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Friday, October 28, 2011

Mike Sak for Comptroller? Are you kidding me?

Somehow I missed the news that former Kent County Commissioner and former State Representative Mike Sak was running for Grand Rapids Comptroller. I received a post card in the mail from him today and I just had to shake my head. It's so sad that I don't know where to begin.

Let's start at the beginning. First, Mike Sak is relatively well-known as a do-nothing state rep. No one I speak with remembers anything he did in the six years he was in office. Oh wait, everyone remembers one thing Sak did:
According to a state police memorandum, Sak's demand for a ride came during the convention and was part of an evening of bizarre behavior by the western Michigan legislator.

The memo indicated that Sak left the Grand Traverse Hotel July 20, carrying a glass of what appeared to be beer, walked to a sport utility vehicle, opened the front passenger door, then asked a trooper if it was all right to get into the vehicle.

When the trooper told Sak he was not leaving his assigned post, Sak laughed, got into the vehicle and left the area, the memo said.

Later, Sak approached the trooper again, "obviously very intoxicated," and demanded a ride, the memo stated.

After the trooper declined the request, Sak identified himself as a "Democratic state representative in charge of appropriations" and claimed he was responsible for saving the jobs of state troopers who were facing possible layoffs.

And this guy wants to be in charge of our City's finances?

Politicians are, by their very nature, power-hungry ego-maniacs. But demanding a free ride from a state trooper while intoxicated is a perfect metaphor for the corrupt politician. Drunk with power and disdain for the public purse, Sak had no problem demanding the use of public resources while threatening a government employee with budget cuts if he wasn't pandered to!

The only other candidate is Donijo DeJonge, the city's current comptroller, according to the Kent County elections web site. DeJonge has a web site, available here.

If Sak wins, I will have lost all faith in my fellow Grand Rapidians.