Smith Tax 2008 Tax Return In Line With Other Years

Jefferson Smith
By NIGEL JAQUISS

A couple of weeks ago, the three principal mayoral candidates turned over their personal income tax returns. At the time, Eileen Brady turned over returns from 2008, 2009 and 2010 as did Charlie Hales. But State Rep. Jefferson Smith (D-Portland), only provided returns for 2009 and 2010. The missing 2008 return piqued our curiosity—did Smith win the lottery that year or did Smith, who has a history of struggling with paperwork, fail to file?

It turns out the truth is neither and a lot less interesting. He did file a 2008 return—his last as a single filer. His income for 2008 was $77,290, about half from the Bus Project, where he was then executive director and about half from a trust from his late mother, which no longer exists.


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