Metro (Oregon regional government)

Metro

Agency overview
Formed	1993 (1993)
Preceding agencies	Metropolitan Service District (1979–1992) Columbia Region Association of Governments (1966–1978) Metropolitan Service District (1957–1966)
Type	Regional Special-purpose district and Metropolitan planning organization
Jurisdiction	Portland metropolitan area
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon
Employees	793 (2014-15 fiscal year)[1]
Annual budget	$484 million (2014-15 fiscal year)[1]
Agency executives	Lynn Peterson, President Brian Evans, Auditor Marissa Madrigal, Chief Operating Officer
Website	www.oregonmetro.gov

Metro is the regional government for the Oregon portion of the Portland metropolitan area, covering portions of Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties. It is the only directly elected regional government and metropolitan planning organization in the United States.^[2] Metro is responsible for overseeing the Portland region's solid waste system, general planning of land use and transportation, maintaining certain regional parks and natural areas, and operating the Oregon Zoo, Oregon Convention Center, Portland's Centers for the Arts, and the Portland Expo Center. It also distributes money from two voter-approved tax measures: one for homeless services and one for affordable housing.