Candidate Profile 2021: Mark Zinman, Magisterial District Judge

NEWTOWN, PA — Mark Zinman, the managing partner of public accounting firm Zinman & Company, is a Democrat running for Magisterial District Judge of Bucks County.

An accountant for over 40 year, Zinman has worked in the Bucks County region for decades as a small business owner, and plans to take his experiences into the position with him.

The general election will take place on Nov. 2.

Here's Zinman's profile, as filled out by the candidate's campaign:

Age (as of Election Day)

62

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Mark and his wife, Beth, have been happily married for thirty-five (35) years. They are the proud parents of three (3) children: their daughter Rachael and her husband Adam; their son Adam and his wife Courtney, who just recently welcomed their first child (and Beth and Mark’s first grandchild); and their youngest daughter Ali.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Mark graduated from Penn State University with a B.S. in Accounting. He holds the designations of Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) and is a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA).

Occupation

Mark is a CPA and has been the managing partner of Zinman & Company, a public accounting firm, for over 30 years and an accountant for 40 years.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

www.zinmanforjudge.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

Magisterial courts mostly rule on civil cases, such as small claim disputes and landlord/tenant disputes. As a CPA and small business owner with 40 years of professional practice, I have mediated similar disputes with clients and advised them on the best course of action. Many judges come from a law enforcement background and few have experience in civil matters. If elected, I will bring my 40 years of experience in civil matters to our local court, help those who appear before it make sense of the nonsense, and get it right.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The global pandemic brought about some challenges that we can see, and some we can’t see. I will ensure there are systems in place so that our local court can keep operating and serving the community in times of crisis. For example, during the pandemic, I led the charge to create the necessary infrastructure to keep both my business, and my clients, intact. I also provided free webinars for local businesses and people who were struggling financially. Second, with more civil cases appearing before our court, drastically out-pacing criminal cases, our local judge needs to have the right experience to understand and mediate these disputes. With my 40 years of professional experience, I have the qualifications to resolve such cases the right way.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

As a Magisterial District Judge (MDJ), I will be the administrator for Bucks County, handling criminal cases that are turned over to the district court. Many other cases are civil in nature, and include disputes with damages up to $12,000 as well as mediation in landlord-tenant disputes. Because my background makes me uniquely qualified to hear civil cases, I believe this sets me apart from my opponent whose background is from law enforcement as a constable.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

As a Judge and elected official, you are expected to show up to work. According to a Philadelphia Inquirer article entitled, "Some local Pa. judges enjoy light workloads as taxpayers pay millions for salaries, pensions, health care”, of the 16 Magisterial Judges in Bucks County, Petrucci ranks 4th in terms of missing work, having missed a total of 34 days. Our community funds the salary, benefits, and pension of our local Judge. That's a large amount of trust and commitment that our community puts on its elected judge, and that trust should not be broken.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Throughout my 40 years of professional practice as a local small business owner, I have faced the pressure to get it right every day. My expertise and guidance contributes to my clients’ success, and they rely on me to guide them through stressful or unknown situations, to make sense of the nonsense, and get it right. I have also served as a volunteer youth sports coach and referee, and have always stressed the need for fairness and the principle of playing by the rules.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Make sure each morning when you look in the mirror that you are happy with what you see. That “test” has guided my entire adult life.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

As a husband, a father of three raising our family in Council Rock schools, a youth sports coach, a small business owner with 40 years of professional experience, and a community leader (having educated hundreds of people in personal/business finance and on the board of SPIN, a group supporting children with developmental disabilities), I have the professional background to face the pressure to get it right and the commitment to our community to serve with integrity and honesty.