Charles P. Horvath, who proudly describes himself as a "Tea Party" Republican, is conducting what he calls a classic "shoestring" campaign. Voters probably won't be seeing his name on roadside signs, nor will he spending much of his own money, or anyone else's.
What voters will be seeing is a lot of him. Horvath, mounting a bare-bones, grass roots effort, is knocking on doors with the goal of meeting as many Republican voters as he can before election day. More than just appealing for their support, Horvath said he is listening - carefully - to what people are telling them.
Horvath said the message he has been getting is clear: Voters want more accountability and honesty in county government.
Horvath, who was born in Berwick, has been a resident of Rush Township for more than three decades. Retired from a career as a public school teacher, he is the father of two sons, Andrew, who is married and lives in Arizona, and Mark, who is completing his sophomore year as a computer engineering major at Bucknell University. Kathryn, his wife of 22 years, died in 2001.
First campaign
The GOP commissioner campaign is Horvath's introduction to electoral politics, although his father, George Horvath, served briefly as a Ralpho Township supervisor in 1983. "I have thought in the past about running for office," Horvath said, and after much thoughtful consideration and "some reading," he has concluded he can make a difference through public service.
Horvath became interested in the Tea Party movement about two years ago, and attended his first Tea Party event April 15, 2009, on the steps of the state Capitol in Harrisburg. Horvath, like all Tea Party adherents, is concerned about the size and scope of government, at all levels.
"As a Tea Party member, I support a small, limited government," he explains. "I do not believe personal choice should be mandated by government. I don't want the government telling me what kind of light bulb I should use or how much salt or sugar we should be consuming."
County government, like all governments, Horvath believes, should be charged with providing what the public needs, not necessarily what individuals want. That said, Horvath is not prepared - at least not yet - to identify specific county functions that should be eliminated or cut.
"I'm not sure whether county government can be shrunk," Horvath said, "but one thing I do not believe in is patronage or political favoritism." He noted that problems have arisen in the past when officeholders gave in to the temptation to "load county government" with people who owe allegiances to individual politicians.
'Compass' lacking
Horvath said from what he has observed, he does not believe there is a strong moral compass in Northumberland County government. "Commissioners need to be held accountable to voters and citizens," he remarked. "I am concerned that a lot of county business is being done on the front pages. I don't think it should be done that way." He also thinks the climate in county government is not conducive to thoughtful employees wanting to fill the role of "whistle blowers" when they see problems occurring.
Horvath promises that, as a commissioner, he will work to bring stability to county government. "There would be no more surprises and no hidden agendas." He stresses that he will not run a negative campaign, "but we do need to hold people accountable."
Horvath said he is not sure politicians have learned any lasting lessons from the county's financial problems. "We need to look at the large debt the county accumulated, a debt we are still paying," he remarked. He said it's important that questions such as - Who spent the money? What did they spend it on? Where did the money go? Why didn't anyone stop it? - are thoroughly discussed and completely understood and answered so history can never repeat itself.
"I am concerned the same thing could happen again in Northumberland County because there is no format to prevent it," Horvath said. "We need to be sure the proper safeguards are in place to prevent these same problems from ever re-occurring. It's nice to cut and trim, but it makes no sense to watch the dimes if you do not pay attention to the dollars going out the door."
Fairness to all
Horvath believes any new commissioner should spend sufficient time to learn about county government and evaluate the performance of agencies. "I do not mean that I will be standing around with a clipboard evaluating individuals' job performance," Horvath explained. "As a teacher, I was skilled at evaluating student performance. I saw the importance of working with each student to help him or her achieve the desired goals.
"If elected, I will spend a lot of time looking at county government up close. I will get to know the agencies' personnel and their roles. I will spend a lot of time visiting them so I can learn."
Horvath said commissioners have a responsibility to be fair, not only to the people who elected them but to the employees who work for the county. "It's important that each commissioner work well with other members of the board," he observed. "You have to be a good listener, and you have to be respectful of your colleagues."
Horvath said county government obviously has a stake in helping to promote business growth. In addition to improving economic opportunities for citizens, creation and expansion of businesses result in increased tax revenues, he noted.
"Commissioners should do whatever they can to encourage the growth of small business," noted Horvath, who himself operated a small business, a fruit tree farm, from 1979 to 1986. As a retired Line Mountain High School teacher, he said he recognizes the importance of the Northumberland County Career and Technology Center and the value of partnerships between the school and local businesses.
"But I don't think the county needs to re-invent the wheel," he added, noting that local chambers of commerce are probably best suited to identifying community needs. Economic success, he believes, can be spurred through civic partnerships, with the county doing what it can to help. "Our focus should be on growing the community, not growing the government," he said.
Horvath, who said he has always been a hard worker, views being county commissioner as a full-time job and knows he will have to work long hours to get the job done.
"The campaign has been a wonderful experience," Horvath said. "I feel I have been well received by the voters, and it is up to them to make the final decision on who they trust. I am committed to providing responsible and accountable service."