Portal:Oregon/Selected biography/25

Neil Goldschmidt, a Democrat, is a former Oregon politician and businessman who served as mayor of Portland, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, and Governor of Oregon. In these roles and as a private consultant, he was widely considered the most influential figure in Oregon politics. Goldschmidt was elected mayor of Portland in 1972. He promoted the revitalization of Downtown Portland, interrupted the Federal Mount Hood Freeway project, and laid the groundwork for Portland's MAX Light Rail. President Carter named him Transportation Secretary in 1979. After Carter left office in 1980, Goldschmidt served as a senior Nike executive. He was elected Governor of Oregon in 1986. During his term, Oregon came out of a recession, a rising anti-tax movement gained momentum, and the state's prison system nearly doubled in size. He reformed the State Accident Insurance Fund (SAIF), a state-chartered worker's compensation insurance company. Though popular, Goldschmidt left office after only one term, becoming an influential and controversial lobbyist. He was criticized by many for several of the causes he supported, including advocacy for SAIF, Weyerhaeuser, and Texas Pacific Group. He faced sharp questioning in Oregon State Senate confirmation hearings in early 2004. Accompanying media scrutiny led to the revelation of his lengthy and illegal sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl in the 1970s, sharply curtailing his influence on Oregon policy.