YOU’D BE HARD-PRESSED to find someone in city hall more outspoken about children’s well-being than Commissioner Dan Saltzman.
Since 2002, the longtime commissioner has relentlessly championed the Portland Children’s Levy, a funding source for programs that work against child abuse, neglect, and hunger. Among the levy’s key goals: bankrolling efforts “designed to help children arrive at school ready to learn.”
So it’s hardly a surprise that Saltzman’s historically been a darling of the city’s teachers. The political wing of the 2,900-member Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) endorsed the commissioner in his last two bids for re-election.
But it appears that trend may end this year.
The union’s political action committee, Teachers’ Voice in Politics, has so far abstained from taking sides in the primary race for Saltzman’s seat—even as it gets ready to tout candidates in other races.
“At this point in time we have not taken a position,” PAT President Gwen Sullivan, who also sits on the board of the political action committee, told the Mercury this month. “There are some races where we didn’t have enough information.”
That’s a rarity. Typically, Sullivan says, the group either endorses a single candidate or declines to endorse any. In the latter case, it would formally vote for a “no recommendation.”
The union’s approach to Saltzman’s race—not saying anything at all—is something else.
And sources close to the process say the outlier has to do with lingering bad feelings over extremely tense contract negotiations between the union and Portland Public Schools this year, a situation that almost resulted in the first strike in the district’s history.
When the union asked Saltzman—in an endorsement interview he attended with other candidates for his seat—what he did to help avert a walkout, he answered something to the effect of “I prayed,” according to Saltzman and others in the room.
Against the backdrop of challenger Nick Caleb, who’s running partially on a call to strengthen labor unions, and Joe Meyer, a KBOO reporter who publicized the union’s struggles, Saltzman’s answer fell with a thud, sources say.
“That question was my home run,” Meyer said. “And then Nick gave a good answer. Dan Saltzman was next. He said, ‘I prayed there wouldn’t be a strike.’ I remember that quite specifically.”
Asked about the situation, Saltzman said he was disappointed he hadn’t garnered the nod.
“I can’t put words into their mouth as to why they didn’t issue an endorsement in my race,” he said. “I feel I was very supportive of averting a strike to reach an agreement.”
The fight for Saltzman’s seat is already shaping up to be one of May’s more exciting races. He’s a longtime incumbent with plenty of connections and financial backing, and the hands-down favorite.
But Saltzman’s also been forced into action in recent weeks. After Caleb began pushing a $15 minimum wage, the commissioner came out in favor of a wage raise as well, saying he’d long supported that policy—just not very loudly.
Saltzman even led an afternoon rally on Tuesday, April 8, calling in part for the removal of state laws that prevent Portland from raising its minimum wage.
The PAT committee may still take a stand in the primary, Sullivan says, which was welcome news to Saltzman.
“Maybe there’s still hope,” he said. “I will renew my efforts to get ahold of Gwen.”
He prayed? Wow, thanks for doing literally less than nothing to support the teachers. Time to vote for some new blood.
so proud to see Nick Caleb running-yes, we need someone who represents us the people, not the PBA!
I get the feeling teachers are getting a little big for their britches these days, and think the world revolves around their needs (oh wait, it is the CHILDREN they think only of).
I do not support their unions aims, 99% of the time, and as such my support for Saltzman is even stronger.
And I’m praying only that I get a new commissioner. I’m sick of Salt. Everywhere when I want some fried food, but not when I’m looking for a lean, issues first diet. Man I’m hungry just thinking about this election. You think Nick Caleb is spicy and goes good with mayo or will he simply start working on issues? Really though, will he only pray for important issues to work themselves out or should I still count on tastiness as what I depend on the most from a council member?
Even if Caleb doesn’t win the election, forcing Saltzman to talk about the minimum wage and inequality is a victory in itself. And I’ve been emboldened to attend the Oregon Democratic Party Convention the weekend after Memorial Day, and advocate for adding a $12 minimum wage to the state party platform!
Democrats, still lowering the bar. It’s $15 now not $12 later. We already lowered the bar from $22, correcting for inflation and productivity gains.
Saltzman’s answer just sums up his whole attitude, as if some greater power is going to come and make everything work out. When in a leadership position… LEAD! Stand for something… DO SOMETHING. This state and city used to be ahead on so many issues. Can we resurrect Tom McCall? He was a Republican for recycling, clean water and the public spaces. Nick Caleb is the best I’ve heard in a while as he wants to but ideas into action.
Pretty sure Nick Caleb is another phony. Going with Joe even if he’s a long shot.
Children’s Champ? Here is a section from the speech I wrote for the Oregon Black Political Convention held earlier today:
In commissioner Charles Jordan’s memoir he explains his position on assistance to the poor with a parable.
There was a certain river and many human beings were in it struggling to get to shore. Some succeeded on their own; some were pulled ashore by kind people on the banks. But many more were carried down stream and drowned. While it is noble for people to help the victims out of the water it would be better if some would go upstream and see who was pushing them in.
I think Mr Jordan’s river story is the proper way to understand the incumbents oft touted Children’s Fund. The good people on the shore are Portland citizens who vote to increase their own taxes to help kids in need. And we can do real good, we can pull some kids out. We need to ask though, why are so many kids in need? What do we see if we walk up river?
I see wealthy incumbent politicians pushing those kids in.
They are pushing those kids in with their developer-first housing policy;
They are pushing those kids in with racist policing and unequal sentencing;
They are pushing those kids in with regressive and repressive increases in water rates;
And, as the doubling of Portland’s poverty rate shows, they are pushing them in faster and faster.
We need real change.
Vote for the citizen candidate of your choice.
The Change we really need is to get rid of this damn mini-mayor system, that allows PEU’s to pay off enough votes to push through whatever legislation they want and leaves it up to the public to pay for it.