Foreign governments owe New York $57 million in property taxes

A U.S. federal judge has ruled that the governments of India, Mongolia and the Philippines collectively owe New York City about $57 million in property taxes for their presence at the United Nations. The ruling awards the city $42.3 million from India, $10.9 million from the Philippines and $4.4 million from Mongolia. It follows a long effort by the Bloomberg administration to get foreign governments to help shoulder the cost of the United Nations. Enforcing the debt could be difficult, because the city cannot threaten to foreclose on the property.