Election 2023: Republican Joe Van Houten For Doylestown Supervisor

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 — Joe Van Houten is running as a Republican for Doylestown Township Supervisor in a three way race for the party's nomination for two open seats on the board. Also running are Patricia Murphy and Robert Caroselli.

Biographical Information

Name: Joe Van Houten

Age: 55

Town of residence: Doylestown Township

Position sought: Supervisor

Are you an incumbent? No

Party affiliation: Republican

Family: My wife, Diane, and I have three adult children and five grandchildren. We live in Doylestown Township with our dog, Finnigan.

Education: 1990 BS in Business Management and Finance from Rutgers University, Beta Gamma Sigma (International Business Honor Society).

Occupation: CEO and President of HKS Global Resources; a buying agency providing services to the US Navy and Marine Corps Exchanges.

Questions

1. Why are you running?

I am running to continue the excellence in governance that has helped make our township a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. I believe in conducting the business of Doylestown Township with the transparency and professionalism we all deserve in a supervisor. As your township supervisor, I will stress fiscal responsibility when reviewing capital projects and budgets, properly maintain roads and infrastructure, support our first responders, and ensure all residents have valued input along the way before any decisions are made. As your township supervisor, you will always have a direct line of communication to me. With your input I will focus on making decisions that are best for our residents, without the self-serving political agendas that hurt us all. These are all prominent issues we face in our community. I am determined to work hard on your behalf to address them and I have the experience and competence to do so.

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

Paramount to effectively addressing any issue facing our township is the willingness to leave politics at the door and putting the needs of our community members first. Conducting myself in this manner is what sets me apart as the right choice for Doylestown Township Supervisor. Additionally, my focus on practicing fiscal responsibility while maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure as needed, funding our first responders, and ensuring proper financial reserves are kept, are all important tenets needed to help maintain the quality of life we have grown to expect from our township. I will focus on helping to keep locally controlled access to our public water and sewer; continue the responsible use and protection of the natural environment and maintain our excellent credit rating while supporting measures to meet present and future pension obligations. I am committed to working for all residents and dedicated to preserving the excellence of Doylestown Township.

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

I have over 25 years of experience working on Township Boards and Committees, which provides valuable first-hand knowledge of the day-to-day details that will help me hit the ground running on day one as your Supervisor. I am currently chairman of the Doylestown Township Municipal Authority, chairman of the Public Water and Sewer Advisory Board and served as chairman during the last meeting of the UCC Board of Appeals. In addition, I have a strong record of success in the private sector, having both a successful business career over the past 30 years and as a business owner the past 16 years. These factors also help provide the knowledge and skills important to being an effective supervisor. Experience, commitment, and dedication matter when seeking election to any office. This is especially true when being responsible for managing our hard-earned tax dollars. As your township supervisor, I will use my inclusive leadership style and focus on social responsibility to build relationships with my fellow supervisors and the entire team responsible for running our township.