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Two Pennsauken residents are running for two available three-year terms on the Pennsauken Township Committee.
Democratic incumbents Vince Martinez and Patrick Olivo are the only two balloted candidates. No Republican nominee appears on the ballot.
All candidates have been invited to reply to the same set of prompts, telling voters about themselves, their priorities, and their views of the current state of affairs in their community. Answers have been edited for clarity and length.
Vince Martinez, 43 (Incumbent)
Union industrial painter and construction professional Vince Martinez is the sitting Deputy Mayor of Pennsauken.
Martinez is a 35-year Pennsauken resident, and a married father of two.
He spends his free time volunteering with the Merchantville-Pennsauken Little League, coaching, and watching his sons compete.
What is your philosophy of government?
Government should work as hard as the people it serves.
That means listening to residents, being accountable for decisions, and treating taxpayer dollars with respect.
As a blue-collar union member, I know what it takes to earn a paycheck, and I bring that perspective to public service.
Residents deserve dependable services, responsible spending, and elected officials who follow through.
What personal and professional experiences would you bring to the table as an elected official?
I bring years of experience in the union trades, construction leadership, youth coaching, and municipal government. My professional background has taught me how to manage projects, solve problems, work within budgets, and make safety a priority.
Serving as a committeeman, mayor, and now deputy mayor, has also given me first-hand experience with the responsibilities and decisions that shape our township. Coaching and volunteering keep me connected to local families and their everyday concerns. Helping kids build confidence, learn teamwork, and take pride in their community is something I truly enjoy.
Why are you running for office?
Pennsauken is my home, and I care deeply about its future. I’m running to continue serving the community that helped shape me and where my wife and I are raising our children.
I want our families to have safe neighborhoods, our young people to have opportunities, and longtime residents to be able to continue calling Pennsauken home. There is more work to do, and I’m ready to keep doing it.
What are the biggest challenges your community faces?
One of our biggest challenges is balancing rising costs with the need to maintain reliable services and invest in our community.
Residents are feeling pressure on their household budgets, and township government must keep that in mind with every spending decision.
We also need to continue addressing public safety, maintaining public spaces, and making sure recreation and community programs serve residents of all ages.
What are three key issues on which you will focus if elected?
Responsible spending and affordability. Carefully review spending, pursue available grants, and plan improvements with long-term maintenance costs in mind to help limit the burden on taxpayers.
Public safety and dependable services. Support our police, fire, and public works departments with the resources and accountability needed to serve residents effectively, while strengthening communication with the community.
Parks, recreation, and community opportunities. Continue improving our parks and recreational spaces, supporting youth programs and volunteer coaches, and helping to ensure our new community center offers meaningful opportunities for residents of all ages.
Patrick Olivo, 47 (Incumbent)
Patrick Olivo is a supervisor at the Pennsauken Sewerage Authority, where he has worked for 20 years.
A married father of two, Olivo is a 1997 Pennsauken High School graduate, and the sitting mayor of the township.
In his off hours, he enjoys spending time with his children and staying active.
What is your philosophy of government?
I believe local government works best when it is accessible, responsive, transparent, and focused on results.
Residents should know that when they have a concern, their elected officials will listen to them, return their calls, and work to find a solution.
Not every issue has an easy answer, and we will not always agree, but people deserve to know that their concerns are being taken seriously.
I believe elected officials should be visible in the community, accountable for their decisions, and never forget that we work for the residents.
What personal and professional experiences would you bring to the table as an elected official?
My experience gives me the perspective of someone who has spent most of his life in Pennsauken, as a resident, employee, volunteer, father, and elected official.
I’ve worked for the Pennsauken Sewerage Authority for more than two decades, which has given me first-hand experience with public infrastructure, municipal operations, employees, budgeting, and the everyday work required to provide essential services to residents.
I have also served on the Pennsauken Environmental Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Planning Board, and township committee. Those experiences have given me a broad understanding of how decisions involving development, neighborhoods, infrastructure, and municipal services affect residents.
Most importantly, I bring a willingness to listen. Some of the most valuable information an elected official can receive comes directly from residents who live in our neighborhoods.
Why are you running for office?
I am running for election to the Pennsauken township committee because I love Pennsauken, and believe there is still more work to do.
This community helped shape who I am. I grew up here, attended Pennsauken schools, built my career here, and now I’m raising my children here.
Serving on township committee — and having the honor of serving as Mayor this year — has given me the opportunity to give something back to a town that has given so much to me.
I want Pennsauken to continue being a community where families want to raise their children, seniors can remain in the town they call home, businesses want to invest, and residents feel that their local government is working for them.
What are the biggest challenges your community faces?
One of our biggest challenges is continuing to provide the level of municipal services residents expect while remaining mindful of the financial pressures facing families, seniors, and taxpayers.
We also have to continue investing in our infrastructure and neighborhoods while encouraging responsible economic development.
Pennsauken’s location and diversity are tremendous strengths, but we have to make sure development benefits the community and strengthens our tax base without losing the character of our neighborhoods.
Another challenge is making sure residents feel connected to their local government. Pennsauken is a large and incredibly diverse community. We need to continue finding ways to communicate with and listen to residents from every neighborhood and background.
What are three key issues on which you will focus if elected?
Fiscal responsibility and quality municipal services. I will continue working to provide residents with strong municipal services while being responsible with taxpayer dollars. That means looking for efficiencies, pursuing grant opportunities, supporting responsible economic development, and making thoughtful long term financial decisions.
Infrastructure, neighborhoods, and economic development. I want to continue investing in Pennsauken’s roads, parks, public spaces, facilities, and infrastructure while supporting development that creates opportunities and strengthens our commercial and industrial tax base.
Our goal should always be responsible growth that benefits the people who already call Pennsauken home.
Public safety and quality of life. Residents deserve to feel safe and proud of where they live. I will continue supporting our police, fire, EMS, Public Works, and other municipal employees while addressing the everyday, quality-of-life concerns residents bring to us.
Just as importantly, I want our government to remain accessible, so residents know they have elected officials who will listen and respond.
