Bradenton Beach retiree David Galuszka plans to challenge John Chappie in November for the mayor’s seat.
Galuszka
Galuszka, born in Michigan and raised in Las Vegas, has lived in Bradenton Beach since May 31, 2019, when he retired from the U.S. Air Force after serving 20 years.
Chappie, from Ohio, has lived in Bradenton Beach for more than 40 years and served the public for most of those years on county or city boards and commissions.
Neither Galuszka nor Chappie are official candidates, as qualifying for office won’t begin until noon, Monday, Aug. 23. Qualifying ends at noon, Friday, Aug. 27.
Also up with the November election are the two-year terms of Commissioners Jan Vosburgh and Jake Spooner, who plan to seek reelection.
To begin the qualifying process, candidates must first file financial disclosure forms and name a campaign treasurer with the county supervisor of elections office, 600 301 Blvd. W., Bradenton. SEO chief deputy Sharon Stief told The Islander Aug. 5 that a candidate can be their own campaign treasurer.
From there, candidates open a campaign bank account, obtain signatures from 10 registered voters, submit an affidavit of residency and pay a $48 qualifying fee.
The fee is 1% of the $4,800 salary commissioners earn annually during a two-year term.
The mayoral qualifying fee is $96, or 1% of the annual $9,600 salary.
Galuszka served 12 years on active-duty then eight years in the Oregon Air National Guard and as an Air Force reservist in California. In both states, he worked as an air traffic manager for the Federal Aviation Administration.
Galuszka’s love for Anna Maria Island began when he briefly lived in Holmes Beach before joining the military and he visited the island often before moving to Bradenton Beach.
A love for the island combined with a love for politics and public administration led his mother to tell him, “I think you should run for mayor” shortly after Galuszka settled on AMI, he told The Islander Aug. 13.
Friends echoed his mom’s suggestion and July 12 Galuszka said he filed some paperwork with the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections office to start the qualifying process.
Citing a passion for a job well done, Galuszka said once he starts a project, he’s “all in” and if elected would bring that same dedication to the office.
But as a third-term hopeful on this round in the mayor’s office, Chappie is a stalwart figure in Bradenton Beach.
If reelected this year, Chappie will term out as mayor in 2023.
Chappie was first elected to the commission in 1997, serving until he was elected mayor in 2001. He term-limited as mayor in 2007 and was elected as a county commissioner in 2008. In 2011, he resigned from the county board and again won a commission seat. He termed-out as commissioner and retook the mayor’s seat in 2017.
A call from The Islander to Chappie was not returned Aug. 13.
Galuszka recognizes that one of his biggest challenges to winning is the sitting mayor’s longevity and familiarity with Bradenton Beach residents and issues.
“But he had a first time, too,” Galuszka said of Chappie.
Among the issues Galuszka wants to address: parking and traffic, increasing city revenue and parity in housing prices — especially for longtime renters priced out by landlords seeking higher income with vacation rentals.
“If I’m not successful, this is a good learning experience” and a good opportunity to be involved, Galuszka said.
— Amy V.T. Moriarty
