Borough (New Jersey)

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).^[1]

Though it is now the most common form of local government in New Jersey at 252, by 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 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.^[2] Bergen County is home to the highest number of boroughs of any New Jersey county, at 56.

^ Types of New Jersey Municipal Government Archived 2011-01-14 at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey State League of Municipalities. Accessed November 1, 2012.
^ 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.

[1] Types of New Jersey Municipal Government Archived 2011-01-14 at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey State League of Municipalities. Accessed November 1, 2012.

[2] 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.

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