Cynthia Nixon Releases 5 Years Worth Of Tax Returns, Shows More Than $1 Million A Year
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Bowing to intense pressure from campaign rival Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Cynthia Nixon released five years of her tax returns, showing that one of her best investments may have been helping Bill de Blasio become mayor.
Nixon's success as an actress on "Sex and the City" has enabled her to live the good life, earning $1 million or more every year since 2013, reports CBS2's Marcia Kramer.
An equally lucrative role turns out to be her decision to campaign early and often to put de Blasio in Gracie Mansion because, after he won, he gave Nixon's wife, Christine Marinoni, a six-figure job at the Department of Education.
Her title? "Senior Advisor for Community Partnerships," with a starting salary of $121,200 in the spring of 2014, rising to $129,876 by the time she resigned in March shortly before Nixon announced she was running for governor.
Nixon saved a bundle when de Blasio gave her wife a job. Her tax returns show before Marinoni took the de Blasio gig she was on Nixon's personal payroll and paid more than $117,500 by Nixon's corporation, Fickle Mermaid.
Campaign aides said Nixon paid her wife to be her "business partner."
WATCH: Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Challenger Cynthia Nixon In 1-On-1 Debate Aug. 29 At 7 p.m.
Reporters allowed to look over Nixon's tax returns for three hours.
The documents show Nixon took lots of deduction to reduce what she had to pay to Uncle Sam.
For example, in 2016 she reduced her gross income of just over $1 million by claiming more than $318,000 in deductions including:
- More than $12,000 for personal development, singing and acting lessons
- More than $15,000 for hair and makeup
- More than $5,500 for telephone and internet
- More than $3,300 for travel
- More than $1,100 in office expenses
Cuomo slammed Nixon when she released only one year's taxes in May.
"George Pataki, a Republican, released 14 years of taxes," said Cuomo. "Eliot Spitzer released 10 years of taxes, I released more than 10 years of taxes."
Cuomo, who has spent much of his life in government, showed an adjusted gross income this year of $212,776. His salary was $179,000.
The releasing to tax information is vital because then you understand how the person lives and finances their lifestyle.
