Tax returns show NY comptroller in middle-class

ALBANY - State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli continues to be a self-proclaimed middle-class guy, at least as borne out by his income tax returns.

DiNapoli earned $152,642 last year, an increase of $29 over 2008, according to returns made public Monday. His salary as comptroller was $147,498.

He paid $35,309 in federal and state income taxes, and received refunds totaling $7,723.

DiNapoli paid $553 less in property taxes last year on his two-bedroom condominium in Great Neck. His bill totaled $9,488 because the condominium's board of directors successfully challenged the property's assessment as being too high.

DiNapoli spokeswoman Jennifer Freeman said he played no role in the assessment case, which was begun before he moved there in 2003. He paid $7,842 in mortgage interest.

DiNapoli gave $3,860 to charity, with the largest amounts going to St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Great Neck, $1,150; Tomorrow's Hope Foundation, $350; the Diocese of Rockville Centre, $300; State Employees Federated Appeal payroll deduction, $208, and the Dante Foundation, $200. His total charitable giving increased by $172 over 2008.

As comptroller, DiNapoli is sole trustee of the state's $129.4-billion public employee pension fund. But his own investments remain modest, primarily telecommunications stock from his years as an AT&T employee.

He earned $4,528 in dividends last year on holdings in AT&T, Comcast, Verizon and Vodafone and a mutual fund. He reported no capital gains or losses.

For the third year in a row, DiNapoli, a Democrat, was the first of four statewide elected officials to release his tax returns. Gov. David A. Paterson and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo were expected to do so by Thursday's filing deadline.

Harry Wilson, who is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge DiNapoli in the fall elections, said he had sought an extension and planned to file his returns in October. "I intend to provide a lot more disclosure over time," he said in the Capitol.

Wilson added that he didn't earn a salary last year because he was serving on President Barack Obama's task force on the future of U.S. automakers. Previously, the Scarsdale resident had worked for several hedge funds.

Republican and Conservative Party leaders have lauded Wilson's success on Wall Street and pledge to spend some of his own money on the campaign.

DiNapoli's relatively modest income means he must raise substantial campaign donations. As of mid-January, DiNapoli had $1.3 million on hand after raising $2.1 million in the past 18 months. That's below the $7 million he has said he needs to be competitive.