Bucks County Commissioner Primary Election: Andrew Warren, Republican

Candidates running in contested races in the May 16 primary election have been invited to provide background about themselves and their positions on the issues to voters in these profiles, which will run in Patch individually for each candidate.

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Andrew "Andy" Warren is running for one of two open four-year-seats on the Bucks County Board of County Commissioners. He is in a three-way Primary race on the Republican ballot with Pamela A. Van Blunk and incumbent Gene DiGirolamo.

Biographical Information

Name: Andrew L. Warren

Age: 80

Town of residence: Middletown Township

Position sought: Bucks County Commissioner

Are you an incumbent? No

Party affiliation: Republican

Family: Elaine (wife), Daniel, Matthew (sons), David, Todd (stepsons)

Education: Wm. Tennent H.S. ‘61, Westminster College BA ’65, College of New Jersey MA ‘72

Occupation: Retired

Questions

1. Why are you running?

During the past three years I have attended 90 percent of every public commissioner meetings. Hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars are spent by the three commissioners. Unless a specific question is asked by a member of the general public, rarely is one word of explanation offered. On the rare occasion a Bucks County resident might actually attend a commissioner meeting, the individual often leaves the meeting with a feeling of having been “talked at” - not “talked with”. A sense of “participatory government” could be partially restored if periodically commissioner meetings would be held in the evening at locations throughout Bucks County; thereby affording residents who could not attend 10:30 a.m. meetings in Doylestown a greater opportunity to experience “inter-active” government.

2. What are your top issues and how do you plan to address them?

Restore a sense to voters that county government is accessible. Elected commissioners are responsive to citizen concerns and county government is reflective of everyday issues that impact the lives of Bucks County residents. Other issues that should be of major importance for the commissioners taking office January 2024 are election integrity, accounting for hundreds of millions of dollars committed to be spent by previous Boards of Commissioners, ending Right-to Know law suits by county residents - to name a few. These, and so many similar issues, are best addressed when elected officials “listen rather than pontificate”. Periodic evening meetings are one way to achieve governmental results.

3. What in your experience or background prepares you for election to office?

Wm. Tennent teacher and coach from 1965 to 1980, Bucks County Commissioner from 1980 to 1995, PennDOT District Executive from 1995 to 2005 and PENJERDEL Council Executive Director. I attended 90 percent of all public county commissioner meetings from 2000 to 2023.