New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-25
REFORM IN BOROUGH la VS.
REPORT OF THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE CON-
MITTEE.
THE LEGISLATURE ALONE SHOULD BE ALLOWED
TO FORM NEW NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. BoR-
ouGHs AND BOROUGH COMMISSIONS RE

THE LEGISLATURE ALONE SHOULD BE ALLOWED
TO FORM NEW MUNICIPALITIEs-oLD BoR-
oUGHs AND BOROUGH COMMISSIONS RE-
STORED TO THEIR OLD STATUS.
Trenton. March "a (SpeciaD.-The joint Committee
on Revision of the Borough Laws mas prepared
report which. while not complete as the COM
mitee would Ike Is the best that could be done
under the circumstances.
I'VE will endeavor to complete our labors and
make a final report to the next session OF the
Legislature" says the committee
Continuing. the committee says
Early in our consideration OF the matter we
reached the conclusion that any law which made 1t
possible for a few individuals to meet privately and
TO lay the lines Of a new municipality was
fundamentally wrong: that the creation OF munich
pality peculiarly legislative function. and one
that should not be incautiously delegated The
committee Is of the opinion that no municipality
should be formed in any other mode than by special
act OF the Legislature. and that any municipality
when so formed should take Its place among the
municipalities of this State to be governed by
general laws Any set OF persons desiring to have
separate municipal existence should present their
application to the Legislature and that body should
carefully inquire into the circumstances and sur
roundings of the community proposed to be ncor-
porated TO ascertain whether there Is sufficient
Justification for their separation from the municipal
ity of which they are now part
The committee then refers to the two bills intro
duced n few days ago, of which provides that
no borough or village shall hereafter be Incorporated
except by special OF the Legislature. and when
so incorporated shall be governed by all the laws
relative to municipalities OF their class. The sec
ond bill contains the same provisions. and applies TO
the formation of towns and cities. The committee
recommends that the borough bill take effect i'm
mediately while that applying to towns and cities is
not 10 take effect until January /, 1897.
The this difference in the time
which these acts shall take effect is that there are
many boroughs In this State which belong properly
TO the class OF towns or cites ana should take ad-
vantage Of the general town act which should be
left In full force for a short time in order that
opportunity may be given TO the larger bOroughs 10
step into the higher grade OF municipal government
The committee refers TO the recent court decisions
declaring unconstitutional the numerous bOrOughs
OF the State and calls attention OF the bills
which rchabilitatos every borough In the State
Speaking OF this act. the committee says
"Thc bOroughs 20 reh affiliated take their places
with the other borOughS es abiished under the law
OF 1873. with the same powers and subject TO the
same duties They are vested with all the rights
sponsibe for the contracts debts bonds and obliga
lions OF the borough or borough commission which
they possessed responsible for under color
OF law. while all their former ordinances. proceed
ings taxes and assessments are also validated and
confirmed.
we believe that there many boroughs In this
State which have no sufficient excuse for existence
which prompted by some local desire for
travagant improvement. or were part OF a scheme
of speculation to encourage the sale OF real estate
the outgrowth Of sectional or local jealousy
the borough law affords for the creation OF new
municipality. We have not thought II advisable
any OF these boroughs or in rehabili;ating them to
make any distinction between those that gu yht -
exist and those that ought not. I, Will be sufficient
We trust. to guard against the Increase Of such
bOrouRhs"