Monday, May 07, 2012

Borgfjord Challenges Balkema

Democrat Grace Borgfjord is challenging Republican Mary Balkema to be Kalamazoo County Treasurer. Balkema was first appointed in 2007 to replace the retiring Sharon Cubitt and was narrowly elected to a full term in 2008 in a bad year for Republicans.

Democrat Grace Borgfjord to run against incumbent Mary Balkema for Kalamazoo County Treasurer

Borgfjord holds two elected offices. As a member of the Mattawan School Board, Borgfjord twice voted for massive tax increases that were rejected by Mattawan voters.

In 2006, she ran a Republican for Oshtemo township board, narrowly losing to Jim Grace in the primary. Two years later, she ran as a democrat, winning in the 2008 wave. Clearly, she was misrepresenting herself when she first ran.

She was involved in a controversy over benefits received by the part-time township trustees.

It is likely that opposition to Balkema will stem more from the principled stand she took against the Kalamazoo discrimination ordinance than anything she has done as treasurer.

Borgfjord has almost no relevant experience and should not be trusted with Kalamazoo County's money.

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