NJ governor, wife made over $500K in past year

TRENTON, N.J. - August 26, 2010

Christie's wife is a vice president at Cantor Fitzgerald investment bank in New York.

According to financial disclosure reports released Thursday by the State Ethics Commission, the Christies reported having more than a half-million dollars worth of real-estate holdings in New Jersey, between $5,000 and $25,000 cash in the bank, and more than $500,000 in stocks and corporate bonds.

He owns stock in Walt Disney, Goldman Sachs, and bonds in the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Essex County Improvement Authority.

He and his wife also have between $100,000 and $250,000 in royalty rights from Listerine mouth wash.

The reports are required of most high-level state public employees and officers but don't detail exact finances, just general ranges.

The new Republican governor doesn't have nearly as much income to report as his chief of staff or state treasurer.

Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff reports having more than $500,000 cash in the bank, at least $3.5 million in stocks with his wife, and more than $500,000 in real estate holdings outside New Jersey.

Christie's chief of staff Rich Bagger, a former Pfizer Inc. executive, has more than $1 million in stock and the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, Bob Martin, owns more than $500,000 in New Jersey municipal bonds.

Eristoff was New York State Tax Commissioner under Gov. George Pataki, overseeing the nation's second-largest state revenue administration. Before that he worked under New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as the city's Commissioner of Finance. He is also a former New York city councilman.

In April, Christie signed an executive order pushing back this year's deadline for public employees, including himself, to disclose details about their income and assets.

Democrats have criticized the move as going against the Republican's campaign promise of providing a more transparent state government.

Neither the governor nor lieutenant governor have disclosed their tax returns or gross estimates of their income, breaking with a tradition by governors from both parties, even when seeking more time to file. The financial disclosure forms only require officials to list a range of income and assets. The highest category available is "greater than $500,000."

Christie asked for an extension giving him until October to file. Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno's taxes are complete, but the governor has said she will release hers when he releases his.

---

Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvihill in Haddonfield contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.