Candidates for Pa. governor detail income, health

Their 2008 family income ranged from a little above $83,000 to almost $216,000.

Four of the six candidates running for governor - two Democrats and two Republicans - complied with a request from The Inquirer to release income-tax information for recent years so that voters could gain a sense of their finances.

Three of the candidates, as requested, also released statements from their doctors on their physical fitness to serve as governor.

Democrats Dan Onorato, the Allegheny County executive, and State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, of Philadelphia, failed to supply either sort of information.

Onorato said he would release tax information after he filed his 2009 report next month. "We aren't going to be prepared to release anything until then," said his spokesman, Brian Herman.

Williams had not entered the race when The Inquirer initially made the requests for tax and medical information on Jan. 15. Williams, through a spokeswoman, said several times during the last three weeks that he intended within days to open his tax records for review at the office of his tax accountant. The information has yet to be released.

The candidates in the May 18 primary who supplied information are Republicans Tom Corbett and Sam Rohrer and Democrats Jack Wagner and Joe Hoeffel.

Tom Corbett. The state attorney general reported a total family income of $215,568 in 2008.

That included earnings by his wife, Susan, vice president for development at the Gettysburg Foundation, which works to preserve the battlefield there.

Corbett's state salary for 2010 is $145,529.

The couple had little taxable income beyond their salaries. Their investment income amounted to $53 in interest. They made $3,270 in cash gifts to charity.

He released five years of tax returns, as asked of all candidates.

The couple reported about $189,00 in total income in 2007; $175,000 in 2006; $170,000 in 2006, and $126,000 in 2004.

He said he would make public his 2009 tax return when he files it.

Corbett did not release a statement on his health. His campaign manager, Brian Nutt, said he would make that public at some point.

Sam Rohrer. The Berks County state representative released three years of returns, each of which showed him with the least income among the candidates who made their information public.

He and his wife, Ruth, reported 2008 income of $83,650, including $71,112 in salary from Rohrer's state job.

The tax returns showed evidence of investments that produced $17,213 in capital gains, and $1,012 in dividends and interest. The Rohrers had some investment losses.

They reported $30,124 in gains from the sale of a limited partnership. Jeff Coleman, Rohrer's campaign manager, said this was from sale of a family farm.

Among candidates who released data, Rohrer gave by far the most to charity - $16,187 in 2008, and about $10,000 each in the two previous years.

The Rohrers' total income was about $75,000 in 2007 and $72,000 in 2006.

In a statement on Rohrer's health, his doctor said he "takes very good care of himself" and is "fully capable of undergoing the rigorous schedule of a campaign for governor and, if elected, being the governor of Pennsylvania."

Gordon R. Donaldson, of Morgantown Family Practice, said Rohrer had high blood pressure but kept it under control with medication.

Jack Wagner. The state auditor general, who investigates spending by state government, released his federal 1040 forms for a five-year period, but omitted supplementary forms that could have given a more detailed picture of his financial interests.

That said, Wagner's tax returns were pretty simple.

For 2008, he reported $161 income other than his state earnings.

His 2008 salary was $141,565, but because of pretax retirement contributions he reported only $132,387 in salary income - and $132,548 overall.

His abbreviated report did not disclose any charitable giving.

Before he became auditor general in January 2005, Wagner was a state senator from the Pittsburgh area.

Wagner and his wife, Nancy, reported about $129,000 of income in 2007; $126,000 in 2006; $119,000 in 2005 and $75,000 in 2004.

James J. Reilly, the candidate's physician, said that Wagner, a wounded Vietnam veteran, was in "excellent physical condition." The doctor reported that Wagner was treated several years ago for prostate cancer, but has had "no clinical evidence of a recurrence of the carcinoma."

Joe Hoeffel. The Montgomery County commissioner - together with his wife, Francesca, a nurse - reported $156,630 in 2008 income.

Hoeffel, with a current county salary of about $86,000, released five years of only partial returns.

He submitted one supplementary document listing itemized deductions.

These showed that he made $3,958 in charitable contributions.

The Hoeffel return showed $12,499 in tax-exempt interest and $1,145 in dividends - signs of substantial investments.

He said his wife had inherited money from her parents.

He was asked to provide the additional tax forms that could show potential conflicts of interest if he became governor.

"I don't have conflicts of interest," Hoeffel said. "I think you are asking too much."

His campaign said that, if elected, Hoeffel would put his assets in a blind trust.

His tax returns showed about $177,000 in income for 2007; $165,000 for 2006; $183,000 for 2005, and $211,000 for 2004.

A medical statement provided by Anthony R. Rodriguez, a doctor in Willow Grove, said Hoeffel has diabetes that is "well-controlled" by medications.

Rodriguez said Hoeffel is in "excellent health."