LODI, NEW JERSEY

'Lodi' is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 23,971. The Borough of Lodi is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law.
Lodi was incorporated as a borough on December 22, 1894, from portions of the now-defunct municipalities of Lodi Township and Saddle River Township, at the height of Bergen County's ''Boroughitis'' phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, based on the results of a referendum held on the previous day."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 80.^[1]

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Government

Local government

Federal, state and county representation

Politics

Education

Transportation

Popular culture

Local media

Noted natives

References

Sources

External links

Geography

Lodi is located at (40.877999, -74.082659).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 5.9 km² (2.3 mi²). 5.9 km² (2.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.44% is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 23,971 people, 9,528 households, and 6,097 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,095.2/km² (10,590.6/mi²). There were 9,908 housing units at an average density of 1,692.7/km² (4,377.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 78.16% White, 3.55% African American, 0.17% Native American, 8.86% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.25% from other races, and 2.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.98% of the population.
There were 9,528 households out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the borough the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 34.5% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $43,421, and the median income for a family was $51,959. Males had a median income of $38,781 versus $31,253 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $21,667. About 5.3% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

In 1923, New Jersey passed the Municipal Manager Law, which was part of the early 20th century movement toward more non-political and business-like municipal government with more professional administration.
Currently, the Borough of Lodi operates in this form of government. Under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law form of government, the voters elect five members of a council and the mayor is selected from the council. The council functions strictly as a legislative body and administrative functions are prohibited. The Council may investigate the administration, may determine internal organization and may create and abolish boards and departments.
The Council appoints a municipal manager, tax assessor, treasurer, auditor, municipal clerk, and an attorney.
The manager is the municipal chief executive and executes laws and policies. Further duties include the preparation of the budget for council consideration and attendance at meetings with a voice, but no vote. The manager recommends improvements and implements those approved, as well as over-sees contracts and franchises and reports violations. it is the responsibility of the manager to appoint and remove department heads and make all additional appointments not made by the council.^[2]
Members of the Lodi Borough Council are Mayor Karen Viscana, Deputy Mayor Paula Fiduccia, Marc Schrieks, Bruce T. Masopust, and Thomas DeSomma.^[3]

Federal, state and county representation

Lodi is in the Ninth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 38th Legislative District.^[4]

Politics

As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 24,336 in Lodi, there were 10,757 registered voters (44.2% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 2,690 (25.0% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,157 (10.8% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 6,910 (64.2% vs. 60.1% countywide) are registered as Undeclared. There were no voters registered to other parties.^[5]
On the national level, Lodi leans toward the Democratic Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 58% of the vote here, defeating Republican George W. Bush, who received around 41%.^[6]

Education

The Lodi Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district are five elementary schools (PreK-5, except as noted) —
Columbus School,
Hilltop School (K-5),
Roosevelt School,
Washington School and
Wilson School —
Thomas Jefferson Middle School for grades 6-8 and Lodi High School for grades 9-12.
Lodi has two private high schools, High Point School of Bergen County and Immaculate Conception High School.

Transportation

New Jersey Transit bus routes 144, 145, 148, 161, 164, 709, 712 and 780 serve Lodi.^[7]
Route 17, U.S. Route 46 and Interstate 80 all pass through Lodi.

Popular culture

The Bada Bing, is a fictional go-go bar from the HBO drama television series ''The Sopranos''. All interior and exterior shots of the Bada Bing are filmed on location at ''Satin Dolls'', an actual go-go bar in Lodi on Route 17.^[8]

Local media

Lodi is home to the transmitter and towers for New York radio station WABC (AM).

Noted natives

★ Glenn Danzig - former singer for horror punk band The Misfits.Pieces of Punk, ''Broward New Times'', September 6, 2001. "Singer Glenn Danzig and bassist Jerry Only formed the Misfits in Lodi, New Jersey, back in the late 1970s."

★ Diane DiPiazza - original bass player for horror punk band The Misfits.

★ Georgine DiMaria - Miss New Jersey 2006.^[9][10]

★ Frank Licata - Former guitarist for horror punk band The Misfits.

★ Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein - Former guitarist for horror punk band The Misfits.

★ Jerry Only - The Misfits.

★ Dean Obeidallah - Co-founder of the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival and part of the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour.^[11]

★ Anthony Scillia aka "Tony Mangia" - Radio and Television Personality; hosts The Tony Mangia Show every Wednesday from 3PM-6PM on WPSC 88.7 FM.

★ Eerie Von - Former bass guitar player for Samhain and Danzig

★ Michale Graves - former singer of the reincarnated Misfits and currently creator of Michale Graves(the band)

References

1. "History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630-1923," p. 377 shows formation date of October 25, 1894 and only Lodi Township as parent municipality.
2. How Lodi's Government Works, Borough of Lodi. Accessed February 8, 2008.
3. Lodi Mayor and Council, Borough of Lodi. Accessed August 11, 2007.
4. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 60. Accessed August 30, 2006.
5. "County of Bergen: Voter Statistics by Municipality, Ward & District," dated April 1, 2006.
6. 2004 Presidential Election results: Bergen County, New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of Elections, dated December 13, 2004.
7. New Jersey Transit Bus Schedules. Accessed August 30, 2007.
8. Brubaker, Paul. "Bada Bing club, is auctioning 'Sopranos' memorabilia online", ''Herald News'', August 25, 2007. Accessed August 29, 2007.
9. New Miss New Jersey ready for busy year and reality TV, ''Burlington County Times'', June 19, 2006.
10. Georgine DiMaria, Miss New Jersey 2006, accessed December 10, 2006.
11. Arab-American comics fight prejudice with humor, by Samantha Henry, ''Herald News'', February 18, 2007. "But a new wave of comedy shows produced by Muslim and Arab-American writers, including one by Lodi native Dean Obeidallah, is working to counteract the more frightening stereotypes."

Sources

★ "History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630-1923;" by "Westervelt, Frances A. (Frances Augusta), 1858-1942."

★ "Municipal Incorporations of the State of New Jersey (according to Counties)" prepared by the Division of Local Government, Department of the Treasury (New Jersey); December 1, 1958.

External links

★ Lodi official website

★ Lodi Public Schools

★

★ National Center for Education Statistics data for the Lodi Public Schools