for older residents, and has an ongoing multi-year plan to replace the surfaces of sidewalks and roadways and its antiquated sewers.

To further serve the needs of the residents, the Borough purchased new public safety and public works vehicles. Additionally, at a cost of more than $700,000 it is installing a video surveillance system to aid police by providing it “eyes” at all of the municipality’s major intersections. Residents were introduced to the new Cliffside Park “Neighbors” surveillance app at a recent Neighborhood Block Watch meeting with the police.

In addition to $11 million in capital outlays, the borough has been fortunate to obtain $8 million in grants since 2012, including more than $1.3 million in 2018 to partly fund these revitalization programs at no extra cost to taxpayers.

According to the credit rating agency Standard and Poors, this year Cliffside Park maintained an AA+ rating because of its “very strong economy” and “budgetary performance.”

The borough’s favorable economic situation was abetted by its recent unanticipated collection of $3.3 million in additional tax revenue and its PILOT program with the new Towne Center high-rise and retail venues on Anderson Avenue that generate from $700,000 to $1 million annually under a ground lease agreement. The borough has also received some $4 million under its developer’s agreement with the Towne Center.

According to borough officials, in addition to its financial insight in saving its taxpayers money, there is no tax rise for municipal purposes in 2019 – Cliffside Park is unique in other ways.

A rather enviable position for Mayor Tom Calabrese as he campaigns for reelection on Tuesday, November 5.

Follow Mayor Calabrese on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thomas.calabrese.750

Next, the Mayor’s “Open Door Policy.”