CTA EXAM - MARCH 24TH REVIEW
FOUR TYPES OF LOCAL GOV'T UNITS - AKA CREATURES OF THE STATE - correct answer County,
Municipality, School District, Special District
SIX CLASSIFICATIONS OF COUNTIES - correct answer First - population over 550k and density of more
than 3000 persons per sq/mi - ANY PART OF STATE (Essex, Bergen, Hudson)
Second - >200k pop - NOT BORDERING ATLANTIC (Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex,
Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Union)
Third - 50k-200k pop - NOT BORDERING ATLANTIC (Cumberland, Hunterdon, Salem, Sussex, Warren)
Fourth - <50k pop - NOT BORDERING ATLANTIC (None)
Fifth - >125k pop - BORDERING ATLANTIC (Atlantic, Monmouth, Ocean)
Sixth - 125k or < pop - BORDERING ATLANTIC (Cape May)
APPORTIONMENT OF COUNTY COST - correct answer Based on the equalized value of real property and
certain locally assessed personal property in each municipality.
CLASSIFICATION OF MUNICIPALITIES - correct answer 1) Type of municipality
2) Form of Government
FIVE TYPES OF MUNICIPALITIES - correct answer Borough
Township
Village
Town
City
METHOD OF ASSESSOR SELECTION
Commission Form of of Local Govt - correct answer Assessor(s) appointed by the commission at org
meeting by director of dept at subsequent date
,METHOD OF ASSESSOR SELECTION
Municipal Manager Form - correct answer Assessor or Assessor with Deputy Assessor appointed by
council
METHOD OF ASSESSOR SELECTION
Council-Manager Form - correct answer Assessor or assessor with Deputy assessors appointed by the
mayor with advice and consent of council, or by department head who has been appointed by the
mayor.
METHOD OF ASSESSOR SELECTION
Mayor-Council Administration Form - correct answer Assessor and Deputy appointed by the mayor with
advice and consent of council or by department head who has been appointed by mayor.
METHOD OF ASSESSOR SELECTION
Small Municipalities Form - correct answer Assessor or Assessor and Deputy appointed by mayor with
advice and consent of council.
METHOD OF ASSESSOR SELECTION
City-Mayor Council Form - correct answer A wide variety of statutory provisions for appointed assessors.
METHOD OF ASSESSOR SELECTION
Borough Form - correct answer Appointed by mayor with advice and consent of council.
METHOD OF ASSESSOR SELECTION
Township Form - correct answer Appointed by the governing body.
METHOD OF ASSESSOR SELECTION
Village Form - correct answer Appointed by the governing body.
,COMMISSION FORM OF LOCAL GOVT - AKA WALSH ACT - correct answer An elected governing body of
three or five members (determined by population class) with both legislative and administrative
authority.
MUNICIPAL MANAGER FORM OF LOCAL GOVT - 1923 LAW - correct answer An elected body of 5, 7, or 9
members which appoints it's Mayor and other officers. It appoints a municipal manager who is given
authority to administer the local unit.
COUNCIL-MANAGER FORM OF LOCAL GOVT- 1950 LAW - correct answer An elected policy-making
council of five, seven, or nine members (at discretion of voters) which appoints it's Mayor, A municipal
clerk, and municipal manager who has authority and responsibility for overall municipal administration.
MAYOR-COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR FORM OF LOCAL GOVT - correct answer An elected policy-making
body of five, seven, or nine members (voters option) and a separately elected mayor.
SMALL MUNICIPALITIES FORM OF LOCAL GOVT - correct answer An elected policy-making body of three,
five, or seven members including a mayor elected by the voters, or the council who has authority for
overall administration of the unit. This form of government is limited to units with less than 12,000
persons.
CITY-MAYOR COUNCIL FORM OF LOCAL GOVT - correct answer Includes referendum charter forms
authorized between 1897 and 1908 and special charters approved by the legislature. It's constituency
varies in size.
TOWN FORM OF LOCAL GOVT - correct answer Similar to the borough form with a separately elected
mayor and council sized accordingly to number of wards.
BOROUGH FORM OF LOCAL GOV'T - correct answer An elected council usually six members with both
administrative and policy making powers and an elected mayor with limited authority for
administration.
TOWNSHIP FORM OF LOCAL GOVT - correct answer An elected governing body usually of three, or five
members with both legislative and administrative authority.
, VILLAGE FORM OF LOCAL GOVT - correct answer And elected body of five trustees with both legislative
and administrative authority.
REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS - correct answer State law provides for districts covering two or more
municipalities and for regional districts.
TYPE I CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS - correct answer Members of the board of bed are appointed by the
mayor or other CEO of the municipality. The school budget is prepared by the board of Ed and approved
by the board of school estimate which consists of the mayor or CEO, two members of the board of ed,
and two members of the municipal governing body.
TYPE II (NON-CITY) SCHOOL DISTRICTS - correct answer Members of the board of Ed are elected and the
school budget is submitted to the voters for approval. In consolidated and regional school district, both
all purpose and limited purpose, membership on the board of Ed is apportioned among the participating
districts according to population. Board members are elected and the school budget must be approved
by the voters.
CHARTER SCHOOL - correct answer A public school operated under a charter granted by the
commissioner, which is operated independently of a local board of Ed and is managed by a board of
trustees. The board of trustees, upon receiving a charter from the commissioner, is deemed to be a
public agent authorized by the state board of ed to supervise and control the charter school.
EQUALIZED VALUATION - correct answer The equalized valuation of a taxing district or districts, as
certified by the director of the division of taxation on October 1, or subsequently revised by the Tax
Court by January 15, of the pre-budget year.
CREATURES OF THE STATE - correct answer County, municipality, school districts and special districts
that have been created by the State Legislature and granted legal powers by state law
SOURCES OF LOCAL REVENUE IN NJ - correct answer Property tax has remained the mainstay of local
finance in New Jersey. Property tax revenue supports local government services for New Jersey
residents, such as the public school system, municipal police and fire, emergency services, trash and
snow removal, libraries, Senior services, and other local services. Some local governments also impose
limited user fees for specific services.
