Davis, Wife to Get U.S. Tax Refund of $1,696

As he struggles to address a state budget shortfall, Gov. Gray Davis got a bit of good news Tuesday on his personal tax front: He and his wife can expect a $1,696 refund from Uncle Sam.

The governor and his wife, Sharon, reported paying $35,423 in federal income tax last year. They also reported paying $11,594 in state income tax and $3,373 in real estate tax.

The first couple reported total income of $191,593, most of which was the governor’s state salary of $157,731. Davis declined to accept about $10,000 of his salary, in keeping with a long-standing practice of returning 5% to 6% of his government pay.

Included in the family’s income was $32,500 Sharon Davis earned as a board member of Golden State Food, a company owned by Ron Burkle, a billionaire contributor to Davis political campaigns. She also reported paying $4,592 in self-employment tax.

Remaining income included $114 in taxable interest, $724 Sharon Davis earned for a public service announcement taped by governors’ wives and $3 in interest from the U.S. Airways Group credit union, the first lady’s former employer.

Among the couple’s deductions was $13,077 in home mortgage interest on their West Hollywood condominium. They also reported $6,525 in cash donations to charity and another $1,150 in clothing donations to a pair of Los Angeles charities: the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop and People Assisting the Homeless.

During last year’s gubernatorial campaign, Davis criticized Republican challenger Bill Simon Jr. for refusing to release his income tax returns. Simon claimed privacy concerns but eventually yielded to political pressure and provided limited access to 11 years of returns.