Editing Sparta, New Jersey (section)

=== Local government ===
Sparta is governed within the [[Faulkner Act]], formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the [[Faulkner Act (council–manager)|Council-Manager]] (Plan B) form of municipal government, implemented based on the recommendations of a [[Charter Study Commission]] as of July 1, 1960.<ref>[http://www.dudley-2010.com/Faulkner%20Act%2046pages.pdf "The Faulkner Act: New Jersey's Optional Municipal Charter Law"], [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]], July 2007. Accessed November 5, 2013.</ref> The township is one of 42 municipalities (of the 564) statewide governed under this form.<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 five-member Township Council whose members are elected [[at-large]] on a [[non-partisan democracy|non-partisan]] basis for staggered four-year terms of office, with either two or three seats coming up for election in even-numbered years as part of the November general election.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 110.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=12 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 12. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The council chooses a Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among themselves to serve one-year terms of office. The Township Council has the responsibility for all legislative matters.

The Council's responsibilities include enacting ordinances and resolutions, establishing policies, preparing the annual budget with the assistance of the Township Manager and the Treasurer, and levying taxes. Additionally, the Council makes appointments to both the policy and decision-making boards and various advisory committees in accordance with general law and Township ordinances and resolutions.

The council voted to shift its municipal elections from May to November, and voters approved a 2011 referendum that ended a requirement that a runoff election be held in June in the event that no candidate received a majority of votes in the May council election. The first election in which the candidates receiving the most votes won office was held in November 2012.<ref>Hardy, Fran. [http://www.spartaindependent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120905/NEWS01/120909994/0/SPORTS/Five-candidates-submit-petitions-for-council-seats "Five candidates submit petitions for council seats; Both municipal and board of ed candidates will share November ballot"], ''The Sparta Independent'', September 5, 2012. Accessed February 25, 2013. "Sparta's last municipal election was in May of 2010, and subsequently the council joined the majority of Faulkner Act municipalities by voting to change their election date to November. Another change in this year's municipal vote is the elimination of the run-off election, which factored heavily in deciding the two previous council elections. In a special question which was included on the November 2011 ballot, Sparta voters opted to do away the run-off, which was held if no candidate received 50 percent plus one vote."</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, members of the Sparta Township Council are [[Mayor]] Neill Clark (term on the council ends December 31, 2026; term as mayor ends 2024), Deputy Mayor Dean Blumetti (term on council ends 2026; term as deputy mayor ends 2024), Daniel Chiariello (2026), Josh Hertzberg (2024) and Christine Quinn (2024).<ref name=TownshipCouncil>[https://spartanj.org/224/Sparta-Township-Council Township Council], Sparta Township. Accessed May 20, 2024. "Sparta Township is governed by a nonpartisan form of government known as Council-Manager Plan B of the Faulkner Act. The five-member Council is elected at large for four-year terms of office on a staggered basis with two or three seats coming up for election every other year. The council chooses a Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among themselves to serve one-year terms of office."</ref><ref>[https://spartanj.org/DocumentCenter/View/1526/Introduced-Budget_2024_1 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Sparta Township. Accessed May 20, 2024.</ref><ref name=Sussex2022>[https://sussexcountyclerk.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/NOV-8-2022-GE-Official-County-Summary.pdf Sussex County, New Jersey General Election November 8, 2022, Official Results Summary Report], [[Sussex County, New Jersey]], dated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Sussex2020>[https://sussexcountyclerk.org/docs/elections/2020/General/Official/Amended-SUMMARY.html Election Summary November 3, 2020 General Election Official Amended Results], [[Sussex County, New Jersey]], updated December 10, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref>

In 2018, the township had an average property tax bill of $12,044, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide.<ref>[https://www.state.nj.us/dca/divisions/dlgs/resources/property_docs/18_data/18taxes.xls 2018 Property Tax Information], [[New Jersey Department of Community Affairs]], updated January 16, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019.</ref><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"], 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 Sparta Township was $12,044 in 2018, the highest in Sussex County."</ref>