Boroughitis

Boroughitis (also borough fever or borough mania), was the creation, usually by referendum, of large numbers of small boroughs in the American state of New Jersey in the 1890s, particularly in Bergen County. Attempts by the New Jersey Legislature to reform local government and the school systems led to the breakup of most of Bergen County's townships into small boroughs, communities that still balkanize the state's political map. This occurred because of the development of commuter suburbs in New Jersey, residents of which wanted more government services than did the long-time rural population.

In the late 19th century, much of New Jersey was divided into large townships, in which there might be several small communities, each with a local school that formed its own school district. Political disputes arose between the growing number of commuters, who wanted more government services for the new developments near railroad lines, and long-time residents such as farmers, who feared higher taxes. A previously little-used law permitted small segments of existing townships to vote by referendum to form independent boroughs. In late 1893, Republicans, backed by commuters, captured control of the legislature and the following year passed legislation allowing boroughs that were formed from parts of two or more townships to elect a representative to the county Board of Chosen Freeholders. This 1894 act, in combination with a second one the same year that consolidated the school districts into one per township, made it easy and attractive for dissatisfied communities to break away and become boroughs, in order to gain a seat on the county board or to keep control of the local school.