A heated exchange inside and outside Binghamton City Hall.

The Landlord's Association of Broome County is upset about a plan that could double property taxes on rental units.

The group called a press conference but then led the media to the Mayor's office.

Binghamton's communications coordinator, Andrew Block, meets an unexpected crowd of landlords and tenants outside of the Mayor's Office.

"So could we just have our press conference here please.?" said one landlord.
"But the fact is that people work here, people work on the floor, people work on other floors," said Block.
"You're trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill," the landlord responded.

Mayor Matt Ryan did not call this press conference, but he quickly became part of it.

"I'm a mayor that came out here to talk to you. No other mayor would have come out to talk to you. No other mayor would have come outside, let's go outside," said Ryan.

The press conference was forced out of city hall here to the parking lot outside of City Hall. That's where the debate between the landlord association and the mayor got heated.

City Council passed a resolution calling to change the tax status of rental properties that are not owner occupied.

Landlords say they didn't even know the city was considering a change.

"So everybody feels like wow if those are happening behind closed doors, said one landlord.

"There is nothing happening behind closed doors. It was passed in City Council everyone had a chance to talk about it," said Ryan.

Ryan says the city needs a fairer system for assessing all properties.

The landlords don't think the city's fairly assessing rental properties now.

The mayor responded, "If you want to battle us in court, battle us in court."

"We are going to battle in court, but are also going to prove that there was no methodology," said a landlord.

Property owners can file a tax grievance.

But, the landlords insisted on this exchange with Mayor in person.