Neil Goldschmidt

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Neil Goldschmidt

Neil Edward Goldschmidt (born June 16, 1940 in Eugene , Oregon ) is an American politician . He was the 33rd Governor of the state of Oregon from 1987 to 1991  and the United States Secretary of Transportation from 1979 to 1981 .

Early years

Goldschmidt attended the University of Oregon after elementary school . He then studied law at the University of California at Berkeley until 1967 . Between 1967 and 1970 he practiced law in Portland .

Political career

Rise in Portland

In 1970 Goldschmidt was elected to Portland City Council. Two years later he was elected mayor of that city . This made him the youngest mayor of any major American city at the time. He held this office between 1973 and 1979. As mayor, he managed to bring Portland forward economically. Trade was revived, safety in the city center improved and local public transport expanded. More women and African Americans were employed in the administration .

Minister of transport

In July 1979, Goldschmidt was appointed by President Jimmy Carter as Secretary of Transportation in his cabinet . He held this office until the end of Carter's tenure in January 1981. During this time he campaigned for the revitalization of the ailing automotive industry in the USA. In 1981 Goldschmidt returned to Oregon, where he became vice president of the sporting goods manufacturer NIKE . He later served as President of the company's Canadian subsidiary.

Governor of Oregon

In 1986 Goldschmidt was elected as the candidate of his Democratic Party for the new governor of his state, with 51.8 percent of the vote against the Republican Norma Paulus . He took up his new office on January 12, 1987. During his four-year term in office, the state's economy, which had been weakened by a crisis in previous years, was revived. Goldschmidt built new prisons and increased the budget for education. At times he was able to work with some politicians from the Republican Party. The insurance system was also reformed and statutory accident insurance was introduced. In 1990 Goldschmidt renounced another candidacy, so that he resigned from his office in January 1991.

Another résumé

After his governorship, Goldschmidt set up a law firm and consulting firm in Portland. His customers included well-known companies, including NIKE. Politically, he remained very influential in Oregon. His close association with some companies also led to criticism. He was accused of conflicts of interest. This criticism became even louder in 2003 when Governor Ted Kulongoski appointed him to the State Board of Higher Education . More detailed research into his past brought Goldschmidt's political career to an end in 2004. He had to admit that he had sexual relations with a minor during his time as Mayor of Portland. Goldschmidt then declared in order to forestall an expulsion, on his own initiative, to leave the bar association.

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personal data
SURNAME Goldschmidt, Neil
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Goldschmidt, Neil Edward
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH June 16, 1940
PLACE OF BIRTH Eugene , Oregon