David Salman
| David Milton Salman | |
|---|---|
| Born |
11 February 1936 Houston, Texas, USA |
| Died | 28 February 2010 (aged 75) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Rancher, politician |
| Known for | Medical marijuana laws |
David Milton Salman (11 February 1936 – 28 February 2010) was a New Mexico, USA, state representative who was known for sponsoring the first bill for use of medical marijuana in the state.
David Milton Salman was born in Houston, Texas, on 11 February 1936. He was from a Jewish family that was involved in shipping in Houston. He graduated from high school in Las Vegas, New Mexico and went on to Princeton University, graduating in 1958. In 1958–59 he served in the Army Field Artillery. Salman purchased the former La Cueva Ranch in Mora County, New Mexico, which he revitalized by producing farm products, particularly raspberries. He was president of the Salman Ranch from 1960 to 2002.
Salman was president of Sierra Gold Dairy for over twenty years at the same time as being a vice president of the First National Bank in Las Vegas. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Las Vegas Hospital. Salman was a member of the board of regents of the New Mexico Highlands University from 1963 to 1969.
Salman was a member of the House of Representatives in New Mexico from 1969 to 1978 for District 69 in Mora, Harding and San Miguel counties. From 1971 to 1978 he was the majority floor leader. He was a member of the "Mama Lucy Gang", a loose coalition of centrist Democrats and some Republicans that controlled the House during most of the 1970s. The group included Bernalillo County liberals and Northern New Mexico representatives. Salman was the main sponsor of the Public Schools Financing Act in 1971 and the School Equalization Fund in 1972. He was also behind the foundation of the International Space Hall of Fame in Alamogordo.
In 1974 Salman was injured in an automobile accident that was followed by years of reconstructive surgery, and this hampered his political career. Salman campaigned for the protection of mountain lions. At one time he arranged for a lion to be brought in the House. He was a sponsor of the public school funding equalization formula. He also sponsored severance taxes on finite natural resources, a higher minimum-wage law and bilingual education Other measures supported by Salman included incentives for solar heating and power systems, energy savings in public buildings, environmental improvement board powers, sulfur emissions control, radioactive materials disposal, the beverage container act and acquisition of Vermejo Park.
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