City (New Jersey)

Last updated

A city in the context of local government in New Jersey refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. Despite the widely held perception of a city as a large, urban area, cities in New Jersey have a confused history as a form of government and vary in size from large, densely populated areas to much smaller hamlets.

Contents

History

The 1897 and 1899 city charter laws applied only to areas with a population under 12,000, and provided for a directly elected mayor, who served a two-year term and had strong executive powers. Both featured a council elected from wards to staggered three-year terms, plus one councilman elected at-large for a term of two years. The mayor had a veto power, which could be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the council. The two acts differed in a number of ways, including the process for selection of a board of education (1897: elected; 1899: appointed by the council).

By 1987, there were only eleven cities under these City Acts (including East Orange, which effectively operated under a special City charter). As in other forms, many amendments, revisions and changes had been made over the years, leading to confusing and often conflicting legislation.

The City Act of 1987 provides for a directly elected mayor who serves a four-year term and for a council that consists of seven members; six elected from two wards for staggered three-year terms and one elected at large for a four-year term. There are three councilmen in each ward with one councilmember from each ward up for election every year. The mayor is the chief executive and votes only to break a tie. The Mayor has veto power over all or portions of any ordinance, subject to override by a two-thirds vote of the Council. The Act also provides for the delegation of executive responsibilities to a municipal administrator.

Those cities operating under pre-1987 charters could retain the characteristics of their structure of government regarding terms of office, number of positions and other powers. Provisions of the 1987 Act can then be adopted through a petition and referendum process by the electorate.

Municipalities

There are 52 cities in New Jersey: [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absecon, New Jersey</span> City in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States

Absecon is a city in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 9,137, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 726 (+8.6%) from the 2010 census count of 8,411, which in turn reflected an increase of 773 (+10.1%) from the 7,638 counted in the 2000 census. The city, and all of Atlantic County, is part of the Atlantic City-Hammonton metropolitan statistical area, which in turn is included in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estell Manor, New Jersey</span> City in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States

Estell Manor is a city in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the city, and all of Atlantic County, is part of the South Jersey region and of the Atlantic City-Hammonton metropolitan statistical area, which in turn is included in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folsom, New Jersey</span> Borough in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States

Folsom is a borough in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the city, and all of Atlantic County, is part of the South Jersey region and of the Atlantic City-Hammonton metropolitan statistical area, which in turn is included in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linwood, New Jersey</span> City in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States

Linwood is a city in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 6,971, a decrease of 121 (−1.7%) from the 2010 census count of 7,092, which in turn reflected a decline of 80 (−1.1%) from the 7,172 counted in the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Wildwood, New Jersey</span> City in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States

North Wildwood is a city located on the Jersey Shore in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The city, and all of Cape May County, is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, and is part of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 3,621, a decrease of 420 (−10.4%) from the 2010 census count of 4,041, which in turn reflected a decline of 894 (−18.1%) from the 4,935 counted in the 2000 census. North Wildwood is home to the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuckerton, New Jersey</span> Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States

Tuckerton is a borough situated on the Jersey Shore, within Ocean County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 3,577, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 230 (+6.9%) from the 3,347 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn had reflected a decline of 170 (−4.8%) from the 3,517 counted in the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northfield, New Jersey</span> City in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States

Northfield is a city in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 8,434, a decrease of 190 (−2.2%) from the 2010 census count of 8,624, which in turn reflected an increase of 899 (+11.6%) from the 7,725 counted in the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Republic, New Jersey</span> City in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States

Port Republic is a city on the Mullica River, located in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 1,101, a decrease of 14 (−1.3%) from the 2010 census count of 1,115, which in turn reflected an increase of 78 (+7.5%) from the 1,037 counted in the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somers Point, New Jersey</span> City in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States

Somers Point is a city situated on the Jersey Shore that is the oldest settlement in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was settled by Europeans in 1693 and was incorporated as a borough in 1886. Somers Point was incorporated as a city in 1902. The city is located in eastern Atlantic County, southwest of Atlantic City, in the South Jersey region of the state.

The 1923 Municipal Manager Law was the last type of reformed municipal government the State of New Jersey introduced in the progressive era. The law introduced to New Jersey the council–manager form of government first developed in Sumter, South Carolina.

A borough, 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey</span> Head of Hoboken, New Jersey

The Mayor of the City of Hoboken is the head of the executive branch of government of Hoboken, New Jersey, United States. The mayor has the duty to enforce the municipal charter and ordinances; prepare the annual budget; appoint deputy mayors, department heads, and aides; and approve or veto ordinances passed by the City Council. The mayor is popularly elected in a nonpartisan general election. The office is held for a four-year term without term limits.

The Optional Municipal Charter Law or Faulkner Act provides New Jersey municipalities with a variety of models of local government. This legislation is called the Faulkner Act in honor of the late Bayard H. Faulkner, former mayor of Montclair, New Jersey and chairman of the Commission on Municipal Government.

A Town in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. While "Town" is often used as a shorthand to refer to a Township, the two are not the same.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey</span> Political office in Jersey City, NJ, USA

The Mayor of the City of Jersey City is the head of the executive branch of the government of Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. The mayor has the duty to enforce the municipal charter and ordinances; prepare the annual budget; appoint deputy mayors, department heads, and aides; and approve or veto ordinances passed by the City Council. The mayor is popularly elected in a nonpartisan general election. The office is held for a four-year term without term limits, although the current term is a four-and-a-half-year term, due to a change in election dates.

Local government in New Jersey is composed of counties and municipalities. Local jurisdictions in New Jersey differ from those in some other states because every square foot of the state is part of exactly one municipality; each of the 564 municipalities is in exactly one county; and each of the 21 counties has more than one municipality. New Jersey has no independent cities, or consolidated city-counties.

Rumson, New Jersey, was incorporated on June 18, 1907. It is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a mayor and a borough council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Rumson, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

The Current Mayor of Perth Amboy is Helmin Caba, who was elected on December 15, 2020, after defeating Wilda Diaz and was sworn in on January 1, 2021. Perth Amboy, New Jersey is governed under the Mayor-Council system of municipal government under the Faulkner Act. Members of the City Council are elected at-large on a non-partisan basis to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election in even years. The mayor also serves a four-year term of office, which is up for election the same year that two council seats are up for vote. In October 2010, the City Council voted to shift the city's non-partisan elections from May to November, with the first balloting held in conjunction with the General Election in November 2012. Terms run from January 1 to December 31. A royal charter was issued on August 4, 1718. Perth Amboy was incorporated as a city on December 21, 1784.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston City Charter</span>

The Boston City Charter is a series of State statutes which codifies a system of rules for the government of the City of Boston, Massachusetts. The Charter is not a typical city constitution but rather a series of amendments, General Court rulings, and case law which form the basis of government. The central organs of the Boston City Charter are the Mayoral Office and City Council. The composition of these offices, their term length, manner of election, and scope of power have changed throughout the years.

References

  1. New Jersey Municipalities. Accessed August 12, 2022.
  2. Egg Harbor City Government, Egg Harbor City, backed up by the Internet Archive as of April 12, 2010. Accessed August 12, 2020.