NYU Professor Calls Out Mayor Mamdani’s ‘Wanted Poster’ of Property Owners
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has sparked a fierce debate after his administration published a searchable database listing nearly 950,000 residences with the names and addresses of owners who could be subject to a proposed pied-a-terre tax. Critics, including prominent liberal podcaster and NYU professor Scott Galloway, say the move amounts to doxing and could expose property owners to harassment and public safety risks.
Galloway, co-host of the popular podcast “Pivot” alongside Kara Swisher, did not mince words. “I’ve been doxed,” he said on a recent episode. “Mayor Mamdani has decided to release a list of the 950,000 residences with addresses and names that might be eligible for his pied-a-terre tax.” He read the definition of doxing as “publishing private identifying information to expose someone to public pressure or harm without their consent,” and argued that while he supports the tax itself, the list has become a “wanted poster” for property owners.
Swisher agreed, saying, “It feels a little bit like doxing. Just tax them and get on with it.” Galloway pressed further, questioning the timing and intent: “Other than trying to identify and imply these people have done something wrong — and then, 18 months after a healthcare CEO was executed in the street, published the list — what is the upside here?”
Why the List Is Controversial
The database, released by the city’s Department of Finance, allows anyone to search for properties and see the names of owners whose non-primary residences could be subject to the tax. A spokesperson for the department said publication of the property roll is required by state law, but critics argue it goes beyond legal necessity and into the realm of public shaming.
Galloway noted that 95 percent of the people on the list are not even subject to the tax. “Other than implying these people have done something wrong and publishing their address without their permission, what possible upside is there?” he asked. He warned that Mamdani’s approach plays into conservative narratives that progressive tax policies are a form of persecution. “New York is the last place you want to demonize success,” he added.
The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) also weighed in. President James Whelan told Fox News Digital, “We opposed this tax in part because we warned that determining who is and is not subject to it would be extraordinarily complicated. The fact that so many owners appear to be receiving inaccurate notices raises serious questions about the city’s readiness to administer the program. Even we did not expect implementation to be this flawed.”
City Defends the Database
Mamdani’s office pushed back, arguing that the publication is routine. “The city publishes property tax rolls (as do other localities) and have for many years,” a spokesperson said. The mayor himself emphasized that the roll includes all properties, not just those subject to the pied-a-terre tax, and that state law mandates its release.
A city official further clarified: “The roll is not a pied-a-terre list. It is a state mandated roll that has to be generated to be used as a pool/universe that DOF will examine to identify which properties are subject to a surcharge.” The official noted that similar public property rolls exist in other cities, including Albany and Nassau County, and that the data has been available for decades through the city’s ACRIS system.
Governor Kathy Hochul also weighed in, saying the publication is not new and highlighting a Bloomberg reporter’s tweet that stated, “The data included in this release is regularly released as part of the city’s property tax assessment roll. It’s a huge data file that anyone can search if they have the bandwidth to download it and look. It’s not new.”
What This Means for Property Owners
For property owners in New York City, the database raises serious privacy and safety concerns. Galloway’s criticism underscores a broader anxiety about government overreach and the weaponization of public data. While the city insists the list is a standard administrative tool, the timing — just 18 months after the killing of a healthcare CEO — has heightened fears of harassment or worse.
Galloway summed up the frustration: “The reason people move to New York is they think, ‘I want to be successful on Broadway. I want to be successful in business. No one’s going to get in my way if I’m really talented and work hard.’ We’re going to celebrate it. We’re not going to put a big R on your door and say you’ve done something wrong because you’re successful.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the pied-a-terre tax?
The pied-a-terre tax is a proposed surcharge on non-primary residences in New York City valued at more than $5 million. It aims to generate revenue from wealthy property owners who do not live in the city full-time.
Is the property roll new?
No. City officials say similar property tax rolls have been published for decades in accordance with state law. The current roll includes all properties, not just those subject to the new tax.
Why are critics calling it doxing?
Critics argue that publishing names and addresses of property owners — especially when most are not subject to the tax — exposes them to potential harassment or harm, which fits the definition of doxing.
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