Burlington Township, New Jersey

History

Burlington was formed as a "Towne" by the West Jersey proprietors, and was interrelated to Burlington City during its early days. It was incorporated on February 21, 1798 by the Township Act of 1798, enacted by the New Jersey Legislature, as one of the initial group of 104 townships incorporated in New Jersey. Burlington City was reincorporated within the township as of March 14, 1851, at which time a portion of the township was annexed to the city. The township's name is a corruption of the English town of Bridlington.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 13.98 square miles (36.209 km²), including 13.415 square miles (34.745 km²) of land and 0.565 square miles (1.463 km²) of water (4.04%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Deacons, Fountain Woods, Springside and Stevens.

The township borders Burlington City, Edgewater Park Township, Florence Township, Springfield Township, Westampton Township and Willingboro Township in Burlington County and both Bristol and Bristol Township across the Delaware River in Pennsylvania.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 22,594 people, 7,797 households, and 5,746 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,684.2 per square mile (650.3/km²). The township contained 8,105 housing units at an average density of 604.2 per square mile (233.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 59.00% (13,331) White, 27.98% (6,322) Black or African American, 0.15% (35) Native American, 7.04% (1,590) Asian, 0.04% (9) Pacific Islander, 2.41% (544) from other races, and 3.38% (763) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 7.05% (1,593) of the population.

Out of a total of 7,797 households, 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the township, 26.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females the census counted 90.4 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 88.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $83,291 (with a margin of error of +/- $4,419) and the median family income was $101,967 (+/- $6,626). Males had a median income of $60,587 (+/- $3,161) versus $50,078 (+/- $3,792) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $32,122 (+/- $1,352). About 3.0% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 20,294 people, 7,112 households, and 5,277 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,506.2 people per square mile (581.7/km²). There were 7,348 housing units at an average density of 545.4 per square mile (210.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 67.71% White, 24.49% African American, 0.16% Native American, 3.73% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.46% from other races, and 2.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.01% of the population.

There were 7,112 households out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the township the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $61,663, and the median income for a family was $70,958. Males had a median income of $49,290 versus $35,510 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,754. About 3.4% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Burlington Coat Factory has its headquarters in the township, having relocated from Burlington City in 1988.

The Marketplace at Burlington, formerly an indoor mall known as the Burlington Center Mall, offers a gross leasable area of 670,000 square feet (62,000 m²), with plans to convert to an open-air format with 1,500,000 square feet (140,000 m²) of leasable space.

Local government

Burlington Township is governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Mayor-Council (Plan E) form of municipal government, implemented based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission as of January 1, 1975. The governing body consists of a mayor and a seven-member Township Council, all of whom are elected at-large in partisan elections to four-year terms in office on a staggered basis as part of the November general election. Either three or four council seats are up for vote every other year in even years, with the mayoral seat up for vote during the same cycle where three council seats are up for vote.

As of 2016, the Mayor of Burlington Township is Democrat Brian J. Carlin, whose term of office ends December 31, 2018. Members of the Burlington Township Council are Council President Carl M. Schoenborn (D, 2016), President Pro Tem E.L. "Pete" Green (D, 2016), Michael K. Cantwell (D, 2018), Joyce R. Howell (D, 2018), Robert W. Jung (D, 2016), George M. Kozub (D, 2018) and Patricia "Trish" Siboczy (D, 2016).

Federal, state and county representation

Burlington Township is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 7th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Burlington Township had been part of the 3rd Congressional District and the 4th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District is represented by Tom MacArthur (R, Toms River). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 7th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Diane Allen (R, Edgewater Park Township) and in the General Assembly by Herb Conaway (D, Moorestown) and Troy Singleton (D, Palmyra). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Burlington County is governed by a Board of chosen freeholders, whose five members are elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. The board chooses a director and deputy director from among its members at an annual reorganization meeting held in January. As of 2015, Burlington County's Freeholders are Director Mary Ann O'Brien (R, Medford Township, 2017; Director of Administration and Human Services), Deputy Director Bruce Garganio (R, Florence Township, 2017; Director of Public Works and Health), Aimee Belgard (D, Edgewater Park Township, 2015; Director of Hospital, Medical Services and Education) Joseph Donnelly (R, Cinnaminson Township, 2016; Director of Public Safety, Natural Resources, and Education) and Joanne Schwartz (D, Southampton Township, 2015; Director of Health and Corrections). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Tim Tyler, Sheriff Jean E. Stanfield and Surrogate George T. Kotch.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 13,214 registered voters in Burlington Township, of which 5,382 (40.7% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,160 (16.3% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 5,664 (42.9% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 8 voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 58.5% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 79.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 7,345 votes (68.4% vs. 58.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 3,229 votes (30.1% vs. 40.2%) and other candidates with 103 votes (1.0% vs. 1.0%), among the 10,744 ballots cast by the township's 14,146 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.0% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 7,266 votes (65.3% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 3,692 votes (33.2% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 99 votes (0.9% vs. 1.0%), among the 11,127 ballots cast by the township's 13,570 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.0% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 5,696 votes (57.4% vs. 52.9% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 4,086 votes (41.1% vs. 46.0%) and other candidates with 72 votes (0.7% vs. 0.8%), among the 9,931 ballots cast by the township's 12,351 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.4% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 3,486 votes (53.1% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 2,874 votes (43.7% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 76 votes (1.2% vs. 1.2%), among the 6,570 ballots cast by the township's 14,162 registered voters, yielding a 46.4% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 3,483 ballots cast (52.9% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 2,669 votes (40.6% vs. 47.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 283 votes (4.3% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 90 votes (1.4% vs. 1.2%), among the 6,578 ballots cast by the township's 13,512 registered voters, yielding a 48.7% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

Public school students in pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade are educated in the Burlington Township School District, under superintendent Christopher Manno. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's four schools had an enrollment of 4,097 students and 303.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.51:1. The Burlington Township School District (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are B. Bernice Young Elementary School (899 students in grades pre-K to 2nd grade), Fountain Woods Elementary School (901; 3-5), Burlington Township Middle School at Springside (1,016; 6-8) and Burlington Township High School (1,201; 9-12).

The Burlington Township School District received publicity in 2009 after a video posted on YouTube by a parent without school approval showed more than a dozen children at B. Bernice Young Elementary School singing a song praising President Barack Obama, which Conservative groups cited as a means of indoctrinating students to support the President. At the conclusion of the song, the children pump their fists and chant "hip, hip, hooray!" The song had been performed in conjunction with Black History Month activities and when the author of the book I Am Barack Obama visited the school the next month

Students from Burlington Township, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton Township.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 100.69 miles (162.04 km) of roadways, of which 78.65 miles (126.57 km) were maintained by the municipality, 15.03 miles (24.19 km) by Burlington County and 5.36 miles (8.63 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 1.65 miles (2.66 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

The New Jersey Turnpike (including the Pennsylvania Extension and the turnpike bridge) passes through the township for 0.8 miles (1.3 km) from the river to Florence Township. While there is no turnpike interchange within the township's borders, it is accessible in neighboring Florence Township (at Exit 6A on the Pennsylvania Extension) and Westampton Township (at Interchange 5, which is signed for Burlington-Mount Holly).

Other roads that pass through Burlington Township include U.S. Route 130, Interstate 295 and County Road 541.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service in the city between Trenton and Philadelphia on the 409 route and between Burlington and Camden on the 413 and 419 routes.

The NJ Transit River Line light rail system provides transportation between the Trenton Transit Center in Trenton and the Walter Rand Transportation Center (and other stations) in Camden, with stops in Burlington City at Burlington South and Burlington Towne Centre, but not in Burlington Township itself.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Burlington Township include: