Steve Novick grew up in Cottage Grove, Oregon and graduated from the University of Oregon and Harvard Law School. He spent nine years as an environmental law enforcement lawyer at the U.S. Justice Department, recovering $129 million for taxpayers in the Love Canal toxic waste case, and securing judgments against violators of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.

Since returning to Oregon in 1996, Steve has served as policy director in Governor Kulongoski’s 2002 campaign; as communications director for Citizens for Oregon’s Future, a non-profit dedicated to providing reliable information to the public on tax and budget issues; as legislative liaison for Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo; and as a policy analyst and spokesperson in numerous campaigns against ballot measures that threatened education, healthcare, public safety and services for seniors. Steve has also waged a lengthy campaign to get the Oregon Lottery to increase its investments in schools by reducing its excessive payments video lottery retailers.

As the Transportation Commissioner for the City of Portland, he is always looking for opportunities, in a variety of policy areas, to “take action now to avoid problems later.” He stated, “We can strengthen our economy by making Portland a model for reducing healthcare costs. We do that in part by encouraging and enabling people to keep themselves healthier and avoid trips to the hospital – everything from developing safe routes for kids to walk to school to getting employers and unions together to share effective wellness strategies.”

Novick is also confident that Portland can be made safer by working with the County and the State to redirect some resources from prison to prevention. “And we can make Portland truly sustainable,” he said, “by taking steps to get ready for the earthquake – steps like getting help for homeowners to bolt their homes to their foundations.”