New Jersey Wants To Feature Statue Of Liberty On New State Quarter

WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- New Jersey wants to showcase the Statue of Liberty on its new state quarter, coming out in 2017.

The proposal has sparked a debate among locals, since many associate Lady Liberty with New York City.

1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck hit the streets and asked, "When you think of the Statue of Liberty what do you think: New York or New Jersey?"

Many were very diplomatic with their answers.

"I think we have a lot of other issues that we should look into," Al Vacca from Lyndhurst said. "New York and New Jersey, we always share things. We've done well all these years. I'll think we'll do well the rest of this time."

"I think of our country, open arms," Vacca said, but when pressed further he replied, "Well I'm a Jersey guy all the way. What can we do?"

Alex Clark, who lives in New Jersey and works in Manhattan, said he thinks of France when he thinks of Lady Liberty.

"I've been in Newark for so long, it's not even by us. It's like calling the MetLife Stadium half Jets, half Giants when it's been Giants for so long," Clark said. "It doesn't make any sense."

"I associate the Statue of Liberty with people coming over to America. Whether it's Jersey or New York, it doesn't really matter to me," a man named Tom said. "It's the metropolitan area. It's all the same to me."

U.S. Rep. Peter King of Long Island weighed in on the issue, saying the idea is laughable and the Garden State should find another landmark, like a swamp.

New York used an image of the Statue of Liberty on its state quarter in 2001. It's latest quarter came out this year and features Saratoga National Historic Park.