Editing Princeton, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
Princeton 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''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601184216/https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf |date=June 1, 2023 }}, [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected [[at-large]] on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The 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. The borough form of government used by Princeton 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 advice and consent of the council.<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"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604040836/https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=6 |date=June 4, 2023 }}, p. 6. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Government>[http://www.princetonnj.gov/govbody.html Governing Body] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130327074814/http://www.princetonnj.gov/govbody.html |date=March 27, 2013 }}, Princeton, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2013.</ref>

The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office, serves as Princeton's chief executive officer and nominates appointees to various boards and commissions subject to approval of the council. The mayor presides at council meetings and votes in the case of a tie or a few other specific cases.<ref name=Government/> The council consists of 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. The council has administrative powers and is the policy-making body for Princeton. The council approves appointments made by the mayor. Council members serve on various boards and committees and act as liaisons to certain departments, committees or boards.<ref name=Government/>

{{As of|2025}}, the [[Mayor of Princeton, New Jersey|mayor of Princeton]] is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Mark Freda, who is serving a four-year term expiring on December 31, 2028.<ref name=Mayor>[https://www.princetonnj.gov/939/Mayor-Mark-Freda Mayor Mark Freda] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521192149/https://princetonnj.gov/939/Mayor-Mark-Freda |date=May 21, 2022 }}, Municipality of Princeton. Accessed April 23, 2023.</ref> Members of the Princeton Council are Council President Mia Sacks (D, 2026), David F. Cohen (D, 2027), Leticia Fraga (D, 2027), Michelle Pirone Lambros (D, 2026), Leighton Newlin (D, 2027) and Brian McDonald (D, 2027).<ref name=Council>[https://www.princetonnj.gov/872/Mayor-Council Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518204331/https://www.princetonnj.gov/872/Mayor-Council |date=May 18, 2022 }}, Municipality of Princeton. Accessed April 23, 2023.</ref><ref>[https://www.princetonnj.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10557/2022-Introduced-Budget-PDF#page=10 2022 Municipal Data Sheet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428181353/https://www.princetonnj.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10557/2022-Introduced-Budget-PDF#page=10 |date=April 28, 2022 }}, Municipality of Princeton. Accessed April 28, 2022.</ref><ref name=MercerOfficials>[https://www.mercercounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/22827/637794896457670000 Mercer County Elected Officials] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230718064425/https://www.mercercounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/22827/637794896457670000 |date=July 18, 2023 }}, [[Mercer County, New Jersey]], as of January 2022. Accessed February 24, 2023.</ref><ref name=Mercer2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Mercer/116247/web.303253/#/summary General Election November 8, 2022 Results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230718063048/https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Mercer/116247/web.303253/#/summary |date=July 18, 2023 }}, [[Mercer County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated November 8, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Mercer2021>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Mercer/111513/web.278093/#/summary General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428181352/https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Mercer/111513/web.278093/#/summary |date=April 28, 2022 }}, [[Mercer County, New Jersey]], updated November 20, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Mercer2020>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Mercer/107134/web.264614/#/summary General Election November 3, 2020 Official Results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428181405/https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Mercer/107134/web.264614/#/summary |date=April 28, 2022 }}, [[Mercer County, New Jersey]], updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref><ref name=Mercer2019>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Mercer/98876/Web02.236009/#/ General Election November 2019 Official Results (Amended November 25, 2019)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128183412/https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Mercer/98876/Web02.236009/#/ |date=November 28, 2020 }}, [[Mercer County, New Jersey]], updated December 9, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mayor & Council {{!}} Princeton, NJ |url=https://www.princetonnj.gov/872/Mayor-Council |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=www.princetonnj.gov}}</ref>

In 2018, Princeton had an average property tax bill of $19,388, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide.<ref>Marcus, Samantha. [https://www.nj.com/politics/2019/04/these-are-the-towns-with-the-highest-property-taxes-in-each-of-njs-21-counties.html "These are the towns with the highest property taxes in each of N.J.'s 21 counties"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105221007/https://www.nj.com/politics/2019/04/these-are-the-towns-with-the-highest-property-taxes-in-each-of-njs-21-counties.html |date=November 5, 2019 }}, NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], April 22, 2019. Accessed November 5, 2019. "The average property tax bill in New Jersey was $8,767 last year. But there can be big swings from town to town and county to county.... The average property tax bill in Princeton was $19,388 in 2018, the highest in Mercer County."</ref>