Dan Demeritt, Gov. Paul LePage’s communications director, resigned this morning, effective immediately.

In a statement issued by press secretary Adrienne Bennett, Demeritt said that he had “several unresolved business issues that need my immediate and direct attention” and that he was resigning to deal with them.

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Staff graphic by Sharon Wood

The Kennebec Journal reported on Friday that Demeritt is facing possible foreclosure on five buildings he owns, including one destroyed by arson last week. Savings Bank of Maine also has filed a foreclosure action to take the 611 Civic Center Drive property in Augusta where Demeritt operates Pizza Connection.

Demeritt also owes back taxes to the city of Augusta, has liens from unpaid sewer bills on the properties subject to the foreclosure action, and faces a lien on an Augusta property at 11 School St. that is not in foreclosure.

Demeritt told the paper that he links his unpaid taxes, bills and mortgage loans to business difficulties that began almost 2½ years ago when he said he leveraged the value of his properties to buy other properties

The statement from the governor’s office said that LePage and his staff “wish Mr. Demeritt the best with his future business endeavors.”