Should Portland reappoint Adam Abplanalp and appoint Craig Freeman to the Revenue Division Appeals Board?

TO THE COUNCIL: As Mayor, I request Council confirmation of the following appointments to the Revenue Division Appeals Board. Reappointment TermAdam Abplanalp 1/1/2025 – 12/31/2027 AppointmentTermReplacingCraig Freeman 1/1/2025 – 12/31/2026Karin BryantRespectfully submitted, Keith Wilson,MayorAdam AbplanalpBiographyAdam Abplanalp, CPA is a life-long Oregonian with significant experience in Federal, state, and local tax planning and consulting. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Oregon Robert D. Clark Honors College. In 2015, after a career in banking and risk management, Abplanalp started Cobalt, P.C., a boutique CPA firm based in NE Portland, catering to real estate owners, investors, property managers, brokers, and developers. He currently serves as Managing Partner & CEO of Cobalt, P.C., where he leads the firm’s advisory and tax practices. A licensed CPA in Oregon, Washington, Hawaiʻi, New York, Idaho, Alabama, and Tennessee (as well as British Columbia, Canada), Abplanalp is a recognized expert in Oregon, Washington, and Hawaiʻi state and local taxes, and frequently teaches continuing education courses on state and local tax issues for CPAs, attorneys, and businesses. He often testifies before and consults with the Oregon Legislative Assembly on tax-related issues, has served on task forces, committees, and boards for the Oregon Department of Revenue, Oregon Board of Accountancy, and Oregon Tax Court, and he was a member of the Metro SHS Tax Implementation Work Group, which was responsible for writing and reviewing the Metro Code and Administrative Rule provisions related to the rollout of the SHS Tax. Since 2019, Abplanalp has served on the Revenue Division Appeals Board (RDAB), and he was elected Chairperson in 2024. Under his leadership, in one year, the RDAB heard and issued decisions on more cases than in the prior 10 years combined. In addition to his CPA licenses, Abplanalp is also a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), and licensed real estate Principal Broker in Oregon and Managing Broker in Washington. He is past Treasurer and Board Member of Our Just Future (formerly Human Solutions), an affordable housing and shelter services provider in East Multnomah County. Abplanalp is 2025-26 Chair-Elect of the 4,000-member Oregon Society of CPAs (the youngest in its 117-year history), was recognized as one of the Portland Business Journal’s 2024 “40 Under 40,” and is also a part-time online J.D. student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law, where he studies tax and real estate law. Interest StatementI am interested in continuing to serve on the Revenue Division Appeals Board, which allows me to utilize my skills and expertise to help taxpayers resolve disputes though an informal hearing and administrative process, rather than having to engage costly representatives to pursue judicial remedies. I believe in transparency, consistency, and stability in our tax systems, to allow a level playing field for unrepresented taxpayers and small businesses to resolve their tax controversies. I will continue to push for changes to Revenue Division Appeals Board processes to ensure taxpayers can rely on the decisions of the RDAB and can understand how similar cases have been resolved in the past, and to ensure access to tax justice for all taxpayers, whether they are local sole proprietorships and individuals or Fortune 500 corporations.Craig FreemanBiographyCraig Freeman is a native of the Portland Metro area and has worked in the downtown Portland core for over 20 years. He is a Senior Manager in the Tax Department of Portland-based CPA firm Geffen Mesher. In 2020, he helped establish the firm’s Tax Controversy group, which he has led since inception. In this capacity, and during his more than 20 years as a tax professional serving Portland-area taxpayers, he has helped small and middle market businesses to faithfully comply with the requirements of all taxes administered by the Revenue Division. His knowledge and experience extend to the Portland Business License Tax, Multnomah County Business Income Tax, Metro Supportive Housing Services Tax (for both businesses and individuals), and Multnomah County Preschool for All Tax. Craig completed his accounting education at Portland State University and proceeded to pass all parts of the CPA examination on his first attempt. He is proud to have worked for Geffen Mesher for most of his career, a firm that has been a pillar in the Portland business community since its founding in 1933. Interest StatementAs a native of the Portland Metro area and a longtime downtown Portland professional, I have a personal interest in the present and future success of the City. As a boy, I went to Portland Beavers baseball games at Civic Stadium, cheered on the Trail Blazers at Memorial Coliseum, loved visiting the Washington Park Zoo, and loved even more exploring the exhibits at OMSI. As an adult, I have attended concerts at the Oregon Zoo, plays at the Keller and Portland Center Stage, movies at many McMenamins locations, and have enjoyed many great meals at City restaurants. Portland is a great city, and I believe the proper administration of its business license and income taxes is vital to its success. I would be honored to play a small role in the City’s and Metro area’s continued success by serving on the Board.