Editing Totowa, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
[[File:Totowa, NJ borough hall, Dec. 2024.jpg|thumb|right|Totowa Municipal Building]]
Totowa is governed under the [[Borough (New Jersey)|borough]] form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf ''Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey''], [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected [[at-large]] on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 151.</ref> The borough form of government is a "[[weak mayor]] / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can [[veto]] ordinances, subject to an [[veto override|override]] by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the council's advice and consent.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. [http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924045019/http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html |date=September 24, 2014 }}, [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]]. Accessed November 30, 2014.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=6 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 6. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, the mayor of Totowa is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] John Coiro, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Totowa Borough Council are Council President Lou D'Angelo (R, 2025), William Bucher Jr. (R, 2026), John F. Capo (R, 2025), Patrick Fierro (R, 2024) and Anthony L. Picarelli (R, 2024) and Sanders Reynoso (R, 2026).<ref name=Officials>[https://www.totowanj.org/officials Town Officials], Borough of Totowa. Accessed February 18, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.totowanj.org/_files/ugd/3cc0e2_068698b7d06441be9e1bb20a6d0ad8b3.pdf 2023 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Totowa. Accessed February 18, 2024.</ref><ref name=PassaicDirectory>[https://www.passaiccountynj.org/home/showpublisheddocument/6854/638289180350200000#page=77 ''Passaic County 2023 Directory''], [[Passaic County, New Jersey]]. Accessed February 18, 2024.</ref><ref name=Passaic2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Passaic/118633/web.317647/#/summary 2023 General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results], [[Passaic County, New Jersey]], November 29, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Passaic2022>[https://www.passaiccountynj.org/home/showpublisheddocument/6026/638060192685700000 2022 General Election November 8, 2022 Summary Report Passaic County Official Results], [[Passaic County, New Jersey]], updated December 7, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Passaic2021>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Passaic/111517/web.278093/#/summary 2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results], Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

Councilmember John Waryas resigned from office in June 2014, citing personal issues.<ref>Kadosh, Matthew. [http://www.northjersey.com/news/six-term-totowa-councilman-steps-down-cites-personal-reasons-1.1034666 "Six-term Totowa councilman steps down, cites personal reasons"], ''Passaic Valley Today'', June 12, 2014. Accessed August 16, 2015. "John Waryas resigned from the council this week after serving on the council for 15 years. He cited personal reasons for leaving and was praised by his fellow council members at this week's council meeting."</ref> That month, the borough council selected Brendan Murphy from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill Waryas' vacant seat on an interim basis.<ref>Kadosh, Matthew. [http://www.northjersey.com/news/accountant-with-deep-republican-ties-chosen-to-fill-vacant-totowa-council-seat-1.1041045 "Accountant with deep Republican ties chosen to fill vacant Totowa council seat"], ''Passaic Valley Today'', June 25, 2014. Accessed August 16, 2015. "Brendan Murphy, who is the son of Peter Murphy, chairman of the Totowa Borough Republican Club, was chosen on Tuesday night to fill seat left vacant by Councilman John Waryas and is set to be sworn into his new position at the July 8 council meeting."</ref> In the November 2014 general election, Phil Puglise was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Passaic2014>[http://www.passaiccountynj.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/337 November 4, 2014 Summary Report Passaic County Official Results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924064843/http://www.passaiccountynj.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/337 |date=September 24, 2015 }}, [[Passaic County, New Jersey]], updated November 12, 2014. Accessed July 28, 2016.</ref>