Election 2026: Candidate for Washington Township Trustee Josh Anderson

As the 2026 general election approaches, The Washington County Times is publishing written interviews with candidates in contested races affecting Washington County.

The Times reached out to all candidates for whom we were able to obtain contact information and invited them to participate. If you are a candidate in a contested race and have not received an invitation, please contact us so we can make sure you have an opportunity to participate.

Candidates were provided with questions tailored to their campaign, personal history, and the office they are seeking. We encouraged candidates to answer the questions in their own words and to refrain from using ChatGPT or other artificial intelligence tools when preparing their responses.

All candidate responses have been published as submitted, without editing or alteration. The Washington County Times does not endorse political candidates, and any opinions or statements expressed within the following interview are the candidate's own.

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You are seeking reelection as Township Trustee. What do you consider your biggest accomplishment during your time in office, and what are you most proud of?

I think the biggest accomplishment has been the modernization of Washington Township.  We have adopted a software package to help manage the financial side of things, which has improved efficiency in several areas.  We spend less time tracking down errors that were easily made with hand posted records.  Things like monthly bank reconciliation and reporting to the state are also much faster because we can generate reports with just a few clicks.  With the same software, we can also manage township assistance.  We can build a detailed case file for each applicant, track their history of assistance, store investigative notes, maintain a detailed list of approved vendors, and generate payments.  This speeds up our response time and allows us to help more people.  In addition, we have added a township website where people can apply for assistance, find other resources for help, look up contact information for other trustees in Washington County, and it provides multiple ways to contact the township trustee, including phone, email, and text message.

I am most proud of the number of people that we have been able to help over this first term.  This year, we will more than triple the dollars used toward township assistance vs what was used in 2022, which was the last year before my term began – and don’t worry, this didn’t raise taxes.  We have made it easier to apply, easier to process, and easier to track.  All of these improvements have paid off by helping the residents of Washington Township when they need it.

During your time as trustee, what have you learned about the needs of residents in the township that you did not fully understand when you first took office?

I have to say that I have learned a lot during this first term.  Some good things, some concerning things, and some alarming things.  Most of my interactions are through township assistance.  We had over 300 requests for assistance last year.  Most people that I have helped are very appreciative.  I get a lot of texts and emails with multiple “thank you” comments.  That makes a person feel good…like I am making a little difference.  Those are the good things, and I am glad to have that opportunity.  One concerning thing that I came to understand, is how things like utility bills can quickly spiral out of control when a person unexpectedly loses their job, even for a short period.  Once behind, it is very difficult to catch back up. I have seen many people in this situation, and we try to help them the best we can.  The most alarming thing that I didn’t fully understand is our homeless population.  I had no idea the extent of people who were completely homeless, living in their car, or bouncing from couch to couch wherever they could stay.  This is a serious problem in our community, and I am not sure what the answer is. 

Township trustees are responsible for providing assistance to residents who are unable to meet basic necessities. How have you approached determining who qualifies for assistance, and have you made any changes to that process during your time in office?

We have a set of township assistance guidelines that is voted on and approved by the township board each year.  We use roughly the same income standards that are used to qualify for other programs like SNAP benefits, for example, which is based on the national poverty level.  We have voted twice to increase the maximum monthly assistance amount.  When I took office, it was $175.  Now it is $225.  We look at every case individually and consider the circumstances around the request for assistance.  I think it is important to keep the “human factor” as part of the determination process.  An example may be someone, who just misses the income threshold, falls and hurts their leg.  Now they can’t work.  They can stay current on bills with our help, and the help of some additional resources.  It is their time of need, and we should do what we can to help.

What do you believe is the biggest unmet need among residents in your township, and what more could the township do to address it?

I think this has to be the availability of affordable, low-income housing.  I stated before that I was very shocked to learn how many residents we have that are homeless, or living in their car.  I know some of them have jobs, or receive disability, but it just isn’t enough income to make a monthly rent payment.  Some people are without housing while they wait for Section 8 housing to become available, a process which can take months.  I know this is a tough problem that many cities and communities face.  I don’t think there is a perfect answer, and if there is, I’m not sure what that answer looks like, but I would be willing to help at some level by working with the city, or even the county, to try to ease the hardship that so many in our township are going through.

How do you balance providing assistance to residents with being responsible stewards of taxpayer money? Have there been situations where you have had to make difficult decisions about how township funds are used?

Yes, as a township trustee, I have to act responsibly with taxpayer money.  The tax money that is allocated for township assistance can only be used for township assistance.  It’s sole purpose is to be used to help people in need.  We have to budget those funds to make it last into the future, and we can also control the expenses to a degree by setting appropriate assistance guidelines each year.  Even with that planning, yes, there are times when tough decisions must be made.  In cases when we can’t fully help, or can’t help at all, I try to provide referrals to other organizations that might be able to offer some assistance.  I try to help the applicant find some sort of relief, even if the township can’t help financially.

What steps have you taken during your time in office to make township finances and spending transparent to the public? Is there anything you believe could still be improved?

All township financial information including budgets and annual reports are available to the public at gateway.ifionline.org.  Washington Township completes all state mandated reporting accurately and in a timely manner.  Audits are conducted about every 4 years and any findings are available for the public view.  I think the processes that are in place for transparency are adequate.  It is our job as township trustees to responsibly budget, responsibly spend, and provide accurate and timely reporting.

What role do you believe the township should play in responding to emergencies or helping residents during times of crisis, and has that role changed during your tenure?

The township should play a supporting role in times of emergency or crisis.  This can vary greatly based on circumstances.  During COVID, many government agencies made exceptions or altered their normal procedures to help accommodate the needs of the people.  Floods, Tornadoes, and Fire are other common emergencies that we might see in the area.  The township can help families with temporary shelter if they have been displaced.  We can also help with vouchers to cover clothing, household, or food needs.  There are also individual family emergencies, which we look at much the same.  Each case is looked at based on our guidelines, and other circumstances are certainly taken into consideration.  This has been consistent through my tenure.

Looking back over your time as trustee, is there a decision, policy or aspect of the township's operations that you would handle differently today?

During my term as trustee, we have made every effort to help as many people as we can.  I have implemented many changes in the application process to make it faster, and more accessible to people in need. We look at the township assistance guidelines yearly, and make adjustments where we feel they are needed.  I can’t think of an example of something I would handle differently, but I am sure there are things that I could do better.  We all learn as we go, and township government is no different.  I look forward to the possibility of four more years to continue to learn and help those in my township.

What do you believe is the biggest misconception about the township trustee's job, and what do you wish residents better understood about the work your office does?

I think the biggest misconception is the amount of work the job actually requires.  Many people are approached to run for the office, and others tell them “there’s nothing to it”.  In large townships in metro areas, being trustee is a full-time position with a dedicated office and a staff of 3-5 people.  In Washington County, all the trustee positions are part-time, with offices located in the trustee’s home, and usually a part-time clerk.  There is daily work to be done, and as the most populated township in the county, Washington Township has plenty of it.  The biggest workload is township assistance, but we also have monthly reporting, annual budgets, year-end reports, payroll, accounts payable/receivable, contract review, IRS and IDOR filings, and more.  Phone calls, texts and emails come at all hours of the day and weekends.  This is not a typical government job with M-F office hours, and closed on holidays.  The “part-time” status can be very deceiving.  In Washington Township, we work very hard to address assistance requests the same day, or within 24 hours, but there are times that we get multiple requests in a day, which can slow things down a little.  It is very much like running a business.  We have to work until the workload is complete, not just because the clock strikes 5 o’clock.

If reelected, what is the one priority or change you would most like to accomplish during your next term?

I would like to continue to improve the services and resources the township can offer the residents of Washington Township.  One idea could be personal finance education courses, which could be accessed online through the township website.  When expenses are high and money is short, it is important to know how to prioritize spending to make those hard-earned dollars stretch as far as possible.  I would also like to expand our listing of “other resources”.  These are other organizations that we refer assistance applicants to for additional help beyond what the township can provide.