Hi, I’m Phil Skaggs, your Kent County Commissioner from Grand Rapids and East Grand Rapids (District 19).
Thank you for electing me to serve you in November 2016. I will be running for reelection in 2018 and hope to again earn your vote. Stay tuned for updates here.
My wife Beth and I met each other at the University of Michigan and eventually moved to East Grand Rapids in 2000. Beth is an attorney at Varnum Law and I work for State Rep. David LaGrand in Lansing after having spent my early career in academia. We are the proud parents of Lainey (a high school senior) and Julia (a high school freshman). We’ve tried very hard to be active in our community and our schools. I’ve been a board member for the Waves swim club, the EGR Athletic Boosters, and the Alliance for Investment subcommittee of the Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority (DGRI).
I was an East Grand Rapids City Commissioner for almost 5 years (February 2012 to December 2016) and I’m proud of what I, my fellow commissioners, and our City staff accomplished in that time. We have:
- Balanced our budget with sound fiscal practices while also focused on vital road and infrastructure improvements and investing in the future
- Built and upgraded parks
- Supported economic growth in the Gaslight Village business district
- Demonstrated that we are a welcoming community by passing a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance to protect the LGBT community and all our residents
- Supported our public safety officers so we remain one of the safest communities in the state
- Improved City communication with citizens by upgrading the website and starting a Facebook page.
On a personal level, I’ve tried to lead with transparency. I maintain a County Commissioner’s Facebook page where I discuss the matters in front of the Commission, have met regularly with constituents to hear their concerns and help solve their problems. Since I consider all this public service, I’ve donated half of my county salary to local charities.
