In 2018, Doylestown Township celebrated its Bicentennial with the motto “Preserving the Past. Embracing the Future.” To close the year-long festivities, township officials buried a time capsule containing 50 artifacts in front of the soon-to-be-completed township municipal building at 425 Wells Road – the historical event seeming to bear out the township motto.
Now, seven years later, two candidates running for two seats on the Doylestown Township Board of Supervisors this November have teamed up and are taking that motto to heart. They are both from the area, under 40 years of age and parents of young children. While they both appreciate preserving the past, their passions lie in embracing the future. They are team Wood/Maida: Dan Wood and Christina Maida.
Running for a second term, Dan has made several accomplishments serving the last six years. He has spearheaded improvement projects and has worked with state lawmakers Senator Steve Santarsiero and Representative Tim Brennan, resulting in over 40 miles of new roads and trails. The recent opening of the new community recreation center was a highlight for Dan as it was an example of the board meeting the needs of the voters by listening to them. On opening day, Dan was at the front door to meet everyone coming in. “It was my favorite day as supervisor when I saw their faces walking in that day, seeing it for the first time.”
During his run in 2019, Dan appreciated the support he’d received from community leaders like Supervisor Jennifer Herring and former State Representative Wendy Ullman. Now, he supports Christina. “Christina was my top choice to run with this cycle for supervisor. She stepped up to rally Central Bucks alumni when the school district was in control of book banners. She came out to support the new community center with words and action and felt it was her responsibility to her town to share her talents on the Finance Committee. That’s the drive you need to do this job and to proactively help your neighbors.”
One of the issues Dan and Christina have set their sights on is housing, to work toward creating opportunities for a new generation of professionals and young families to live in the township.
What moved Christina to run for office in the first place? “I was motivated to get involved when I saw what was happening with the school board in 2022.” By volunteering for the campaigns of the 2023 slate of Democratic school board candidates, she met organizers like her running mate, Dan Wood, Judy Dixon, Jen Herring, and Connor O’Hanlon (Doylestown Borough Council). “I was struck by how these dedicated public servants put themselves out there to run for office.
Together, the two candidates are ready to meet the needs and concerns of residents as the township is where they’ve grown up. “This place is my home and always has been,” Dan said. “One of my first interactions with local government was going to a public meeting for the Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge and asking, ‘When will the Bike and Hike trails be done?’ Now I’m one of the people in charge of continuing to build it out. I love boring my own son with tales of how things have changed in Doylestown and where they’re going, just like my parents who grew up in Richboro did to me. Doylestown has been a special place for me and when something is special, you take care of it.”
Christina also holds the township near and dear to her heart. “Doylestown is where I grew up; it’s where my daughters are growing up. I owe so much to this place, and aside from being a mother, nothing is more rewarding than giving back to my hometown.”
One way Christina hopes to give back is by putting her expertise in financial management to good use. Her bachelor’s degree is from Princeton University, and she holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Financial Management from New York University. “I put myself through grad school while working full-time for an asset manager in New York.” By working as an adjunct at NYU for the graduate-level course in Financial Management, she gained comprehensive knowledge of investment products, economic factors, budgets, and analysis of financial statements. “I am a thorough, disciplined, decision-maker who thrives in complexity,” she said, adding, “this will allow me to contribute mightily to the township as Supervisor.”
Another facet of Christina’s past that would contribute to her role as township supervisor is her volunteer experience. From helping with Meals on Wheels in Bucks County to working as a poll-greeter in primary and general elections, she was surprised by what she took away from volunteering. “The experience of putting on sports clinics or reading in classrooms at inner-city public schools, or volunteering with the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated has taught me that when you meet people where they are and treat them with respect, you can really make an impact.”
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One of the issues Dan and Christina have set their sights on is housing, to work toward creating opportunities for a new generation of professionals and young families to live in the township. It’s a vision that has its advantages, says Christina. “Attracting young families to move here has a positive impact on Earned Income Tax revenue (the rate is a fixed 0.50% to the Township) as these households potentially have several decades of earnings ahead of them.” To her, this way forward is better than the alternative of raising taxes. “Increasing property tax millage unfortunately has a disproportionate impact on people living on a fixed income — like many of our seniors.”
Dan felt fortunate when he finally landed his own home in the township. “I was very lucky to move into my current home after literally years of looking. And that was right as COVID was happening and before housing prices skyrocketed. My place is a small split level from 1955, the kind of new starter home our grandparents had access to but doesn’t exist anymore for new homeowners.” Does he appreciate how much his home value has increased without doing anything? “Sure, I guess, but I would rather see folks around my age get the same shot I did.” Dan points out how closely emergency services and the shortage of volunteers are tied to the population they serve. “It’s no secret that Doylestown, and Bucks County as a whole, is aging and the residents who made their lives here want to stay and enjoy the community they helped build. To help with that, it’s important we pursue policies that allow for a well-rounded population to support the services we all need like fire departments and emergency medical care, which both rely heavily on volunteers. Development that utilizes mixed use housing is one option. Accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, are another that give families the opportunity to build living spaces for children or elderly relatives to move back to and stay close together.”
Looking down the road, both Dan and Christina are passionate about their commitment to work for an improved quality of life that will benefit all township residents from now until the Tricentennial in 2118 and beyond.
