By Kerri Pepoy,Staff Writer

PARIS – Oxford County Commissioner Jeffrey Fagan has announced his candidacy for the District 3 position he was appointed to late last year.

“It has been my privilege to represent the third district of Oxford County,” Fagan said in a recent statement. “By working to find creative solutions to the challenges that face county government, we can effectively manage the tax burden that our residents face while continuing to provide for opportunity, economic growth opportunities and public safety.”

Fagan, a Republican, was selected last November as the nominee for the District 3 position by the Oxford County Republicans and appointed by Gov. John Baldacci.

Fagan was sworn in to replace Albert “Jim” Carey of Paris, who resigned due to ill health. By law, Carey, also a Republican, had to be succeeded by a member of the same political party.

Primary elections will be held June 13.

Fagan, 36, is a 14-year resident of Oxford County and president of The Inner Circle, a real estate sales and marketing firm. He lives in Paris with his wife, Melissa, a teacher in SAD 17, and their four children.

Fagan graduated from the University of Massachusetts and worked for the campaign of state Rep. Bruce Hanley, who won the race for House District 94 in November 2004.

Fagan served as vice president of marketing and national director of real estate for American Skiing Co., the parent company of Sunday River Ski Area, from 1994 to 1999.

Fagan said he is an advocate of smaller government and local decision making, as well as tax policy that slows or reverses county spending to provide tax relief. “During my tenure as county commissioner, I am proud to say that I have worked in conjunction with my fellow commissioners to maintain a flat tax rate for Oxford County for the upcoming tax year,” he said.

At a commissioners’ meeting in March, Fagan proposed earmarking $100,000 from undesignated surplus funds toward property tax relief in 2007, in addition to $100,000 that had already been earmarked for tax relief in 2006.

He also sent a letter to Baldacci last month, pressing him to fulfill the state’s obligation of paying Oxford County more than $190,000 in disaster reimbursement funds. The state became obligated to reimburse municipalities after Baldacci declared a disaster from last spring’s record rainfall and resulting flood damage.