April 15, 2008
Tax Return Time: Paterson Not So Giving, Cuomo is Rich
Congratulations, State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo: You seem to be the "wealthiest statewide elected official," according to the NY Times and your tax returns. While Cuomo makes $151,000 as AG, his total reported income was $545,000, thanks to investments.
Governor David Paterson's 2007 income, combined with his wife's, was $269,815. Most notably, the Patersons only made one charitable donation: $150 in clothing to the Salvation Army. That works out to be 0.06% of their income, while Cuomo gave $14,000 (3%) to charities and State Comptroller Thomas Dinapoli gave $3,065, 2% of his $143,027 reported income.
State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno didn't pass judgment on Paterson's seemingly paltry charitable donation, "People have to make judgments as to what they do and whether or not to publicize what they do." Of course, Bruno and State Assembly Leader Sheldon Silver have, per Capitol Confidential, "have historically chosen not to make their returns public." Bruno and Silver work for, respectively a law firm and a consultancy and make additional income that way.
More fun facts: Cuomo made $1.5 million during the previous year, when he worked at a private law firm. And former governor Eliot Spitzer's 2006 reported income was almost $2 million, made up of his salary as attorney general, investments, and $1.4 million in rental income from his dad's real estate empire.
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I remember how excited everyone was with the new governor (myself included). It seems as though as we all learn more about him, he looks worse and worse. 150 dollars in clothes?! Christ, I donated more to oxfam when I was in high school than he donates in old clothes.
So I can now state that I give more to charity than the governor of NYS. Sweet.
Figure he would have drop some dime on a blind charity.
Same tricks different dog.
I probably gave away more then $150 in change to bums on the street during 2007. Gotta love politicians and their "Do as I say not as I do" mentality.
"Most notably, the Patersons only made one charitable donation: $150 in clothing to the Salvation Army."
Conclusion is not necessarily supported by the evidence. The Patersons only claimed one charitable donation. While it's probably a safe assumption that they would have claimed any other donations, it's still an assumption.
Maybe they are listed as "Anonymous" in several NY Museum catalogues? Nevertheless, the glow has definitely receded where this governor is concerned. Now maybe he can get some work done.
Politburo--very true. But don't people like to claim charitable donations?
Like I said, it's probably a safe assumption.
I don't care how much they made, I care how much they PAID in taxes! I'd like to know how much they wrote off and for what!
Given Paterson and his wife's combined salary, they should be hit by the AMT. Wonder how he feels about that.
Well, good to see he's really black
$150??? Yet our local liberals always claim to look after "less fortunate" whatever that means. Seems they're only charitable with money extracted from others through taxation.
Oh shut up. How much $ have any of you given to a charitable organization? As least the man is honest.