Robert Bentley releases 2015 tax returns, reports $147K in income

Gov. Robert Bentley has reported earning $147,624 on his federal tax return for tax year 2015, a steep reduction from the previous year’s filing, having lost a significant portion of his assets in his divorce from former First Lady Dianne Bentley.

Bentley first released his tax return during the his campaign for Governor in 2009 and has continued to make public his federal and state tax returns every year since being elected.

“As a promise to the people of Alabama, I am again releasing my income tax filings for the citizens of Alabama to see the financial standing of their governor,” Governor Robert Bentley said. “It is a mark of transparency that the people of Alabama value, and one that I have prioritized. As long as I am governor, these filings will be made public to continue the legacy of transparency promise I made years ago.”

The returns show that Bentley is also fulfilling another campaign promise to Alabama: to not collect a salary.

During the 2010 election Bentley said he would not accept the $121,000 annual salary until the state returned to “full employment” — a level he defined as a 5.2 percent unemployment rate. The state’s unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in March. Instead, the bulk of his income came from distributions from retirement accounts.

You can view Bentley’s 2015 tax return here.