Portland City Budget Director Andrew Scott Is Leaving for Metro

Scott is the third bureau director whose departure has been reported in a little over a week.

By Rachel Monahan

Andrew Scott, the city's budget director, is leaving to become the deputy chief operating officer of Metro after 15 years with the city.

"It's a great opportunity," says Scott. "Metro is a great place. They have a lot of exciting things coming up, including the housing bond."

Scott is the first person to run the city's Budget Office, set up under Mayor Charlie Hales to provide independent evaluations of city bureau budget requests.

Scott is the third bureau director to announce his departure from City Hall in a little over a week.

Portland Bureau of Transportation director Leah Treat announced Monday she's leaving to take a private consulting job at the transportation firm Nelson\Nygaard .

Mike Abbaté, the director of Parks and Recreation, was forced out.

With the next fiscal year's budget all but complete, it's a less disruptive time of year for changeover in leadership at bureaus.

Mayor Ted Wheeler praised Scott's work at the city.

"Andrew Scott has been an essential partner in figuring out how to maximize limited budget dollars to address the key challenges facing our city," Wheeler said in a statement. "The knowledge, discipline, and keen problem-solving skills he brings with him to Metro will serve him well in his new role as deputy chief operating officer."

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.