Longtime Portland Commissioner Dan Saltzman announced Tuesday that he will not run for re-election next year.

The announcement came as a surprise to many. Saltzman previously said he planned to run, and he raised about $66,000 in cash contributions for his campaign since April.

"Gnawing at me was the fact that I'd be signing up for another tour of duty," he said in an interview. "This is maybe not what I want to do for another five years."

In the meantime, Commissioner Nick Fish announced this week he plans to seek a fourth term.

Saltzman, a commissioner for five terms and a public servant for nearly 25 years, is the longest serving city commissioner since 1969. He said in an earlier statement that he has largely checked off the to-dos on the list of things he's passionate about.

His announcement touched off speculation about who might declare their candidacy to replace him in the May 2018 primary election.

Saltzman led the campaign for a voter-approved Portland Children's Levy fund that pays for abuse prevention and other child programs. He established The Gateway Center for Domestic Violence Services, and he recently led a campaign as the Housing Bureau director for a $258 million bond to tackle affordable housing.

"I am very proud of my accomplishments and the relationships I have built while achieving them," Saltzman said.

But he also missed a lot of work, including multiple votes at council meetings. In 2014, Saltzman took off more time than any other — 33 days, not including holidays or sick time. He spent the fewest hours in council meetings that year, an analysis by The Oregonian/OregonLive found. His absences increased the following year after he bought a vacation home. His truancy and early departures from meetings drew criticism from colleague Commissioner Amanda Fritz at the time.

Saltzman said he plans to focus on child welfare, foster care and domestic violence and that he would "enjoy working on those causes in a less scheduled life." He said he also plans to look into becoming a court-appointed volunteer who works with foster kids in the system.

Saltzman, 63, told The Oregonian/OregonLive Tuesday that he started to rethink how he wanted to spend his "twilight years" after Commissioner Nick Fish was diagnosed with cancer in August.

"That reflection has led me to the conclusion that I can have the greatest impact on the issues that truly motivate me outside of City Hall," Saltzman said.

Meanwhile, in another corner of City Hall, Fish has begun telling supporters that he plans to run for re-election.

"Public service is essential to my life," Fish said. "It's what drives me."

Fish's announcement followed his first round of chemotherapy treatment for abdominal cancer.

"Frankly, I think serving is part of my treatment," Fish said. "I believe I can win this fight, and I have a lot of work to do on this council."

Saltzman's open seat is likely to attract many candidates, said political consultant Jake Weigler. That's because it's easier to make a runoff in a race for an open seat than it is to beat an incumbent.

Jo Ann Hardesty, head of the NAACP of Portland and a former state legislator, officially declared her candidacy for the seat in early August. She has raised about $20,000 since.

--Jessica Floum

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