Q: Can you tell us Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s net worth, how he made his fortune, how much federal taxes he paid in 2010, and if he served in the Vietnam conflict?
-- Don G. White, Atlanta
A: Perry, a Republican presidential candidate, made much of his money from buying and selling land in Texas, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The newspaper reported in September that Perry, who grew up on his family's farm near Abilene, began buying and selling land in the early 1990s. He sold one lot for $125,000 in 1994, another 10 acres for $465,000 in 1995 and then land in a resort community for $1.1 million in 2007, making a profit on each transaction, according to the Star-Telegram. Perry has filed an extension and hasn't paid his 2010 taxes, according to the paper. He reported $135,278 in income as governor in 2009. His wife, Anita, reported an average annual salary of $63,111 from her job with the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault from 2004-09. In 2009, the governor's office said the value of Perry's trust is $896,000, according to the Houston Chronicle. Perry did not serve in Vietnam. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1972, became a pilot in the U.S. Air Force, and served in the Middle East and Europe.
Lori Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or e-mail q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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