Dennis McNerney
Encyclopedia
Dennis McNerney is an American Democratic Party
politician who served as the County Executive
of Bergen County, New Jersey
from 2003 to 2011.
McNerney was raised in Teaneck, New Jersey
, attending a Catholic grammar school in neighboring Bogota
. He attended Bergen Catholic High School
in Oradell, New Jersey
, and went to college at Bergen Community College
and the University of Delaware
before receiving an M.P.A.
degree from Columbia University
. McNerney and his family live in Ho-Ho-Kus
.
He took office in January 2003 after being twice elected to the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders
, in 1998 and 2001, defeating Republican Henry McNamara
. In succeeding Pat Schuber
, McNerney became the first Democrat to hold the post of Bergen County Executive. McNerney was reelected to a second term of office as County Executive in 2006, defeating former Freeholder Todd Caliguire
. He lost reelection in the 2010 election to Kathleen Donovan
in a race in which the Republicans captured all three open seats on the Board of Chosen Freeholders to regain control on the board.
In his February 2008 State of the County address, McNerney called for municipalities with populations less than 10,000 in Bergen County to merge, saying "The surest way to significantly lower homeowners' property taxes is to merge small towns and reduce administrative overhead." Half of Bergen County's 70 municipalities have fewer than 10,000 residents each.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician who served as the County Executive
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
of Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
from 2003 to 2011.
McNerney was raised in Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
, attending a Catholic grammar school in neighboring Bogota
Bogota, New Jersey
As of the 2010 Census, Bogota had a population of 8,187. The median age was 38.6. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 61.0% White, 9.4% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 9.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander, 14.8% some other race and 4.1% reporting...
. He attended Bergen Catholic High School
Bergen Catholic High School
Bergen Catholic High School is an all-male Roman Catholic high school in Oradell, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade...
in Oradell, New Jersey
Oradell, New Jersey
Oradell is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,978. The borough's territory includes a dam on the Hackensack River that forms the Oradell Reservoir...
, and went to college at Bergen Community College
Bergen Community College
Bergen Community College is an accredited, co-educational, two-year, public, community college located in Bergen County, New Jersey. Its primary campus is in Paramus where it was built on 9 holes of the Orchard Hills Golf Course, cutting Orchard Hills' size down in half...
and the University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
before receiving an M.P.A.
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
degree from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. McNerney and his family live in Ho-Ho-Kus
Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey
Ho-Ho-Kus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 4,078. It is the home of several historical landmarks, including the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and The Hermitage....
.
He took office in January 2003 after being twice elected to the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders
Board of Chosen Freeholders
In New Jersey, the Boards of Chosen Freeholders are the county legislatures in each of that state's 21 counties.- Origin :New Jersey's system of naming county legislators "freeholders" is unique in the United States...
, in 1998 and 2001, defeating Republican Henry McNamara
Henry McNamara
Henry P. McNamara is an American Republican Party politician, who served in the New Jersey State Senate from 1985 to 2008, where he represented the 40th Legislative District. In the Senate, he was Minority Whip from 1990 to 1991...
. In succeeding Pat Schuber
Pat Schuber
William "Pat" Schuber is an American Republican Party politician, who served for four years as Mayor of Bogota, New Jersey, represented his district in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1982 to 1990 and served 12 years as the County Executive of Bergen County.Schuber received a BA from Fordham...
, McNerney became the first Democrat to hold the post of Bergen County Executive. McNerney was reelected to a second term of office as County Executive in 2006, defeating former Freeholder Todd Caliguire
Todd Caliguire
Todd Caliguire is an American Republican Party politician in New Jersey. He is a former county freeholder and candidate for Governor of New Jersey. Caliguire is married to Laurie Gayle Stephenson, a professional actress who has appeared in several Broadway productions including the lead role in...
. He lost reelection in the 2010 election to Kathleen Donovan
Kathleen Donovan
Kathleen A. Donovan is an American Republican Party politician, who is currently serving her first term as County Executive of Bergen County, New Jersey. She previously served as County Clerk for four terms, one term in the New Jersey General Assembly...
in a race in which the Republicans captured all three open seats on the Board of Chosen Freeholders to regain control on the board.
In his February 2008 State of the County address, McNerney called for municipalities with populations less than 10,000 in Bergen County to merge, saying "The surest way to significantly lower homeowners' property taxes is to merge small towns and reduce administrative overhead." Half of Bergen County's 70 municipalities have fewer than 10,000 residents each.