Governor avoids questions about charitable giving
By Tom Precious
Updated: 04/15/08 12:59 PM
ALBANY — Gov. David Paterson this morning dodged questions from a trailing press corps about his meager donations to charity last year.
Helping to keep the story alive another day, Paterson, as he came and went to two events near the Capitol, declined repeated requests by reporters to stop and take questions about his 2007 tax filings.
The governor's federal returns, released Monday, show Paterson and his wife making nearly $300,000 last year in income, but giving only $150 in charitable donations. The contributions were for old clothes the couple donated to the Salvation Army.
"Later," the governor said when asked if he would answer questions.
At a later event, with the help of aides and the State Police, Paterson hopped on an elevator as a group of reporters chased his entourage behind the stage at a theater where he had just addressed New York City transit workers.
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli also released his tax returns, showing the state's top fiscal officer making half what the Patersons made — but giving more than $3,000 in donations.
Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, in preliminary estimates released by his accountants, showed income of more than $545,000 and donations of $14,000.
