Andrew Gillum Releases Some Tax Returns
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — Florida Democratic candidate for governor Andrew Gillum gave a closer look at his finances on Friday.
The candidate released two years' worth of tax returns that show that he and his wife earn more than $200,000 a year.
Gillum, who shocked the political establishment with his Democratic primary win back in August, routinely noted on the campaign trail that he was one the candidate in the race who wasn't a millionaire. He is running against Republican Ron DeSantis in the Nov. 6 election.
The Tallahassee mayor released joint tax returns for 2015 and 2016. They show that he and his wife R. Jai Gillum earned nearly $250,000 in 2015 and more than $231,000 in 2016.
Gillum, however, did not release his 2017 return. His campaign said he had filed for an extension until October, but that deadline was extended until next year due to Hurricane Michael.
Neither candidate is required to release his federal income tax returns, but Florida gubernatorial candidates have traditionally released them.
"Today, Mayor Gillum took an important step in being transparent and open with Floridians by releasing his tax returns and now, it's time for Ron DeSantis to do the same," said Johanna Cervone, a spokeswoman for the Gillum campaign.
Stephen Lawson, a spokesman for DeSantis, said earlier this week he would release his returns if Gillum released his returns.
The documents turned over by the Gillum campaign did not include the W2 forms given by employers that summarize how much a person is paid. As a result, it is unclear how much Gillum or his wife earned at their other jobs in 2015 or 2016. Gillum earns nearly $80,000 as mayor.
When Gillum filed to run for governor, he was forced for the first time to disclose outside salaries.
He reported in June that in 2017 he earned $79,000 from the city of Tallahassee and nearly $72,000 from a company called P&P Communications Inc. that was run by a long-time adviser of Gillum's.
Kevin Cate, a campaign adviser, however, said that Gillum no longer works for the consulting firm, which has no website or online presence and has not disclosed its clients.
Campaign reports show that the Gillum campaign paid $36,000 in rental payments to the company between early 2017 and this past August. Cate said that campaign has since moved offices.
In 2015 and 2016, Gillum reported that he worked for the People for American Way Foundation, an affiliate of the progressive group begun by "All in the Family" television producer Norman Lear.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)