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Hempstead is a town in Nassau County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 755,924. The 2004 population estimate is 755,785.
The Town of Hempstead is one of the three towns in Nassau County. There are twenty-two incorporated villages completely or partially in the town. Hempstead is the most populous town in the state and the nation with a population about the same as San Francisco and larger than Boston, Baltimore, or Seattle. It occupies the southwest part of the county.
History
The town was first settled around 1644. Although the settlers were from the English colony of Connecticut, a patent was issued by New Amsterdam after the settlers had purchased land from the local natives. The town may have been named for either Hemel Hempstead, England or the Dutch city of Heemstede.
During the American Revolution the Loyalists in the south and the American sympathizers in the north caused a split in 1784 into "North Hempstead" and "South Hempstead."
Government
The Town is headed by the Supervisor, currently Kate Murray (R-Levittown). The responsibilities of the office include presiding over meetings of the Town Council and directing the legislative and administrative function of that body. The position also entails creating and implementing the town's budget. Murray is the first woman elected to this office. One famous former supervisor was Republican Alfonse D'Amato, who later served New York in the United States Senate from 1981-1999
The Town Council is comprised of six voting members, elected from a councilmatic district. Their primary function is to adopt the annual budget, adopting and amending the town code and the building zone ordinances, adopting all traffic regulations, and hearing applications for changes of zone and special exceptions to zoning codes.
As of the 2005 local elections, the council members are:
1.Dorothy L. Goosby (D)
2.Edward A. Ambrosino (R)
3.James Darcy (R)
4.Anthony J. Santino (R)
5.Angie M. Cullin (R)
6.Gary Hudes (R)
Other elected officials in the town include the clerk and the receiver of taxes. The clerk is responsible for issuing birth, marriage, and death certificates and is considered the town's record keeper. The clerk is currently Mark A. Bonilla of Seaford. The Receiver of Taxes is Donald X. Clavin, Jr. of Garden City.
House Representatives
Hempstead is part of New York's 3rd and 4th Congressional Districts. District 3, represented by Peter T. King (R-Seaford), is the southern and eastern portions of the town, while District 4, represented by Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), is the northern and western portions of the town.State Senators and Assemblymen
Hempstead is in parts of New York's 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Senatorial Districts. They are currently represented by Kemp Hannon (R), Michael Balboni (R), Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R), and Dean Skelos (R), respectively.Hempstead has 8 assembly districts either within or in part of the town. They are Districts 12, 14-15, and 17-21. The assembly members are Joseph S. Saladino (R), Bob Barra (R), Robert Walker (R), Thomas McKevitt (R), Earlene Hooper (D), David G. McDonough (R), Harvey D. Weisenberg (D), and Thomas Alfano (R), respectively.
County Legislators
Hempstead has 12 county legislative districts either within or in part of the town. They are districts 1-8, 13-15, and 19. The legislators who represent those districts are:1. Kevan Abrahams
2. Roger Corbin
3. John Ciotti
4. Denise Ford
5. Joseph Scannell
6. Francis X. Becker, Jr.
7. Jeffrey Toback
8. Vincent Muscarella
13. Norma L. Gonsalves
14. David Mejias
15. Dennis Dunne, Sr.
19. David Denenberg
Politics
Though the town government is still controlled by the Republicans, (and has been for almost its entire history), town voters lean Democratic in elections on the state and federal level. In the last three presidential elections, the Democrat has won decisively in Hempstead (Bill Clinton received 56% in 1996, Al Gore received 58% in 2000 and John Kerry got 53% in 2004). Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer won Hempstead by a large margin in 2004, Democratic County Executive Thomas Suozzi won here in 2001 and 2005, and most of the town is represented in the House of Representatives by Democrat Carolyn McCarthy who has consistently won over 60% of the vote in the last few election cycles.
Employment
According to a Newsday survey, the Town of Hempstead is Long Island's 47th largest single employer with a total of 1,974 employees.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 495.5 km² (191.3 mi²). 310.7 km² (120.0 mi²) of it is land and 184.8 km² (71.4 mi²) of it (37.30%) is water.
The west town line is the border of Queens County, New York, part of New York City. Its northern border is along the main line of the Long Island Rail Road and along Old Country Road in Garden City heading east towards the Wantagh Parkway. Its eastern border runs parallel (and several hundred feet west of) Route 107. To the south is the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Atlantic Beach, Lido, Pt. Lookout, and Jones Beach. The town is located on Long Island.
Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 755,924 people, 246,828 households, and 193,513 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,433.0/km² (6,301.3/mi²). There were 252,286 housing units at an average density of 812.0/km² (2,103.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 74.65% White, 14.78% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 3.53% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.50% from other races, and 2.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.46% of the population.
There were 246,828 households out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.41.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $68,083, and the median income for a family was $77,147. Males had a median income of $50,818 versus $36,334 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,153. About 4.0% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
State Parks
See also
External links
"Town of Hempstead, New York"