About Us
We are a small, highly-motivated team providing bureau-specific and Citywide budget and program analysis, economic forecasting, Citywide performance management, and Portland Utility Board management, analysis and support. CBO’s primary function involves coordinating the development of the City’s budget, including analysis and recommendations of each bureau’s operating and capital budget, financial plan, and performance measures. Duties include monitoring the high-level expenditure and revenue trends of all City funds throughout the fiscal year, coordinating budget amendments, analyzing City programs and policies, reviewing ordinances for fiscal and policy impacts, and providing fiduciary oversight of the General Fund and Recreational Cannabis Tax Fund.
In addition to providing analysis and recommendations to elected officials and the public, analysts are available to City bureaus for consultation, training, and technical assistance in matters related to budget, finance, and performance measurement and management. Analysts conduct research in response to inquiries from elected officials, City bureaus, the media, and the public. CBO strives to help the Mayor and City Council make decisions that preserve the long-term fiscal health of the City, and to help bureaus achieve Council’s priorities by using City resources to efficiently, effectively, and equitably deliver desired outcomes.
Interim City Budget Director, Ruth Levine
As the Interim City Budget Director, Ruth Levine leads a 15-person team focused on managing the budget process, supporting Council budget decision-making, and providing unfiltered information and analysis to elected officials, bureaus, and the public.
Ruth Levine has been with the City of Portland for 4 years. Most recently, Ruth served as Deputy Director for the City Budget Office. Prior to joining the City of Portland, Ruth acted as a Principal Budget Analyst for the City and County of San Francisco’s Human Services Agency, overseeing a $1 Billion budget. Ruth also worked for the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab providing technical assistance to state and local governments to improve their use of data with a focus on social services programs. She holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in economics from Stanford University.
Director's Calendar
Former director Tim Grewe's calendar
Contact our staff
Email us at CityBudgetOffice@portlandoregon.gov or call us at 503-823-6925 for general information and resources.