4 min read March 2022 — Bergen County is in the midst of explosive growth across multiple sectors and in population. In an interview with Invest:, James Tedesco, county executive, detailed the county’s accomplishments despite the challenges presented during the pandemic. “There are great quality-of-life aspects of the county beyond business,” Tedesco said.
What have been some key highlights for Bergen County over the past year and how are you shifting priorities moving forward?
Bergen County continues to have a strong economy with an Aaa bond rating and over $170 billion in ratables. We have 76 sought-after school districts with a highly educated and skilled workforce, which allows people who live and work here to earn top dollar. Our proximity to New York City, three major airports and the I-95 Corridor are huge assets to the county.
The Wall Street Journal did an article last April on Bergen County on suburban growth because we are one of the fastest-growing regions in the entire country. We drew three times as many new net households from migration in 2020 versus 2019. We are the largest county in New Jersey and have grown 5.6% over the past 10 years, which gives us a population just under a million people. We are one of the most diverse counties in New Jersey. The USA Today Diversity Index shows on a scale of 0 to 100 how likely it is that two people from an area would have a different race or ethnicity. Our index has grown by 15 points, from 56 in 2010 to 71 in 2020.
Our county hospital, which is the largest in New Jersey and fourth-largest publicly owned hospital in the nation, proved to be invaluable in the fight against COVID-19. We have done over 280,000 tests and administered over 130,000 COVID-19 vaccines. We have a vaccination rate in Bergen of 74.2%. People should feel comfortable working and living here, so we take care of people’s health.
What are the opportunities and challenges Bergen County is strategizing around?
In March, our economic development team is launching a new tool called Size Up. This is free to use and shows business owners how to look at key performance indicators and helps them make decisions based on data. We’re calling this big data for small businesses because they will have access to information they never had before, and it will be free. It compares the revenue, salaries, costs and other metrics from their competitors in Bergen County, the state and around the country. We are partnering with Bergen Community College on the Size Up program because that institution is such a big driver for people to start their education, especially if they are economically disadvantaged.
There are great quality-of-life aspects in the county beyond business. We have great transportation and are in the middle of major regional corridors. The county has also invested almost $20 million in our parks to enhance these experiences for people. We have over 9,000 acres of parkland that enables families to get out and enjoy the outdoors across all four seasons. For example, you can ski in January at Campgaw Mountain and then play golf right across the street at Darlington Golf Course by April.
How is Bergen County managing the rapid influx of businesses and people to the region?
The good thing about Bergen County is that we have planned for growth. Our economic development and planning teams created a six-year outlook for how we manage growth in terms of cost, service and manpower. As a result, we have been able to meet the growth and prosperity with enough workforce and services to match the increasing demand. We have made big investments into infrastructure, as well. Taking care of our seniors and military veterans is another top priority. That is demonstrated by our having one of the best veteran services programs in the state.
Are there any regulations or legislation at the state or federal level that you are following?
We are paying a lot of attention to light rail transportation. One of my pet peeves is the Bergen- Hudson Light Rail, which has been around for 15 years and doesn’t actually come to Bergen County. I have been vocal to state leaders that if this isn’t going to Bergen, then take the name away because it is misleading. I have fought for years to expand funding to bring that line into the county. We have a great rail system within the county but the east side doesn’t have access to it. That light rail would not only help the economy but also the environment and quality of life. There are so many benefits to a light rail here. For it not to come here is unfair to the people here.
With the federal infrastructure bill being passed, we are hoping to create more road infrastructure programs. As an example, there is a bottleneck on Route 17 where five lanes of traffic merge to two and it is the only connecting point for commerce from the port to the rest of the country. We want work to be done on that soon.
We also want to make sure people are paid a fair wage. Bergen County was the first county in New Jersey to establish a $15 per hour minimum wage for full-time county employees. Our state and federal legislators do a great job of helping us take advantage of bills that are passed. Bergen County often does give more than it receives from the state but I understand there are other places of great need.
What is your near-term outlook for Bergen County?
I always say, “Bergen strong, Bergen bright.” I continue to see economic and population growth. Our education community will continue to lead the state. Our diverse workforce is something we will continue to work on, making sure minority- and women-owned businesses are successful and those who want a good-paying job can find one. Apartment construction is growing across the county. In Hackensack alone, there are over 3,500 units being built or completed. We are also making sure to take care of the environment. We have also purchased more electric vehicles and charging stations for people to use. We also have solar insulation around the county. It is a holistic picture of good governance, to have clean water and fresh air, and that will be a component for Bergen in the future as we reduce our carbon footprint. Over the next five years, we will see continued growth and prosperity.
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