Dan Saltzman (born 1953/54) is a politician in the U.S. state of Oregon who served as a commissioner (city councilman) on the City Council of Portland in Portland, Oregon, from 1999 through the end of 2018. As of 2017, he had served longer on the Council than any other person since 1969.[2]

Dan Saltzman
Portland City Commissioner
In office
January 1, 1999 – December 31, 2018
Preceded byGretchen Kafoury
Succeeded byJo Ann Hardesty
ConstituencyPortland, Oregon
Multnomah County Commissioner
In office
1993–1998
ConstituencyMultnomah County, Oregon
Personal details
Born1953 or 1954 (age 69–70)[1]
Portland, Oregon
Residence(s)Portland, Oregon
Alma materCornell University

Background

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Saltzman is a Portland native who attended schools in the Portland area and on the East Coast before entering a career in environmental engineering. He graduated from Beaverton High School, received a B.S. from Cornell University's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and an M.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His political career has included a staff position with US Senator Ron Wyden, five years as a Multnomah County Commissioner (1993–98), and five terms as a City of Portland Commissioner.

Saltzman was first elected to Portland’s City Council in November 1998, defeating former Multnomah County Commission colleague Tanya Collier,[3] and was sworn in on January 4, 1999.[4] He won on a platform that included domestic violence and child abuse, issues that were generally in the purview of the Multnomah County Commission. According to The Oregonian, he did not offer many specifics about his approach to these issues during his campaign.[5] Saltzman, previously an environmental engineering consultant, was initially assigned the following bureaus by then-Mayor Vera Katz: the Bureau of Emergency Communications (BOEC), the Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI), and the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES).[6]

Saltzman has established two bureaus during his service with the City of Portland: the Office of Sustainable Development in 2000[7] and the Children’s Investment Fund in 2002.[8][citation needed] The Children's Investment Fund was renamed the Portland Children's Levy in 2009.[9]

As assigned to him by Katz's successor as mayor, Sam Adams, Saltzman oversaw the following City of Portland bureaus, funds and systems: the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES), the Portland Children's Levy, the Gateway Center for Domestic Violence, and the Fire & Police Disability & Retirement (FPDR) system.[10][11]

From January 2009 until early 2010, Saltzman oversaw the Portland Police Bureau as well, until a high-profile dispute with the mayor's office over proposed cuts to the police budget. On May 12, 2010, a week before Portland voters would decide whether or not to re-elect Saltzman for a fourth term, Adams reassigned the Police Bureau back to the mayor's office and simultaneously fired Chief Rosie Sizer, installing East Precinct Commander Mike Reese as the new Chief of Police.[12] On May 18, 2010, Saltzman was re-elected for a fourth term as City Commissioner.[13]

In June 2013, a shuffling of bureaus among the commissioners by Mayor Charlie Hales saw Saltzman assigned the Portland Fire Bureau and the Housing Bureau, and retaining oversight of the Portland Children's Levy.[14]

In May 2014, Saltzman was re-elected, to serve a fifth four-year term beginning in January 2015.[15]

In September 2017, he announced that he would not run for re-election when his term expired, in 2018.[2] He was replaced by Jo Ann Hardesty.

In 2019, Saltzman was appointed to the Portland Community College Board of Directors for zone 5, which covers parts of southwest Portland, Beaverton, and Bethany. He was elected to a full term in May 2021.[16]

References

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  1. ^ Stewart, Bill (December 17, 1997). "Saltzman will quit county to run for council". The Oregonian (East Metro ed.). p. D2.
  2. ^ a b Floum, Jessica (September 12, 2017). "Portland Commissioner Dan Saltzman will not run for re-election, Nick Fish will". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2017-09-15. Retrieved 2017-09-15.
  3. ^ Parente, Michele (November 10, 1998). "Saltzman gains Collier's best wishes". The Oregonian. p. C2.
  4. ^ Austin, David (January 5, 1999). "Saltzman wants to create family-friendly city". The Oregonian. p. B2.
  5. ^ "City Council: 1999 [editorial]". The Oregonian. November 28, 1998. p. D14.
  6. ^ Christ, Janet (December 30, 1998). "Katz divvies up bureaus for new council year". The Oregonian. p. E2.
  7. ^ Har, Janie (April 23, 2010). "Portland Commissioner Dan Saltzman bears brunt of public anger as he seeks re-election". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2013-08-20.
  8. ^ The Oregonian Editorial Board (October 24, 2008). "The children's levy has us at "hello"". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  9. ^ "childrensinvestmentfund.org". childrensinvestmentfund.org. Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2013-08-20.
  10. ^ "Special Projects". City of Portland. Archived from the original on 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2013-08-20.
  11. ^ Larabee, M. (December 16, 2008). Adams will unveil city reorganization. The Oregonian.
  12. ^ "Sam Adams fires police Chief Rosie Sizer, names Mike Reese to the job". The Oregonian. May 12, 2010. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  13. ^ "Saltzman, Fish hold Portland council seats; Cogen wins Multnomah County chair". The Oregonian. May 18, 2010. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  14. ^ Kost, Ryan (June 4, 2013) [online date June 3]. "Hales shuffles city bureaus". The Oregonian. p. B1. Archived from the original on 2013-06-11. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  15. ^ Theen, Andrew (May 20, 2014). "Portland City Council: Dan Saltzman elected to fifth consecutive four-year term (election results)". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2016-10-23. Retrieved 2016-11-02.
  16. ^ "Board members". Portland Community College. Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.