Ever since Saratoga Springs voted to keep its commission form of government intact in November 2020, Saratoga Living has been focusing in on the duties of each of the city’s five commissioners, to give Saratogians a better idea of how their local politicos operate. In this issue, we’re getting to know the commissioner of finance. 

The Commissioner of Finance serves as the… 

1. Substitute for the mayor

2. City tax collector

3. Bursar (a fancy name for financial administrator) of city funds

4. Internal auditor

5. Custodian of city monies

6. Keeper of city financial records

7. Budget chairperson

8. Certifier of city payrolls

But that’s not all:

“In this form of government, we’re also councilmembers,” says current Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan, who has already announced that she will not seek reelection this November. “As such, I can really take on any project I want. In my 10 years as a councilmember, I’ve taken on plenty of things that fall outside of the traditional duties of the commissioner of finance, like the 2.5-megawatt solar park. I led that forward in a partnership with Sustainable Saratoga.”