Dave Bulkowski says he views his bid to serve as Grand Rapids’ next comptroller as a learning opportunity both for himself and city residents.

Bulkowski has a lengthy history in the Grand Rapids political scene, including time as a Grand Rapids Public Schools board member and Kent County commissioner. Now he is pitching himself as a steady, nonpartisan watchdog in the race for Grand Rapids comptroller.

In each of his former roles, Bulkowski said he emphasized the importance of educating his constituents about what exactly he was doing for them while on the job. This, he said, helps bring much needed clarity and understanding into his work.

“I kept learning about ‘what does it mean to be a commissioner?’” he said. “‘What does it mean to be a school board member?’ So as I learn what it is to be a comptroller and being that internal watchdog and doing that well – just making sure things are on the up and up.”

If Bulkowski learned anything from his history in local politics, it’s how to win elections. While serving as a Kent County commissioner from 2012 to 2018, Bulkowski didn’t lose a single primary or general election.

With the comptroller’s race being included on the November ballot alongside fiercely contested Senate and gubernatorial races, Bulkowski expects turnout to be high, meaning he will need to campaign hard to win the seat.

Bulkowski has now set his priority on securing endorsements from local leaders to help grow his base of supporters. His list of supporters includes Mayor David LaGrand, Commissioner Milinda Ysasi, former Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, and the Kent County Democratic Party.

Despite wanting to add more names to that list, Bulkowski said the nonpartisan aspect of the comptroller job makes this difficult.

“I was asked to apply for the endorsement of the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors,” he said. “Pretty much every one of their questions was about some policy issue and all of my answers were pretty much ‘Well, that’s a policy issue, I’m not going to weigh in on them because that’s not the capacity of this job.’”

“As comptroller, I have no opinion,” he added. “First and foremost is the city spending its money appropriately? I know how to read budgets, I know how to read financial reports and read between the lines and appropriately call into question stuff.”

Donors to Bulkowski’s county commission campaign included a slew of West Michigan political names including State Rep. Phil Skaggs, Ysasi, 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 says he hopes to emphasize the nonpartisan work of comptroller by prioritizing his plan to “to catch people doing the right thing.”

“Not getting people riled up, but getting people educated,” he said of his approach to the comptroller role. “And then they’re better partners with city commissioners and the mayor on these decisions.”

Regardless of the results of the election, Bulkowski said he plans to continue working in the community.

“As I said four years ago, voters chose somebody else so I know how to be a graceful loser,” he said of being voted out as a county commissioner in 2022. “I’ll continue to work and support the city in any way I can.”

“That’s why I’m doing this role,” he added. “I love our city. I love our region. The city is the center of it whether you like it or not. Either way, I’m going to keep having fun in life.”

Bulkowski’s bid comes amid a period of turmoil for the comptroller’s office. Frantz is leading a lawsuit against the city, arguing that it violated the City Charter by allocating aspects of his job under a division within the city manager’s office. 

That lawsuit is currently still being litigated in court. Frantz said he expects the proceedings to conclude ahead of the November election.

Write to jackson@grherald.com