Livingston, New Jersey

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Livingston
Map of Livingston Township in Essex County
Statistics
Population: 27,391
Government
Type: Borough
Congressional District: 8th and 11th
Location
State: New Jersey
County: Essex County
Post Office and Telephone
ZIP Code: 07039
Area code: 973
Dialling code: 716, 992

Livingston is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 27,391.

Livingston was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813, from portions of Caldwell Township (now Fairfield Township) and Springfield Township (now in Union County, New Jersey). Portions of the township were taken to form Fairmount (March 11, 1862, now part of West Orange) and Roseland (March 10, 1908).[1]

Livingston was created by joining of seven distinct areas: Centerville (separated to become Roseland, New Jersey, in 1908), Cheapside (now Livingston Mall), Morehousetown (now Livingston Circle), Northfield (now Northfield Center), Squiretown (now the Cerebral Palsy Institute of New Jersey on Old Road), Teedtown, and Washington Place. The township was given its name in honor of William Livingston, the first Governor of New Jersey.[2]

Contents

[edit] Geography

Livingston is located at 40°47′19″N, 74°19′17″W (40.788733, -74.321340)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.4 km² (14.1 mi²). 35.9 km² (13.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (1.35%) is water.

The Township of Livingston is located in Essex County, in the Gateway Region. In the vicinity are the Passaic River, West Orange, Millburn, and the Grover Cleveland State Historic Site in West Caldwell. Livingston is part of the New York metropolitan area.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1930 3,476
–
1940 5,972 71.8%
1950 9,932 66.3%
1960 23,124 132.8%
1970 30,127 30.3%
1980 28,040 -6.9%
1990 26,609 -5.1%
2000 27,391 2.9%
Est. 2005 27,743 [3] 1.3%
Population 1930 - 1990.[4]

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 27,391 people, 9,300 households, and 7,932 families residing in the town. The population density was 761.9/km² (1,973.1/mi²). There were 9,457 housing units at an average density of 263.1/km² (681.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 82.64% White, 1.20% African American, 0.05% Native American, 14.54% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.69% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.54% of the population.

According to the 2002 results of the National Jewish Population Survey[5], there are 12,600 Jews in Livingston, approximately 46% of the population. This is one of the higher percentages of Jews in any American municipality.

There were 9,300 households out of which 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.0% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% were non-families. 13.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the township the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.

The median income for a household in the township is $98,869, and the median income for a family was $108,049. Males had a median income of $77,256 versus $41,654 for females. The per capita income for the town was $47,218. About 1.1% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

Livingston's Township Council consists of five members. A Mayor and Deputy Mayor are selected by the Council from among its members. Members of the Township Council are Mayor Steve Santola, Deputy Mayor Lee Peyser, Charles "Buddy" August, Arlene Johnson and Gary Schneiderman.[6]

The Township Manager is Michele Meade. She is the third Township Manager, preceded by Robert H. Harp (1954-1985) and Charles J. Tahaney (1985-2005).

[edit] Township committees

Committees and Boards run through the Township include:

  • Livingston Municipal Alliance Committee (LMAC)
  • Holiday Committees
  • Neighborhood Grievance Committee
  • Consumer Affairs Office
  • Planning Board
  • Zoning Board of Adjustment
  • Committee for Diversity

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Livingston is split between the Eighth and Eleventh Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 27th Legislative District.[7]

New Jersey's Eighth Congressional District, covering the southern portion of Passaic County and northern sections of Essex County, is represented by Bill Pascrell Jr. (D, Paterson). New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District, covering western portions of Essex County, all of Morris County, and sections of Passaic County, Somerset County and Sussex County, is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 27th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Richard Codey (D, West Orange) and in the Assembly by Mims Hackett (D, Orange) and John F. McKeon (D, West Orange). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Essex County's County Executive is Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. Essex County's Freeholders are Freeholder President Blonnie R. Watson, Freeholder Vice President Ralph R. Caputo, Freeholders-At-Large Johnny Jones, Donald M. Payne, Jr., and Patricia Sebold, Freeholder District 1 Samuel Gonzalez, Freeholder District 2 D. Bilal Beasley, Freeholder District 3 Carol Y. Clark, Freeholder District 4 Linda Lordi Cavanaugh and Freeholder District 5 Ralph R. Caputo.

[edit] Politics

On the national level, Livingston leans toward the Democratic Party. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry received 54% of the vote, defeating Republican George W. Bush, who received around 45%. Livingston has not elected a Republican on the local level since 1994.

Livingston was the home of one of New Jersey's most prominent political families, the Keans. Robert Kean served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1939 to 1958, when he ran for U.S. Senator; his son, Thomas Kean, who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1968 to 1978 (and as Assembly Speaker in 1972-73, and Minority Leader 1974-77), as Governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990, and as President of Drew University from 1990 to 2004. Thomas Kean Jr., elected to the State Assembly in 2001 and the State Senate in 2003, is the Republican nominee for United States Senator in 2006.

When Robert Kean ran for the Senate, losing to Harrison A. Williams in 1958, Livingtson's Congressman became George M. Wallhauser, a Republican. After the 1960 census, Livingston was moved into the district of Republican Congresswoman Florence P. Dwyer. After the 1970 census, Livingston went into Congressman Peter Frelinghuysen, Jr.'s district. He was the father of Livingston's current Congressman, Rodney P. Frelinghuysen. When Peter Frelinghuysen retired in 1974, he was succeeded by Millicent Fenwick, who beat Tom Kean in a Republican primary by about 80 votes. After the 1980 census, Livingston was moved to Congressman Joseph G. Minish's district. Minish was defeated by Dean Gallo in 1984 and served until his death in 1994. Rodney Frelinghuysen took his seat. The 2000 Census split the town, and now Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. represents a portion of the community.

Some Essex County Freeholders from Livingston have included Reita Greenstone, James Cavanaugh, Patricia Sebold, and William Clark.

[edit] Education

The Livingston Public Schools consists of six elementary schools, for grades K-5 ( Burnet Hill School, Collins Elementary School, Harrison Elementary School, Hillside Elementary School, Mount Pleasant Elementary School and Riker Hill Elementary School), two middle schools (Mount Pleasant Middle School for grade 6 and Heritage Middle School for grades 7 and 8) and Livingston High School for grades 9-12.

For the 1997-98 school year, Livingston High School received the Blue Ribbon Award from the United States Department of Education, the highest honor that an American school can achieve.[8] Livingston High School was the 14th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 316 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2006 cover story on the state's Top Public High Schools.[9]

Livingston's schools participate in many county, interschool, state, and national competitions. Some of these include the popular "Cognetics" program, Math Counts, various national, state, and county math contests, debate contests, Academically Speaking (a county competition to test broad knowledge), Knowledge Master Open (KMO, a national computer-based contest to test broad knowledge), and many more.

Aquinas Academy is a private coeducational Roman Catholic school that serves students from preschool through eighth grade. Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy is a private coeducational Jewish day school that serves preschool through eighth grade. Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School is a four-year yeshiva high school for grades 9-12. Newark Academy is a private coeducational day school for grades 6-12.

[edit] Transportation

Livingston is located about 20 miles from New York City. There is a Coach USA (Community Coach) bus to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan and a New Jersey Transit bus service to Newark Penn Station running through the center of Livingston. New Jersey Transit train service and PATH can be reached by car or taxi.

In and near Livingston are Eisenhower Parkway, County Route 508, County Route 527, Interstate 280, Route 10 and the Morristown and Erie Railway.

[edit] The town

Although largely a bedroom community, there are numerous stores and restaurants located in Livingston. They include chain stores such as Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Old Navy, as well as department stores in the Livingston Mall (e.g., Macy's, Lord & Taylor, the Gap). Additionally, there are many local, independent stores. Construction on the new walkable town center and the housing complex next to it has been completed. Livingston has a cable television station (TV-34), which is maintained by Livingston High School Students as well as the LPBC (Livingston Public Broadcasting Committee).

[edit] Noted residents

[edit] Notable events

On March 29, 2005, comedian Mitch Hedberg was found dead by his wife in a Livingston hotel room. A medical examiner's report found traces of cocaine and heroin in his system.[10]

On February 14, 2006, a group of three, possibly four armed robbers attempted to rob a Dunbar armored car. A shoot out ensued after the car picked up cash from a local Bank of America branch. During the shootout one of the two security guards, the passenger, was hit; however, the bullet did not penetrate his chest as he was wearing a bulletproof vest. The same guard then ran into a local restaurant to call for help. The police quickly arrived and immediately apprehended two of the suspects. They then chased a third suspect through Livingston, Millburn and South Orange, the location where the third suspect would eventually be captured. A day after the shooting, investigators discovered that the driver of the armored car had left the truck unlocked a day earlier, which is the same mistake that allowed one of the robbers to enter the vehicle on the day of the robbery.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 128.
  2. ^ About Livingston, accessed March 9, 2007
  3. ^ Census data for Livingston township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
  4. ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
  5. ^ Jewish Population in the United States, 2002, National Jewish Population Survey, accessed May 11, 2006
  6. ^ Livingston Township Officials 2006, accessed March 13, 2007
  7. ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 60, accessed August 30, 2006
  8. ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), accessed May 11, 2006
  9. ^ Top Public High Schools in New Jersey, New Jersey Monthly, September 2006
  10. ^ Mitch Hedberg: Cocaine, heroin detected in his system, MTV.com, December 28, 2005

[edit] External links

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Municipalities of Essex County, New Jersey
(County seat: Newark)
Boroughs Caldwell | Essex Fells | Glen Ridge | North Caldwell | Roseland
Cities East Orange | Newark
Towns
Townships Belleville | Bloomfield | Cedar Grove | City of Orange | Fairfield | Irvington | Livingston | Maplewood | Millburn | Montclair | Nutley | South Orange Village | Verona | West Caldwell | West Orange
Neighborhoods Broadway | Downtown Newark | Fairmount | Forest Hill | Ironbound | Llewellyn Park | Roseville | Seventh Avenue | Springfield/Belmont | University Heights | Vailsburg | Weequahic
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