Doylestown Township’s finances are a mess, and the Board of Supervisors needs new leaders to fix it.
The 2025 Adopted Budget, developed by Christina Maida’s Finance Committee and voted “Yes” on by Supervisor Dan Wood in December 2024, confirms an increase in Real Estate Taxes will be necessary in 2026, currently projected at 1.55 mills.
This represents a 51% increase in property taxes since the 2023 election which gave Democrats control of the board. Given our financial situation, the actual increase announced by the Supervisors AFTER the 2025 election will most likely be much higher.
The same budget confirms we can no longer self-fund capital projects and confirms we can’t borrow any more funds. Our capital reserves are projected to plummet by 66% by 2029.
Doylestown is spending nearly an extra $1 million a year on unknown administration and “unallocated fringes” expenses. Doylestown is spending almost $950,000 to build 2 more walking trails a few miles long, the same amount we spend to (not) maintain 73 miles of township roads. This nearly $2 million extra on non-core services is almost the same amount that the property tax increases since 2023 have risen. Coincidence? Doubtful.
Joe Van Houten and Colleen Brophy Brennan have a record of professional success with balancing budgets, project management, and transparent management processes. Joe and Colleen have the proper experience to bring Township finances back from the brink. To bring capital reserves back to normal. To prioritize spending on core services. To stop driving seniors and families out of Doylestown; you can’t have affordable housing with unaffordable property taxes.
Joe and Colleen recognize that gargantuan property tax increases are driving families and seniors, our present and our future, out of Doylestown. A vote for Joe and Colleen is a vote for Doylestown’s best present and future.
Editor’s note: This editorial was paid for through advertising.
