July 21, 2010 09:10 PM UTC

Dan Maes, Successful Businessman (Except for the "Successful" Part)

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• by: Colorado Pols

Republican Dan Maes, the unknown candidate who may very well be the GOP nominee for governor, has a campaign message centered around his “business experience.” We always assumed that meant he had experience running strong businesses that employ lots of people. What he apparently meant all along was that, like many small business owners, he isn’t all that good at it.

His tax returns, released on some website called The Constitutionalist Today, show that Maes isn’t exactly sleeping on a bed made of gold:

For the years 2000-2004 the Maes’ averaged $89,000 per year in income. Maes donated an average of 4.75% of his income per year to the First Baptist Church of Evergreen, Evergreen Christian Outreach, and Goodwill.

In 2005, Maes  left his job with Advantage Credit Reporting and started his own small business. Like most small business owners, the first year of income was low, and tax returns reflect that. Listed as a credit services business, the Maes  filed personal income at $19,202 for 2005, $20,340 for 2006, and $51,678 for 2007; business gross income at $39,130 for 2005, $182,230 for 2006, and $309,815 for 2007. In 2008 the mortgage industry imploded, and with 97% of Amaesing Credit Solutions clients being mortgage brokers, the business took a big hit. There is a  steep decline in 2008 to $11,000, which is to be expected.

Dan Maes earned $11,000 in 2008, which is about $34,000 less than he has paid himself out of his campaign cash just for gas money. It looks like Maes may make more money as an unsuccessful candidate for governor than as an unsuccessful small business owner.