As if the burst high-tech bubble and shuttered symphony orchestra weren't enough, Silicon Valley now has to contend with being called a cheapskate when it comes to charity. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, a trade publication for nonprofit fund-raising, recently published the results of a study based on a 2002 IRS study of 1997 returns for taxpayers earning more than $50,000 annually, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle. Residents of Santa Clara County, which encompasses the Valley, gave 6.5% of their discretionary income to charities such as food banks and churches.

Taxpayers in nearby San Francisco County donated 9.3% of their nonessential dollars to charity. The Valley trend has held steady since 1997, the paper says, contrasting the closure of the San Jose Symphony with the success of its San Francisco counterpart in attracting donations to keep the music playing.

Valley charities have noticed the penny-pinching over the years. "I've heard it. I've seen it," the newspaper quotes Mark Walker, president of United Way Silicon Valley. Walker, however, believes he has the answer: Approximately 33% of Santa Clara County's population is composed of immigrants from Asia and Latin America, and they are sending money to deserving relatives back home.