Pike County Commissioner Curtis Blair has qualified as a candidate for re-election as Revenue Commissioner for Pike County.

The election is Nov. 4.

Blair has served as revenue commissioner for the past 17 years. The Revenue Commissioner works under the guidelines of the State of Alabama, Department of Revenue and is responsible for assessing property, granting exemptions from taxes and collecting and distributing taxes for eight different agencies including the State of Alabama, Pike County and the school system. The Revenue Commissioner is also responsible for the Mapping and Appraisal office.

Blair said he will continue serving the people of Pike County in an even handed and kind manner.

“My pledge to the people of Pike County is to continue running your tax office in an honest, efficient and unbiased manner,” Blair said. “I believe in being fair to all taxpayers and giving them the best possible service.

As a Pike County native and graduate of Goshen High School, Blair is also a college graduate. He attended Troy State University and has a background in financial affairs. He has completed several ad valorem tax courses through the University of Alabama and Auburn University.

Following graduation from high school, Blair spent four years in the Air Force during the Vietnam era. He later worked with the Department of Industrial Relations in the Comprehensive Employment Training Act division for one year. T

he following year, he was transferred to Pike County as CETA program coordinator for the City of Troy, Pike County and Bullock County school systems.

In 1996, the citizens of Pike County voted to combine the Pike County offices of Tax Collector and Tax Assessor in to one office, Revenue Commissioner. Blair won the election and began his new term as Revenue Commissioner in 1997.

Blair is a member of First United Methodist Church in Troy, a master Mason, Scottish Rite Mason, a Shriner, a Legionnaire, and a member of the Pike County Cattleman’s Association. Blair also serves on the Board of Directors of the Association of Alabama Tax Administrators.

He has been married to Elaine England Blair for 41 years and they have two children, Donald and Chris, a total of three grandchildren.

Blair has many accomplishments while serving as your Revenue Commissioner. Some of these include the opening of a satellite office in Brundidge, implementing credit card payments and providing a website that allows online payments 24/7.

One of the biggest accomplishments would be the introduction of the Geographical Information System (GIS) for Pike County. This system allows us to visualize and understand data more accurately for tax purposes. Through this system, the office has been able to provide the public with more up-to-date maps and tax information. In addition to the GIS, we have converted the mapping system from manual to digital environment an implemented the 3-D Ortho Technology system which was made possible through team work with the E-911 Director, City of Troy, EMA, ALDOT and Pike County Commissioners.