Boroughitis was craze that spread through New Jersey in the late 19th century, which led groups of residents to unite to form Boroughs from within and among the many Townships that were the prevalent form at the time. This wave of municipal formations was fomented by legislation that allowed a Borough to be created by a referendum with no further legislative approval required. By 1875 only 17 boroughs existed, but with Boroughitis the prevalence of Boroughs exploded, so that they are now the most common type of municipal government in New Jersey, accounting for over 200 of the 566 municipal governments statewide. Official language(s) None defined, English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 47th 22,608 km² 110 km 240 km 14. ... A Borough (sometimes spelled Boro on road signage) in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of twelve forms of municipal government. ... Modern forms of municipal government Walsh Act/Commission 1923 Municipal Manager Faulkner Act forms of municipal government Mayor-Council Council-Manager Small Municipality Mayor-Council-Administrator A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. ...

In 1893, an act was passed which specified that a borough could have a Freeholder only if the borough contained a portion of two or more townships. This led many boroughs to contain portions of two or more townships. The Board of County Freeholders is the legislative body for each of the 21 counties in New Jersey. ...

Early in 1894, the New Jersey Legislature passed a school act which had each township to consitute a separate school district. Taxpayers were required to pay off any existing debts of the old districts and all future school-related debts of the new districts. Exempted from this provision were "boroughs, towns, villages, and cities". The Legislature of New Jersey is the U.S. state of New Jerseys legislative branch, seated in the New Jersey State House at the states capital, Trenton. ...

The citizens responded to the legislation in 1894, and Boroughitis was in full force, as scores of new boroughs were carved from townships. The borough-formation pace slowed down when new legislation was passed mandating that boroughs could have their own school districts only if they had 400 children within their boundaries.

The formation of new boroughs continued after 1894. The Borough remained the most popular form of government for new municipalities, and most governments formed into the early 20th century used the Borough form.

Source

• "Municipal Incorporations of the State of New Jersey (according to Counties)" prepared by the Division of Local Government, Department of the Treasury (New Jersey); December 1, 1958.

December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External link

• Bergen County Townships and Municipalities