36 Facts About Neil Goldschmidt

Neil Goldschmidt was elected to the Portland City Council in 1970 and then as mayor of Portland in 1972, becoming the youngest mayor of any major American city.

Neil Goldschmidt promoted the revitalization of Downtown Portland and was influential on Portland-area transportation policy, particularly with the scrapping of the controversial Mount Hood Freeway and the establishment of the MAX Light Rail system.

Neil Goldschmidt was appointed US Secretary of Transportation by President Jimmy Carter in 1979; in that capacity he worked to revive the ailing automobile industry and to deregulate several industries.

Neil Goldschmidt served until the end of Carter's presidency in 1981 and then served as a senior executive with Nike for several years.

Neil Goldschmidt was elected the 33rd governor of Oregon in 1986, serving a single term.

Neil Goldschmidt faced significant challenges, particularly a rising anti-tax movement and a doubling of the state's prison population.

Neil Goldschmidt worked across party lines to reduce regulation and to repair the state's infrastructure.

Neil Goldschmidt later attended the University of Oregon, in Eugene.

Neil Goldschmidt served as student body president at the school before graduating in 1963 with a bachelor's degree in political science.

Neil Goldschmidt earned a JD degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1967.

Neil Goldschmidt won a seat on the Portland City Council in 1970.

Neil Goldschmidt led a freeway revolt against the unpopular Mount Hood Freeway, building consensus among labor unions and other powerful entities to divert Federal funds initially earmarked for the freeway to other projects, ultimately expanding the federal funds brought to the region to include the MAX Light Rail line and the Portland Transit Mall.

Neil Goldschmidt is widely credited with opening up the city's government to neighborhood activists and minorities, appointing women and African-Americans in a City Hall that had been dominated by an "old-boy network".

Neil Goldschmidt served alongside notable leaders: Glenn Jackson, chair of the board of Portland Power and Light and chair of the Oregon Transportation Commission, was considered the state's leading power broker on transportation issues; and Gerard Drummond, a prominent lawyer and lobbyist, was president of Tri-Met's board of directors.

Neil Goldschmidt was initially opposed to diverting funds to light rail, instead favoring busways and more suitable local road projects; as the 1981 deadline to reallocate the funds approached light rail became a more attractive prospect.

Neil Goldschmidt became the sixth US Secretary of Transportation in 1979.

Neil Goldschmidt remained in office through the remainder of the Carter administration.

Neil Goldschmidt resigned at the conclusion of Carter's term on January 20,1981.

Between positions in public office, Neil Goldschmidt was a Nike executive during the 1980s, serving as international Vice President and then as president of Nike Canada.

Neil Goldschmidt was considered as a potential chair of the Democratic National Committee in 1984.

In June 1985 Neil Goldschmidt announced his candidacy for Oregon Governor.

Neil Goldschmidt easily defeated Oregon State Senator Edward N Fadeley in the May 1986 Democratic primary.

Neil Goldschmidt's personal focus was on children's rights, poverty and crime, but the challenge of meeting increasing needs with a decreasing budget overshadowed his tenure.

Neil Goldschmidt was credited with leading "The Oregon Comeback", bringing the state out of nearly eight years of recession, through regulatory reform and repair of the state's infrastructure.

Neil Goldschmidt oversaw a major expansion of the state's prison system.

In 1990, Neil Goldschmidt brokered agreements between business, labor and insurance interests that changed the state's workers' compensation regulations.

Neil Goldschmidt declined to run for re-election in 1990, despite the widely held perception that he could have been easily re-elected; at the time, he cited marital difficulties.

Neil Goldschmidt had hoped at one time to serve two terms, noting that most of predecessor Tom McCall's accomplishments came during his second term.

Neil Goldschmidt's clients have included Schnitzer Investment, Nike, PacifiCorp, Paul Allen, Bechtel Enterprises, and SAIF.

Neil Goldschmidt's influence extended all over the state and the nation.

Neil Goldschmidt started the Start Making a Reader Today volunteer program in Oregon schools.

Neil Goldschmidt drew criticism in recent years for some of his business activities.

Neil Goldschmidt's appointment was initially expected to meet with little opposition.

Writers and editors at The Oregonian acknowledged mistakes in their handling of the story, but denied that a desire to protect Neil Goldschmidt motivated the mistakes.

In return, Neil Goldschmidt gave his support to Burtchaell's bid to extend a lease for a houseboat moorage on the Willamette River.

Neil Goldschmidt's rabbi made an appeal in The Oregonian for forgiveness.