| Township (new Jersey) |
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A township, in the context of New Jersey Local Government , refers to one of five ''types'' and one of eleven ''forms'' of municipal government. It is a political entity as any typical Town , City or municipality, collecting property taxes and providing services such as maintaining roads, garbage collection, water, sewer, schools, police and fire protection. However, townships in New Jersey differ from Townships elsewhere in the United States. In most states, townships are an intermediate form of government, between county government and municipalities that are subordinate parts of the township, with different government responsibilities allocated at each level. In New Jersey, there are no subordinate municipalities located within a township, as a New Jersey township is a form of municipal government within a county, equal in status to a village, town, borough, or city, all of which may coexist within a county. Municipalities in New Jersey may be classified into one of five ''types''. This has little bearing on which of eleven forms of government that the municipality may adopt. Historically, a variety of legislation has been passed by the state legislature that has defined and refined the township ''form'' of municipal government: The Township Act of 1798 was the first state legislation to incorporate municipalities. The government defined was a form of Direct Democracy , similar to the New England Town Meeting , in which the vote was available to all white males, at least 21 years old, who were citizens of New Jersey, and residents of the township for at least six months; and who paid taxes in the township, or who owned land, or rented a home in the township for a rent of at least five dollars a year. A group of five freeholders was elected to one-year terms on the Township Committee, which was responsible to oversee the expenditure of revenue in between town meetings. The Township Act of 1899 abolished the town meeting and strengthened the role of the Township Committee, which was initially set at three and amended to allow for expansion to five members. Members were elected for staggered three-year terms. The Home Rule Act of 1917 legally defined the term "municipality" and recognized five ''types'' of government: Borough , township, City , Town , and Village and granted each equal legal standing. The Township Act of 1989 simplified the much-amended Act of 1899. It retains a three or five member township committee serving staggered terms, whose members are generally elected at-large. The committee elects a Mayor from among its members to serve a one-year term. Partisan elections are allowed under this law. Voters may initiate a referendum to change the membership to consist of either 3 or 5 members. While many township committees directly supervise the operation of their municipality, the revised act allows the committee to delegate all or a portion of its responsibilities to an appointed municipal administrator. On road signs, township is often abbreviated "TWP". SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINK |