Tucson City Manager Michael Ortega leaving post

Michael Ortega will leave his post as Tucson city manager after completing the 2024-2025 budget.

Ortega, who started in the position in June 2015, has led the city’s nearly 5,000 employees “through some of the most challenging times in the community’s recent history,” a news release Friday from the city said.

The city’s budget is typically approved in June.

“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,” the news release said.

“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... which in conjunction with Tucson voters’ confidence, allowed for more than a $1 billion investment in community infrastructure through several successful ballot initiatives.”

Ortega said in a written statement that he has “no specific plans” for what he will do after his departure.

“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 ... 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,” he wrote. “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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Mayor Regina Romero said the city is “in good hands moving forward” with what Ortega has built.

“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,” Romero said in a statement.

“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,” she said.

Romero said that she and her colleagues will work with Ortega and executive leadership over the next few months to “provide a smooth transition plan for the benefit of the community and our employees.”

Base pay for the position is about $300,000 a year.