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Borough (New Jersey)
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{{Short description|Type of local government subdivision in New Jersey, US}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{NJmunigov}} [[File:RUTHERFORD_NJ_20230808.png|thumb|Borough Hall]] A '''borough''' (also spelled '''boro'''), in the context of [[local government]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[New Jersey]], refers to one of five ''types'' and one of eleven ''forms'' of municipal government (in addition to those established under a [[Special charter (New Jersey)|special charter]]).<ref name=NJTypes> [https://www.njlm.org/644/Forms-of-Municipal-Government---New-Jers Types of Government in New Jersey], [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]]. Accessed July 1, 2024. </ref> Among New Jersey's 564 municipalities, the borough is the most common form of [[local government in New Jersey|local government]], though the majority of state residents actually reside in [[Township (New Jersey)|townships]]. In 2023 there were 253 boroughs in New Jersey.<ref name="2023gaz"> {{ Cite web | title=2023 U.S. Census Gazetteer - New Jersey County Subdivisions | url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2023_Gazetteer/2023_gaz_cousubs_34.txt | website=[[Gazetteer]] Files | access-date=July 24, 2024 | publisher= [[United_States_Census_Bureau |U.S. Census Bureau]] | ref=2023gaz }} </ref> However, boroughs were not always so common. In 1875 only 17 boroughs had been created, all by special acts of the legislature. These original boroughs were ''subdivisions'' of townships, established by state charter; [[Elizabeth, New Jersey|Elizabeth]] was the first, established by royal charter in 1740, within the now defunct Elizabeth Township. About half of them had been dissolved, or changed into other forms of government—often cities. In 1875, a constitutional amendment prohibited such local or special legislation.<ref>Snyder, pp. 23, 237; Elizabeth, for example, was rechartered by the state in 1789, and became a city in 1855; Trenton had been chartered in 1746 and surrendered its charter in 1750.</ref> [[Bergen County, New Jersey|Bergen County]] is home to the highest number of boroughs of any New Jersey county, at 56.<ref>Pettigano, Michael V. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/2018/01/31/boroughitis-bergen-county-nj-70-towns/1080349001/ "Here's why Bergen County has so many towns"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', January 31, 2018. Accessed July 1, 2024. "Among New Jersey's 21 counties, Bergen County leads the pack with 70, including 56 boroughs."</ref> ==Legislation== The '''Borough Act of 1878''' allowed any township (or portion thereof) with a land area of no more than {{convert|4|mi2|spell=in}} and a population not exceeding 5,000, to establish itself as an independent borough through a petition and referendum process on a self-executing basis. As enacted, a borough would be governed by an elected mayor (serving a one-year term) and a six-member council (elected to staggered three-year terms). The mayor would preside at council meetings, but had no vote except to break ties. This system resulted in a period, known as "[[boroughitis]]", where large numbers of small boroughs were created. In 1894, the Legislature passed an act requiring each township to have a single school district. A wave of borough incorporations followed, as one part of several townships decided that it would prefer the cost of being a separate municipality to paying for the other schools. The '''Borough Act of 1897''' amended the original Act, eliminating the self-executing incorporation feature of the earlier legislation. Henceforth, newly incorporated boroughs (or those seeking to dissolve or increase or decrease in size) required approval of the legislature. The elected mayor and six-member council were retained, with the mayor now serving a two-year term. The '''Borough Act of 1987''' was created to streamline borough law and clear away amendments, changes, and contradictory rules that had accumulated over the century of the Borough's existence as a form of government. The 1987 Act allowed for the delegation of executive responsibility to an appointed administrator. === Borough government === Traditionally, voters elect a mayor and six council members at-large in a partisan election. Only two boroughs, [[Roselle, New Jersey|Roselle]] and [[Roselle Park, New Jersey|Roselle Park]], have ward structures with councils having five ward members and one at-large.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. [https://www.njlm.org/809/3982/Forms-of-Govt-Magazine-Article "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"], [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]], March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025. "The Boroughs of Roselle and Roselle Park elect council members from wards."</ref> The borough system has a weak mayor and the council performs most legislative and executive functions. This form of local government is used by 39% of the municipalities in New Jersey. ==List of boroughs== There are a total of 253 boroughs in New Jersey, which include:<ref name="2023gaz" /> {{div col|colwidth=20em}} *[[Allendale, New Jersey|Allendale]] *[[Allenhurst, New Jersey|Allenhurst]] *[[Allentown, New Jersey|Allentown]] *[[Alpha, New Jersey|Alpha]] *[[Alpine, New Jersey|Alpine]] *[[Andover Borough, New Jersey|Andover Borough]] *[[Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey|Atlantic Highlands]] *[[Audubon Park, New Jersey|Audubon Park]] *[[Audubon, New Jersey|Audubon]] *[[Avalon, New Jersey|Avalon]] *[[Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey|Avon-by-the-Sea]] *[[Barnegat Light, New Jersey|Barnegat Light]] *[[Barrington, New Jersey|Barrington]] *[[Bay Head, New Jersey|Bay Head]] *[[Beach Haven, New Jersey|Beach Haven]] *[[Beachwood, New Jersey|Beachwood]] *[[Bellmawr, New Jersey|Bellmawr]] *[[Belmar, New Jersey|Belmar]] *[[Bergenfield, New Jersey|Bergenfield]] *[[Berlin Borough, New Jersey|Berlin Borough]] *[[Bernardsville, New Jersey|Bernardsville]] *[[Bloomingdale, New Jersey|Bloomingdale]] *[[Bloomsbury, New Jersey|Bloomsbury]] *[[Bogota, New Jersey|Bogota]] *[[Bound Brook, New Jersey|Bound Brook]] *[[Bradley Beach, New Jersey|Bradley Beach]] *[[Branchville, New Jersey|Branchville]] *[[Brielle, New Jersey|Brielle]] *[[Brooklawn, New Jersey|Brooklawn]] *[[Buena, New Jersey|Buena]] *[[Butler, New Jersey|Butler]] *[[Caldwell, New Jersey|Caldwell]] *[[Califon, New Jersey|Califon]] *[[Cape May Point, New Jersey|Cape May Point]] *[[Carlstadt, New Jersey|Carlstadt]] *[[Carteret, New Jersey|Carteret]] *[[Chatham Borough, New Jersey|Chatham Borough]] *[[Chesilhurst, New Jersey|Chesilhurst]] *[[Chester Borough, New Jersey|Chester Borough]] *[[Clayton, New Jersey|Clayton]] *[[Clementon, New Jersey|Clementon]] *[[Cliffside Park, New Jersey|Cliffside Park]] *[[Closter, New Jersey|Closter]] *[[Collingswood, New Jersey|Collingswood]] *[[Cresskill, New Jersey|Cresskill]] *[[Deal, New Jersey|Deal]] *[[Demarest, New Jersey|Demarest]] *[[Dumont, New Jersey|Dumont]] *[[Dunellen, New Jersey|Dunellen]] *[[East Newark, New Jersey|East Newark]] *[[East Rutherford, New Jersey|East Rutherford]] *[[Eatontown, New Jersey|Eatontown]] *[[Edgewater, New Jersey|Edgewater]] *[[Elmer, New Jersey|Elmer]] *[[Elmwood Park, New Jersey|Elmwood Park]] *[[Emerson, New Jersey|Emerson]] *[[Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey|Englewood Cliffs]] *[[Englishtown, New Jersey|Englishtown]] *[[Essex Fells, New Jersey|Essex Fells]] *[[Fair Haven, New Jersey|Fair Haven]] *[[Fair Lawn, New Jersey|Fair Lawn]] *[[Fairview, New Jersey|Fairview]] *[[Fanwood, New Jersey|Fanwood]] *[[Far Hills, New Jersey|Far Hills]] *[[Farmingdale, New Jersey|Farmingdale]] *[[Fieldsboro, New Jersey|Fieldsboro]] *[[Flemington, New Jersey|Flemington]] *[[Florham Park, New Jersey|Florham Park]] *[[Folsom, New Jersey|Folsom]] *[[Fort Lee, New Jersey|Fort Lee]] *[[Franklin Borough, New Jersey|Franklin Borough]] *[[Franklin Lakes, New Jersey|Franklin Lakes]] *[[Freehold Borough, New Jersey|Freehold Borough]] *[[Frenchtown, New Jersey|Frenchtown]] *[[Garwood, New Jersey|Garwood]] *[[Gibbsboro, New Jersey|Gibbsboro]] *[[Glassboro, New Jersey|Glassboro]] *[[Glen Gardner, New Jersey|Glen Gardner]] *[[Glen Ridge, New Jersey|Glen Ridge]] *[[Glen Rock, New Jersey|Glen Rock]] *[[Haddon Heights, New Jersey|Haddon Heights]] *[[Haddonfield, New Jersey|Haddonfield]] *[[Haledon, New Jersey|Haledon]] *[[Hamburg, New Jersey|Hamburg]] *[[Hampton Borough, New Jersey|Hampton Borough]] *[[Harrington Park, New Jersey|Harrington Park]] *[[Harvey Cedars, New Jersey|Harvey Cedars]] *[[Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey|Hasbrouck Heights]] *[[Haworth, New Jersey|Haworth]] *[[Hawthorne, New Jersey|Hawthorne]] *[[Helmetta, New Jersey|Helmetta]] *[[Hi-Nella, New Jersey|Hi-Nella]] *[[High Bridge, New Jersey|High Bridge]] *[[Highland Park, New Jersey|Highland Park]] *[[Highlands, New Jersey|Highlands]] *[[Hightstown, New Jersey|Hightstown]] *[[Hillsdale, New Jersey|Hillsdale]] *[[Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey|Ho-Ho-Kus]] *[[Hopatcong, New Jersey|Hopatcong]] *[[Hopewell Borough, New Jersey|Hopewell Borough]] *[[Interlaken, New Jersey|Interlaken]] *[[Island Heights, New Jersey|Island Heights]] *[[Jamesburg, New Jersey|Jamesburg]] *[[Keansburg, New Jersey|Keansburg]] *[[Kenilworth, New Jersey|Kenilworth]] *[[Keyport, New Jersey|Keyport]] *[[Kinnelon, New Jersey|Kinnelon]] *[[Lake Como, New Jersey|Lake Como]] *[[Lakehurst, New Jersey|Lakehurst]] *[[Laurel Springs, New Jersey|Laurel Springs]] *[[Lavallette, New Jersey|Lavallette]] *[[Lawnside, New Jersey|Lawnside]] *[[Lebanon Borough, New Jersey|Lebanon Borough]] *[[Leonia, New Jersey|Leonia]] *[[Lincoln Park, New Jersey|Lincoln Park]] *[[Lindenwold, New Jersey|Lindenwold]] *[[Little Ferry, New Jersey|Little Ferry]] *[[Little Silver, New Jersey|Little Silver]] *[[Lodi, New Jersey|Lodi]] *[[Longport, New Jersey|Longport]] *[[Madison, New Jersey|Madison]] *[[Magnolia, New Jersey|Magnolia]] *[[Manasquan, New Jersey|Manasquan]] *[[Mantoloking, New Jersey|Mantoloking]] *[[Manville, New Jersey|Manville]] *[[Matawan, New Jersey|Matawan]] *[[Maywood, New Jersey|Maywood]] *[[Medford Lakes, New Jersey|Medford Lakes]] *[[Mendham Borough, New Jersey|Mendham Borough]] *[[Merchantville, New Jersey|Merchantville]] *[[Metuchen, New Jersey|Metuchen]] *[[Middlesex, New Jersey|Middlesex]] *[[Midland Park, New Jersey|Midland Park]] *[[Milford, New Jersey|Milford]] *[[Millstone, New Jersey|Millstone]] *[[Milltown, New Jersey|Milltown]] *[[Monmouth Beach, New Jersey|Monmouth Beach]] *[[Montvale, New Jersey|Montvale]] *[[Moonachie, New Jersey|Moonachie]] *[[Morris Plains, New Jersey|Morris Plains]] *[[Mount Arlington, New Jersey|Mount Arlington]] *[[Mount Ephraim, New Jersey|Mount Ephraim]] *[[Mountain Lakes, New Jersey|Mountain Lakes]] *[[Mountainside, New Jersey|Mountainside]] *[[National Park, New Jersey|National Park]] *[[Neptune City, New Jersey|Neptune City]] *[[Netcong, New Jersey|Netcong]] *[[New Milford, New Jersey|New Milford]] *[[New Providence, New Jersey|New Providence]] *[[Newfield, New Jersey|Newfield]] *[[North Arlington, New Jersey|North Arlington]] *[[North Caldwell, New Jersey|North Caldwell]] *[[North Haledon, New Jersey|North Haledon]] *[[North Plainfield, New Jersey|North Plainfield]] *[[Northvale, New Jersey|Northvale]] *[[Norwood, New Jersey|Norwood]] *[[Oakland, New Jersey|Oakland]] *[[Oaklyn, New Jersey|Oaklyn]] *[[Ocean Gate, New Jersey|Ocean Gate]] *[[Oceanport, New Jersey|Oceanport]] *[[Ogdensburg, New Jersey|Ogdensburg]] *[[Old Tappan, New Jersey|Old Tappan]] *[[Oradell, New Jersey|Oradell]] *[[Palisades Park, New Jersey|Palisades]] *[[Palmyra, New Jersey|Palmyra]] *[[Paramus, New Jersey|Paramus]] *[[Park Ridge, New Jersey|Park Ridge]] *[[Paulsboro, New Jersey|Paulsboro]] *[[Peapack and Gladstone, New Jersey|Peapack and Gladstone]] *[[Pemberton Borough, New Jersey|Pemberton Borough]] *[[Pennington, New Jersey|Pennington]] *[[Penns Grove, New Jersey|Penns Grove]] *[[Pine Beach, New Jersey|Pine Beach]] *[[Pine Hill, New Jersey|Pine Hill]] *[[Pitman, New Jersey|Pitman]] *[[Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey|Point Pleasant Beach]] *[[Point Pleasant, New Jersey|Point Pleasant]] *[[Pompton Lakes, New Jersey|Pompton Lakes]] *[[Princeton, New Jersey|Princeton]] *[[Prospect Park, New Jersey|Prospect Park]] *[[Ramsey, New Jersey|Ramsey]] *[[Raritan, New Jersey|Raritan]] *[[Red Bank, New Jersey|Red Bank]] *[[Ridgefield, New Jersey|Ridgefield]] *[[Ringwood, New Jersey|Ringwood]] *[[River Edge, New Jersey|River Edge]] *[[Riverdale, New Jersey|Riverdale]] *[[Riverton, New Jersey|Riverton]] *[[Rockaway Borough, New Jersey|Rockaway Borough]] *[[Rockleigh, New Jersey|Rockleigh]] *[[Rocky Hill, New Jersey|Rocky Hill]] *[[Roosevelt, New Jersey|Roosevelt]] *[[Roseland, New Jersey|Roseland]] *[[Roselle Park, New Jersey|Roselle Park]] *[[Roselle, New Jersey|Roselle]] *[[Rumson, New Jersey|Rumson]] *[[Runnemede, New Jersey|Runnemede]] *[[Rutherford, New Jersey|Rutherford]] *[[Saddle River, New Jersey|Saddle River]] *[[Sayreville, New Jersey|Sayreville]] *[[Sea Bright, New Jersey|Sea Bright]] *[[Sea Girt, New Jersey|Sea Girt]] *[[Seaside Heights, New Jersey|Seaside Heights]] *[[Seaside Park, New Jersey|Seaside Park]] *[[Shiloh, New Jersey|Shiloh]] *[[Ship Bottom, New Jersey|Ship Bottom]] *[[Shrewsbury, New Jersey|Shrewsbury Borough]] *[[Somerdale, New Jersey|Somerdale]] *[[Somerville, New Jersey|Somerville]] *[[South Bound Brook, New Jersey|South Bound Brook]] *[[South Plainfield, New Jersey|South Plainfield]] *[[South River, New Jersey|South River]] *[[South Toms River, New Jersey|South Toms River]] *[[Spotswood, New Jersey|Spotswood]] *[[Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey|Spring Lake Heights]] *[[Spring Lake, New Jersey|Spring Lake]] *[[Stanhope, New Jersey|Stanhope]] *[[Stockton, New Jersey|Stockton]] *[[Stone Harbor, New Jersey|Stone Harbor]] *[[Stratford, New Jersey|Stratford]] *[[Surf City, New Jersey|Surf City]] *[[Sussex, New Jersey|Sussex]] *[[Swedesboro, New Jersey|Swedesboro]] *[[Tavistock, New Jersey|Tavistock]] *[[Tenafly, New Jersey|Tenafly]] *[[Teterboro, New Jersey|Teterboro]] *[[Tinton Falls, New Jersey|Tinton Falls]] *[[Totowa, New Jersey|Totowa]] *[[Tuckerton, New Jersey|Tuckerton]] *[[Union Beach, New Jersey|Union Beach]] *[[Upper Saddle River, New Jersey|Upper Saddle River]] *[[Victory Gardens, New Jersey|Victory Gardens]] *[[Waldwick, New Jersey|Waldwick]] *[[Wallington, New Jersey|Wallington]] *[[Wanaque, New Jersey|Wanaque]] *[[Washington, New Jersey|Washington Borough]] *[[Watchung, New Jersey|Watchung]] *[[Wenonah, New Jersey|Wenonah]] *[[West Cape May, New Jersey|West Cape May]] *[[West Long Branch, New Jersey|West Long Branch]] *[[West Wildwood, New Jersey|West Wildwood]] *[[Westville, New Jersey|Westville]] *[[Westwood, New Jersey|Westwood]] *[[Wharton, New Jersey|Wharton]] *[[Wildwood Crest, New Jersey|Wildwood Crest]] *[[Wood-Ridge, New Jersey|Wood-Ridge]] *[[Woodbine, New Jersey|Woodbine]] *[[Woodbury Heights, New Jersey|Woodbury Heights]] *[[Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey|Woodcliff Lake]] *[[Woodland Park, New Jersey|Woodland Park]] *[[Woodlynne, New Jersey|Woodlynne]] *[[Woodstown, New Jersey|Woodstown]] *[[Wrightstown, New Jersey|Wrightstown]] {{div col end}} == See also == * [[List of municipalities in New Jersey]] == References == {{Reflist}} {{authority control}} [[Category:Boroughs in New Jersey| ]] [[Category:Local government in New Jersey]]
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