For the year ended December 31,

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Pretax earnings from continuing operations before adjustment for minority interests or income/loss from equity investees

$

47,418,852

$

118,449,649

$

233,243,819

$

222,264,768

$

201,758,180

Add:

   Interest on indebtedness (excluding capitalized interest)

213,156,103

214,432,386

172,994,940

126,606,366

108,572,571

   Amortization of debt related expenses

5,160,325

3,381,997

3,490,084

4,293,975

1,433,292

   Portion of rents representative of the interest factor

7,740,485

7,182,492

6,836,053

6,004,270

5,250,441

273,475,765

343,446,524

416,564,896

359,169,379

317,014,484

Distributed income from equity investees

261,993,161

403,031,792

152,098,895

116,765,424

94,994,050

       Pretax earnings from continuing operations, as adjusted

$

535,468,926

$

746,478,316

$

568,663,791

$

475,934,803

$

412,008,534

Fixed charges -

   Interest on indebtedness (including capitalized interesst)

$

241,850,328

$

239,937,824

195,735,659

$

139,192,990

$

117,304,079

   Amortization of debt related expenses

2,163,271

1,070,833

1,817,484

3,028,119

408,975

   Portion of rents representative of the

     interest factor

7,740,485

7,182,492

6,836,053

6,004,270

5,250,441

        Fixed charges

$

251,754,084

$

248,191,149

$

204,389,196

$

148,225,379

$

122,963,495

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

2.1

3.0

2.8

3.2

3.4

For the year ended December 31,

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Pretax earnings from continuing operations before adjustment for minority interests or income/loss from equity investees

$

47,418,852

$

118,449,649

$

233,243,819

$

222,264,768

$

201,758,180

Add:

   Interest on indebtedness (excluding capitalized interest)

213,156,103

214,432,386

172,994,940

126,606,366

108,572,571

   Amortization of debt related expenses

5,160,325

3,381,997

3,490,084

4,293,975

1,433,292

   Portion of rents representative of the interest factor

7,740,485

7,182,492

6,836,053

6,004,270

5,250,441

273,475,765

343,446,524

416,564,896

359,169,379

317,014,484

Distributed income from equity investees

261,993,161

403,031,792

152,098,895

116,765,424

94,994,050

      Pretax earnings from continuing operations, as adjusted

$

535,468,926

$

746,478,316

$

568,663,791

$

475,934,803

$

412,008,534

Fixed charges -

   Interest on indebtedness (including capitalized interesst)

$

241,850,328

$

239,937,824

$

195,735,659

$

139,192,990

$

117,304,079

   Preferred stock dividends

47,287,500

19,658,750

12,223,245

12,045,017

11,637,500

   Amortization of debt related expenses

2,163,271

1,070,833

1,817,484

3,028,119

408,975

   Portion of rents representative of the interest factor

7,740,485

7,182,492

6,836,053

6,004,270

5,250,441

        Combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends

$

299,041,584

$

267,849,899

$

216,612,441

$

160,270,396

$

134,600,995

Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and

preferred stock dividends

1.8

2.8

2.6

3.0

3.1