CWA to Start Online Ad Blitz to End MSG Tax Break

The face-off between the Communications Workers of America District 1 and Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan continues.

The union, which has battled Dolan for the last several years, ever since he has prevented a segment of workers for his Brooklyn Cablevision branch from unionizing, wil continue hammering away at the cable magnate with a coming online advertising blitz. The union will call for the state Legislature and governor to end Madison Square Garden's property tax exemption, which the building has enjoyed since 1982, costing New York City $350 million over that time period. 

“It’s inexcusable for billionaire James Dolan to continue being exempt from paying his property taxes when it’s cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and the Rangers and Knicks are not leaving New York City," said Bob Master, political director of CWA, District 1. "The giveaways must end with Albany leaders demonstrating that billionaires have to pay property taxes just like other New Yorkers across the state."

The ads will run on several Albany-based publications websites, including the Times Union, and read "Madison Square Garden pays $0 property taxes when they should be paying $54 million." The ads will run ahead of game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals, in which Dolan's New York Rangers are one game from being eliminated. Earlier this year, the Rangers were the visiting team in games at Yankee Stadium even though their opponents were from outside NYC, because playing a home game outside of Madison Square Garden could have voided the company's tax exemption.