Milanowski leaving city post to run for state office
David Czurak

After 29 years of service, Grand Rapids City Comptroller Stanley Milanowski is expected to officially announce his retirement from the post on Tuesday.

His reason for retiring? Milanowski is running for state office.

“The city charter mandates that if an official of the city decides to seek election to another position they vacate their office, and my intent is to run for one of the open state government seats,” he told the Business Journal Friday morning.

“It will give us a good month to shake the bushes and get support. Obviously, campaigning is not cheap and fundraising is an important thing,” he added.

But Milanowski wouldn’t reveal whether he will run for the state House or Senate. “I don’t want to do that yet. There are two open seats locally and it will be one of those two,” he said. Rumor, though, has him running for the Senate.

But whatever the seat, Milanowski said he is ready to campaign.

“I do have a plan of action in place; a campaign strategy. I’ve got some ideas I want to put forth. I will be very, very pro-business, and for a right-sizing of state government to bring the power back down to local governments — quite contrary to what my Republican opponents want to do. That’s about all I want to say right now,” said Milanowski.

Milanowski was elected as comptroller in November 1980 and has held the office since January 1981.