Gov. Robert Bentley’s efforts to cure what ails the State of Alabama sure don’t pay as well as his medical practice once did, but the assets he accrued during his time as a doctor are now proving to be very helpful to the physician-turned-governor.
Perhaps the most well-known plank in Bentley’s campaign platform in 2010 was that he would not take a salary if elected governor unless Alabama reached “full employment,” which means the unemployment rate drops below 5.2%. The rate has dropped precipitously down to 6.1% since Bentley took office, but he has kept his word and not received one dime during his tenure as Alabama’s chief executive.
Gov. Bentley released his tax return on Tuesday and reported an adjusted gross income of $372,687 for 2013. According to the AP, “$232,881 resulted from Bentley selling his interest in the building where his medical practice was in Tuscaloosa. Much of the remainder was from IRA distributions and Social Security.” None of the money came from the State.
The governor and first lady paid $81,442 in federal taxes and $10,460 in state taxes and donated $15,086 to various charities.
Bentley is the only statewide-elected official who releases his returns and has been doing it since 2009 when he was campaigning. Bentley’s 2013 income was the highest he’s had since he started publicly releasing his financial information. He made $340,698 in 2009, but he was still working full-time in his medical practice at that point and was also a state legislator.
The governor’s salary normally pays over $120,000 per year. Bentley’s accountant told the AP that he has been selling assets since he was elected.
And it looks like the governor may not be totally done with the medical profession yet. He listed his occupation on his tax return as “governor/physician” and spent almost $5,000 last year in fees to keep his medical license current.
Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims
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