Portland commissioner Dan Saltzman says he didn't commit an ethics violation

Oregonian:

Portland city Commissioner Dan Saltzman, already facing seven active challengers in his bid for re-election in the May 18 primary, found himself embroiled in an ethics controversy Tuesday.

News emerged Monday that the Portland Children's Levy, which allocates taxpayer money to children's programs, awarded a $600,000 grant last year to Cares Northwest, a nonprofit that employs Saltzman's girlfriend as a fundraiser. Saltzman, chairman of the levy's five-member allocation committee, did not disclose his relationship, nor did he recuse himself from the vote, which was 5-0.

"In retrospect, maybe I should have done that," Saltzman said Tuesday of disclosing the relationship with Liz Burns. But he's a "shy guy," he said, and revealing a relationship with someone "who is not affected by this grant whatsoever didn't seem appropriate. There was no breach."

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