From The Chronicle: Sarah Palin's Charitable Giving

October 06, 2008

From The Chronicle: Sarah Palin's Charitable Giving

Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, and her husband, Todd, gave 1.5 percent of their income to charity last year and 3.3 percent in 2006, according to tax returns she released on Friday, The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports.

Comments

nothing more need be said. the sorry numbers speak for themselves. shameful!

— steven gillis Oct 6, 01:45 PM #
Seems to be a lot more than Joe Biden or Barack Obama, but less than the average American.

— Michael Oct 6, 02:02 PM #
michael, how do you know what the average american gives? you also state that she gives more than biden or obama. i don’t know about biden but the obamas gave quite a bit more. do yourself a favor and check it out…

— J. P. Merker Oct 6, 02:10 PM #
By comparison to Joe Biden, Palin’s giving is absolutely stellar. From 1998-2007, Joe Biden reported adjusted gross income totaling $2,450,042. His total reported charitable gifts during that span were a total of $3,690 – an average of just $369 annually or a little more than one-tenth of one percent. Put another way, the Palins gave more than ten times (on a percentage basis) to charity than did the Bidens.

— Joe Breshears Oct 6, 02:20 PM #
Give me a break, it’s not shameful at all. She and Todd have 5 kids to provide for! I would have a tough time giving any more than that if I was in the same position! Teenagers are super expensive, plus you are socking money away for college, living expenses, etc. I have a teenager and make $90k+ and I find it difficult to give to all the charities who solicit me.

— Michelle Oct 6, 02:22 PM #
J.P. – If you look at Obama’s giving records through 2004 he consistently gave very little (.4%-1.4%, especially when compared to McCain (28.6%, 27.3%). It looks like Obama increased giving just in time to run for President.

— Tiffany Oct 6, 02:22 PM #
Over the last 10 years period, the Bidens have given from a low of 0.06% to a high of 0.31% in charitable donations (or about $2.00 a week). THIS is shameful.

Karen

— Karen Oct 6, 02:25 PM #
Per J.P. Merker’s suggestion, I’ve checked the giving of the candidates and the Obamas and Bidens come up short. Not a partisan comment, just the facts. May simply reflect their divergent views on the role of government v the voluntary/private sector.

— Rhombus Oct 6, 02:55 PM #
Rhombus – In 2007 McCain’s charitable giving was 26% – I don’t find that “short” at all. Especially when compared to .4 – 1.4%. Also, Cindy McCain is an active philanthropist and serves on the boards of several charitable organizations.

— KJ Oct 6, 03:05 PM #
Charitable giving is relative. McCain gives more; has more…and Cindy has A LOT more. Money, that is.

— ColoredSpirit Oct 6, 03:56 PM #
Again, the senseless bantering dominates. Another lousy effort on behalf of this rag to disseminate useless fodder. Hey Chronicle! Don’t count on my subscription next year.

— Geoff Whittaker Oct 6, 04:49 PM #
I agree with comment # 11 only for the fact of your attention getting header. Your header should have included McCain, Biden and Obama also. Not doing so you are exposing yourself that you are campaigning for Obama’s ticket. Shameful on the Chronicle. You are losing reputation right and left.

— LT Oct 6, 07:25 PM #
ColoredSpirit, comment # 10: Because charitable giving is relative you have to look at the percentages. When all the truth is out, the Chronicle’s header makes the Chronicle look bias for Obama.

— LT Oct 6, 07:29 PM #
Very interesting. I posted a comment earlier today which said, in effect, that charitable giving was a private matter, and that none of us should sit in judgment of another over something that is none of our business. Also commented on Obama’s income redistribution plans for taxpayers if he gets elected. The post was pulled by the Chronicle. I guess they really are in the tank for Obama. Let’s see if they leave this one up!

— Jim Oct 6, 09:15 PM #
Jim —

Your comment wasn’t pulled. It was posted on a different thread. You can find it here:
http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/5900/gov-palin-releases-tax-returns-reveals-charitable-giving#c004347

— Peter Panepento Oct 6, 09:47 PM #
For those who have been asking questions about the charitable giving records of the other political candidates, here is our coverage of the release of their tax records:

Sen. John McCain:
http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/index.php?id=4437

Sen. Barack Obama:
http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/4219/barack-and-michelle-obama-donated-60307-to-charity-in-2006

Sen. Joe Biden:
http://philanthropy.com/news/government/5685/bidens-average-annual-charitable-gift-total-369

— Peter Panepento Oct 6, 09:48 PM #
Thats common among politicians and celebrities they think that giving thier money is not necessary when they raise the funds to give off the backs of taxpayers and fans. Not all but most

— Gary Oct 7, 01:38 PM #
Peter,

The Chronicle should have posted the information found in your comment # 16 along with this original topic, if, and only if, you want to come across as fair hoping for good conversation. Unfortunately, you chose not to.

You could have put the Chronicle in a good light by doing so…

— LT Oct 7, 05:53 PM #
LT —

It was an oversight not to include that information about the other candidates initially. Nothing more. It was useful context and we’ve reported on the tax returns of all four major candidates.

That said, I’m not exactly sure how the headlines “Gov. Palin Releases Tax Returns, Reveals Charitable Giving” and “From The Chronicle: Sarah Palin’s Charitable Giving” show any form of bias. Those headlines are bland, accurate, and as down the middle as you’ll find anywhere.

We’re merely reporting the data and letting you determine what it means.

— Peter Panepento Oct 8, 12:58 PM #
Sorry, it is your sub-header, “Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, and her husband, Todd, gave 1.5 percent of their income to charity last year and 3.3 percent in 2006, according to tax returns she released on Friday…”

With this, I still stand by my comment # 18 above, but thank you for your clarification and thoughts.

— LT Oct 8, 05:29 PM #
The fact is that you look at the percentage of their income that is given to charity. John & Cindy McCain give over 20% and very consistently, The Palins made $166,000.00 have 5 kids and still gave more than double percentage than the Obama’s who made more that twice as much and only have 2 kids, Biden is just sad not even 1 10th of 1 percent.
It has long been proven that Conservatives give much more than Liberals do. And Americans give way more than Europeans do. The facts are the facts and everyone knows the Liberals want everyone else to give and pay taxes but they do everything they can to avoid paying taxes and giving to charity.

« Rosenberg Posts Papers on SSRN | Main | Tax Services v. Legal Services »
March 25, 2008
Obama Releases 2000-2006 Tax Returns
Barack Obama today released his 2000-2006 tax returns:
• 2006 Return
• 2005 Return
• 2004 Return
• 2003 Return
• 2002 Return
• 2001 Return
• 2000 Return
Here is a summary of the figures:

What is surprising, given the recent controversy over Obama’s membership in the Trinity United Church of Christ, is how little the Obamas apparently gave to charity — well short of the biblical 10% tithe for all seven years. In two of the years, the Obamas gave far less than 1% of their income to charity; in three of the years, they gave around 1% of their income to charity. Only in the last two years have they given substantially more as their income skyrocketed — 4.7% in 2005 and 6.1% in 2006.

Obamas Gave Less Than 1% of Their 2000-2004 Income to Charity
March 25, 2008 4:06 PM
This is why politicians don’t like to release their tax returns!Bloomberg News crunches the numbers on Sen. Barack and Michelle Obama’s newly-released tax returns and finds: “The Obamas’ donations to all recipients totaled $2,350 in 2000, $1,470 in 2001, $1,050 in 2002, $3,400 in 2003, and $2,500 in 2004. They also paid federal taxes totaling $311,044 during the same period on their $1.2 million of income.” – jpt

September 15, 2008
Biden’s Charitable Giving Examined
The National Review’s Byron York takes a look at Joe and Jill Biden’s charitable giving, and the results, well, aren’t all that impressive. Think spare change. Total over 10 years: $3,690.
Per the NR, here is a chart of the Bidens’ giving for the years covered by the tax returns:
Adjusted
Gross Income Charity
1998 $215,432 $195
1999 $210,797 $120
2000 $219,953 $360
2001 $220,712 $360
2002 $227,811 $260
2003 $231,375 $260
2004 $234,271 $380
2005 $321,379 $380
2006 $248,459 $380
2007 $319,853 $995
Total $2,450,042 $3,690

Search News Updates

April 21, 2008
John McCain Discloses Data on His Charity Giving
By Grant Williams
Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, has released his tax returns for the past two years, including details about the money he donated to charitable causes.
In 2007, the Arizona senator reported $405,409 in total income and contributed $105,467, or 26 percent of his total income, to charity.
In 2006, Mr. McCain said he had $358,414 in total income and donated $64,695, or 18 percent of his total income, to charity.
The tax returns were filed solely by Mr. McCain. His wife, Cindy McCain, an heir to a beer distribution company in Phoenix who has reported wealth of $100-million, files a separate return each year and does not plan to release her tax returns.
A statement from Mr. McCain’s campaign said that most of the senator’s charitable contributions were made to the John and Cindy McCain Family Foundation, which makes direct contributions to charities.
The senator and Mrs. McCain each make gifts to their foundation, which is focused on helping organizations that work “for the spiritual, educational, and medical needs of the community.”
Mrs. McCain has donated the same amount to charity as her husband — a total of $170,162 for each of them — over the past two years, his campaign said.
The private foundation’s informational tax returns are available on the campaign’s Web site.
On its Web site, the campaign posted a list of the organizations that have received gifts from the McCain family foundation in the past two years.
In 2007, the foundation provided a total of $78,250 to charities, including $25,000 to Operation Smile, which repairs facial abnormalities in children and young people, and $25,000 to the Halo Trust, which removes debris left behind after wars, especially land mines.
In 2006, recipients of the foundation’s $187,639 in total gifts included Brophy College Preparatory school, in Phoenix, $50,500; and Christ Lutheran School, in Phoenix, $42,639.
Mr. McCain’s campaign said he donates his royalties from his books to charities and that “this sum has totaled over $1,800,000 since 1998 when he signed his first book deal.” The campaign said his book income added up to $256,898 for 2006 and 2007.
The senator’s campaign also said that Mr. McCain has donated to charity a total of $450,000 since 1991— money he received from increases in his Senate salary — “because he opposed the Congressional pay increase at that time and pledged not to accept the pay raises.”

— MAVsays Oct 12, 05:10 AM #
Palin & her husband had the lowest income of all 4…yet gave more actual & percent than Biden, more actual & % than Obama except for the last 2 years (getting ready for his Pres. run). I’ll omit McCain – he & his wife have so much money, they SHOULD give huge amounts.

— Susan Oct 15, 11:46 PM #

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