Wilsons Disclose Federal and State Tax Returns; Few Deductions Taken

Gov. Pete Wilson released his 1994 federal and state income tax returns Friday, showing combined taxes of almost $50,000 on a gross income of $170,396 after taking few of the deductions available to middle- and upper-income earners.

In addition to his taxable salary of $108,037, the governor and his wife, Gayle, reported investment earnings of $62,359 on their joint returns.

The couple claimed $17,422 in itemized deductions, most of it for state income taxes paid last year. In addition they made $8,060 in charitable contributions, most in the form of checks to two dozen organizations, including $300 to the United Way, $125 to Sacramento’s public television station, $300 to the United Negro College Fund and $500 to the Junior League of San Diego.

Included in the charitable gifts was a donation of used clothing to the Northern California Cancer Center of San Francisco. The Wilsons deducted a thrift shop value of $957 for clothing that originally cost $7,680.

Throughout his political career, including his years as U.S. senator and San Diego mayor, Wilson has routinely made his income tax returns available for public scrutiny. These and other records show that Wilson himself has accumulated little personal wealth in his years in office. As mayor of San Diego he often said he owned only “equity in my home, some books and some furniture.”

But Gayle Wilson, the governor’s second wife, brought substantial assets into their marriage, including stock in Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. worth in excess of $100,000. While he served in the Senate, most of their holdings were put into a blind trust, and the majority of investment earnings reported this week were from that trust.