Former Kent County Commissioner David Bulkowski kicked off his campaign for Grand Rapids comptroller Wednesday, opposing incumbent city Comptroller Max Frantz.
During a campaign kickoff and fundraising event at Brewery Vivant, Bulkowski highlighted his priorities for the role, including increased transparency and public education about how city funds are used. Bulkowski said he hoped to strike a collaborative balance with city leaders if elected.
“My history of working in the community is definitely one about collaboration,” he told The Grand Rapids Herald. “How do we have disagreements and challenges to current elected officials and at the same time how do you balance that?”
City residents will cast their vote for comptroller in November, along with several other city and state races.
Bulkowski’s campaign for comptroller, a non-partisan position, is run through Democratic fundraising organization ActBlue. Despite this, Bulkowski told The Herald he is running a nonpartisan campaign and is eager to cooperate with members of all political parties.
“My self-proclaimed title is ‘fiscally conservative socialist,’” he said. “I’d be happy to apply for the endorsement of the Kent County Republican Party if they reach out, definitely.”
“I’m not the kind of guy that puts on my partisan hat and hates you,” he added. “I might have a partisan patch that I’m going to lean toward, but again, where do we find common ground?”
Bulkowski first joined the Kent County Commission in 2013 as a Democrat, representing the 16th district, which includes the center of Grand Rapids and a section of the city’s Westside. That seat is now held by Melissa LaGrand, wife of Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand.
He originally planned to join the Grand Rapids City Commission in 2010 to replace his brother, former Commissioner Dick Bulkowski. That bid fell short, however, when David Bulkowski missed a necessary filing window by just hours.
Local Political Ties
Donors to Bulkowski’s county commission campaign included a slew of West Michigan political names. These include State Rep. Phil Skaggs, Second Ward Commissioner Milinda Ysasi, former Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, and Kent County Commissioner Melissa LaGrand, according to Kent County campaign finance records.
Each donation was in small amounts ranging from $50 to $100. Bulkowski said he does not expect these donations to play a role in his oversight duties as comptroller.
“[Mayor David LaGrand] has endorsed my campaign. I’ll be holding him accountable,” Bulkowski said. “I see no conflict in that.”
Frantz Lawsuit
Bulkowski also acknowledged the ongoing lawsuit between Frantz and the City. That complaint alleges Grand Rapids stripped Frantz of his authority after he questioned spending and filed complaints against several employees, constituting a violation of the City Charter.
When asked, Bulkowski, an attorney himself, questioned how such an incident resulted in court proceedings instead of internal discussions between city leaders. He said his goal as comptroller would be to avoid such litigation and focus on building relationships in city hall.
“Without getting into the specifics of the lawsuit, simply to say, how did it go to a lawsuit?” he asked. “My hope will be to continue to hold city staff and city electeds accountable without having to go to court.”