LEHIGH VALLEY MORNING CALL: Trying to dig herself out of a deep approval-rating hole with the primary election fast approaching, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz has released income tax records in the hopes of smoking out flaws in the personal finances and life stories of other Democratic candidates for governor.
Before taxes, Schwartz and her husband, a physician, earned an average of $566,241 over four years, according to tax statements covering 2009 to 2012. Their 2013 tax returns, due Tuesday, were not available because the Montgomery County couple had filed for an extension with the IRS, her campaign said.
In making public the IRS documents on Monday, Schwartz’s campaign set off a flurry of activity among the other candidates scrambling to match her gambit.
The Schwartz campaign challenged the other candidates to release their tax returns. It specifically targeted wealthy York County businessman Tom Wolf — who is sitting atop the leader board on the strength of thousands of television commercials — to produce his tax records and release more records pertaining a $4.5 million loan he took out to help fund his campaign… (more)
Desperation or distraction?
Can we just stick to the issues?
EDITOR: We have a candidate from out of the blue spending $10 million reportedly of his own money to get the Democrat nomination.
How he got his money and why he had to borrow half of it is very relevant at least to his character, judgment and competence.
That he borrowed $5 million is very disturbing to us. If he can’t afford to lay out the money, why is he doing it? Moreover, the governor’s pay isn’t enough to help pay back the loan.
Take this into consideration along with he questionable dealings when he sold the company to the employees while pocketing a huge sum. Perhaps an above market price was a factor in the need for him to come back to help rescue the company.
You’re right. How he funds his campaign is relevant. His personal tax forms are not.
If he can’t repay the bank, that is their problem. I much prefer candidates to use their own money (or money they are responsible for) for advertising.
I find it much odder that you would prefer candidates who are funded by special interest groups, which seems to be why we don’t have a gas extraction tax in PA.
EDITOR: We don’t want a governor who is burdened with heavy personal debt, nor do we want a governor who lacks good sense.
Keep in mind that with the current highest level of tax on earned income, the 3% plus surplus tax, and state income tax, fifty percent of earned income goes to the government. So Wolf would need $10 million in earned income to pay off $5 million in debt. We think the public should be concerned about Wolf’s ability to retire such a large sum from his personal resources.
If his tax return shows he is making ample amounts and able to retire his debt, it will relieve our concern.
By all means, please stick to issues. The candidates released their tax returns, not net worth statements.
Why Newslanc thinks Wolf needs to retire his debt from future earnings has me confused.
May I also add that we don’t want a governor (Schwartz) who for years headed an organization that referred women to Dr. Kermit Gosnell who was convicted of severing the spinal cords of viable babies outside of the womb.