City Manager Michael Ortega Notifies of Intent to Leave Position
Tucson City Manager Michael Ortega has notified the Mayor and Council of his intent to leave his position after completion of the 2024 - 2025 budget process.
Working in a close partnership with Mayor Romero and the City Council, Ortega has worked tirelessly to implement their policy direction and lead the management and the City’s nearly 5,000 employees through some of the most challenging times in the community’s recent history.
Ortega achieved early success as Manager working with the Mayor and Council to turn around the lingering financial impacts of the recession and resecure the City's fiscal and budgetary stability. This included building the confidence of the financial sector necessary to lift the City's bond ratings across all three ratings agencies to include the highest rating, a AAA, from Fitch, which in conjunction with Tucson voters' confidence, allowed for more than a $1 billion investment in community infrastructure through several successful ballot initiatives.
This stable financial footing, along with the Council and Ortega's steady leadership, put the City in a unique position nationally to weather the new and unprecedented challenges of the COVID pandemic.
In the recent post-pandemic years, Ortega worked to implement historic levels of Council directed investment in the community, while continuing to innovate the provision of services and strengthening the City as an employee centric organization.
“I am grateful for the wonderful partnership I have forged with Michael Ortega and wish him the very best in whatever his future may hold,” said Mayor Regina Romero. "As Tucson's Mayor I have worked hard to set a vision for the Council's work and thanks to Michael’s support and leadership, we have made incredible progress bringing that vision to reality.
My Council colleagues and I are committed to working with Michael and the executive leadership team over the next few months to provide a smooth transition plan for the benefit of the community and our employees. He has built an exceptional and dedicated executive team, and I have confidence that we are in good hands moving forward.”
Ortega began serving as City Manager in June of 2015 after being selected by the Mayor and Council in March of that year.
“I am proud to have worked for and with the people of this community, alongside our dedicated employees, and at the service of this Mayor and Council," stated Ortega. "Working together we have achieved so much over the last eight and a half years. I have complete and total confidence that the bright trajectory that Tucson is on will continue into the future. At this time, I have no specific plans for what the time after my departure will hold.
This is truly a special city and I felt embraced by residents from my first day on the job. My family and I have been blessed to have had this opportunity. It has been an honor."
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