The "Queen of Mean" Has Died at 87

[tombarnes]

Leona Helmsley Dies

One of New York's more colorful figures has died at the age of 87. Leona Helmsley was reviled in the press as the "Queen of Mean" for her generally bad behavior with staff and management at the Helmsley Hotels owned by Leona and her husband Harry. Among other assets, the couple owned the Empire State Building. She was perhaps best known for the statement "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes." She denied having said it, bit it followed her to the grave. However much her personal behavior defined her poor public image, she did run her hotels with an iron hand. The service was always good at most of her hotels.

The Washington Post