That, Sullivan observes in a blog post here, is a lot lower tax rate than the Helmsleybuilding janitors likely paid, when Social Security and Medicare payroll tax rates are figured in.
The Helmsleys' real estate empire in New York at one time included the Empire State Building, the Helmsley Palace hotel, the HelmsleyBuilding at the foot of Park Avenue and the Tudor City apartment complex in addition to several other hotel properties.
Enter tree lover Peter L. Malkin, a real-estate heavyweight perhaps best known for his lengthy battle with Leona Helmsley over control of the Empire State Building.