Voter Turnout

Indicator 1.1 displays the percent of registered voters within Hillsborough Township that voted in national and local elections from 1998 to 2006. Elections are the prime way in which the political will of a community is expressed. Local elections allow local communities to set the political agenda for their local area. The more people that vote, the greater the democratic legitimacy of the elected local authority and the greater its scope to claim a mandate for its actions. Tracking voter turnout is an important way to measure community strength by measuring how engaged Hillsborough Township residents are in local government. It may also serve as a proxy for how representative a government is of the local community.

Recycling Rates

Recycling is a key component to community-wide solid waste reduction. An effective recycling program considers the 3 R’s of solid waste reduction (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). By expanding the municipal recycling program in Hillsborough Township and increasing public education, recycling rates can be increased. An effective recycling program will help eliminate the amount of waste being directed into local landfills and help promote a more environmentally-aware citizenry.

Modal Split

Transportation is a key element of sustainable land use patterns and lifestyles. Transportation modes range from some of the most resource-intensive, polluting activities, from single-vehicle commuting over long distances to zero-energy, zero-waste healthful activities such as walking and biking. By shifting more and more Hillsborough residents from vehicles to public transportation, bicycles, walking and even carpooling, the Township can reduces its carbon emissions and make the community a safer, more pleasant place to live and work.

Time Spent Commuting

Commuting time is an important indicator of quality of life. Shorter commuting times mean greater time to spend with family members and neighbors, participating in exercise and leisure activity and leading productive work time. Long commuting times representative of long-distance single occupancy vehicle commutes contribute to global warming factors as well as air pollutants. Hillsborough Township is a prime target for long commuting times due to the fact that it is primarily a residential community whose residents work in the more metropolitan areas of Central or North Jersey, New York Metro Area or Philadelphia. Commuting outside of Hillsborough Township reduces the opportunity for internal community building as well as removing skilled workers, disposable income and other assets from the local economy. Commuting time is a strong indicator of whether the local balance of employment and residences is functioning well and whether the town economy is providing for local circulation of skills and commerce.

Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety

This indicator displays the number of pedestrian and bicycle accidents involving motor vehicles in Hillsborough Township, as reported annually by the police records department. Bicycling and walking offer a viable alternative to driving an individual automobile when concerns for safety and convenience are met. Bicycling and walking provides a means to increase physical activity and health and to reduce the negative environmental impacts of transportation, such as air and noise pollution and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Providing safe routes and fostering safety awareness among bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists can help to reduce the annual number of accidents and injuries.

Unemployment Rate

The local unemployment rate serves as a good indicator of the economy’s state. Unemployment rates are determined by the percentage of those in the labor force that are without jobs. High unemployment rates would indicate a slowing of the growth of the economy and low unemployment rates indicate the opposite. In addition, higher unemployment rates could also have an effect on the rates of consumption of local residents, as they would have less spending power while searching for a job, and thus local businesses might see a decline in spending habits.

Agricultural Economy

Preservation of agricultural land by the Township helps to support local farmers whose land would otherwise be overpriced and overtaxed as real estate values rise across the County and the State. High real estate values lend to development pressures that would give Hillsborough farmers the incentive to sell their land to developers. Farmland preservation has many of the environmental benefits of open space while also helping to develop a local food economy. As oil prices rise and food imports are jeopardized by both shortages and trade policies, local food sources provided by high quality soils and preserved land will become a crucial asset for the Township. Fostering the amount of locally produced food decreases the dependency on remote supply sources. The protection of local production reduces reliance on chain food businesses that may incorporate uncontrolled and unmonitored growth policies and rely on fossil-fuel transportation methods. In a larger scope, the preservation of Farmland will ensure the Garden State remains as a national and global producer of garden and crop items.

Renewable Energy

This indicator shows the annual cumulative electricity production capacity installed in Hillsborough Township using photovoltaic technology that produces energy from the sun. Each dot on the graph represents a photovoltaic installation. Producing and consuming energy from fossil fuels has a tremendous negative impact on the environment. Global warming, acid rain, smog, oil spills, and strip mining are some of the many impacts that are a result of our need for cheap energy. But we have a choice. The State of New Jersey allows people to choose clean and renewable electricity that comes from sources such as solar and wind through the CleanPower Choice Program (www.njcleanpower.com). There are also many incentives for people to put solar panels, fuel cells, and geothermal installations right on their homes and businesses.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Carbon dioxide emissions from human activity, mostly the combustion of fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) and large-scale deforestation, is the primary cause of the now famous “greenhouse effect” and global climate change. Experts say that no matter what we do, some warming, and related negative effects, will occur. However, the current consensus among experts is that it is not too late to stop “catastrophic warming” from occurring if we reduce our carbon emission by 20% by the year 2020, and 80% by the year 2050. Failure to do so will result in more flooding, blazing hot summers, tropical diseases, global famine, sea level rises, more intense storms, and ironically droughts in much of New Jersey.

Crime Rate

Indicator1.2 displays the trends in the number of violent, non-violent and total crimes reported per 1,000 residents in Hillsborough from 1997 – 2005. Controlling the incidence of crime within Hillsborough plays an important role in the Township’s objective of building a stronger and more sustainable community. When Hillsborough residents do not feel safe they cannot fully enjoy other features that make the Township a vibrant community. By examining long-term crime rates, the Township can monitor their efforts to reduce crime and increase community strength through policing and other efforts. Finally, the incidence of crime within Hillsborough may also be an indication of other problems affecting the Township, such as unemployment and inadequate educational opportunities.