The East 161st Business Improvement District is calling on local officials to join its Bronx Lives Matter campaign and urging the city to tax the Yankees in support of the community.

"How is it that the Yankees can be so well-off, and this neighborhood can be in such bad shape? And what can we do to bridge that gap?” said Executive Director Dr. Cary Goodman.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit the Bronx, Dr. Goodman says he reached out to the Yankees to help the small businesses in the neighborhood with rent and taxes, but that it was unsuccessful.

He says that while reaching out, he discovered that the Yankees don’t pay property taxes and only pay $1 in rent per year. He says this was through an agreement with the city when the new stadium was built in 2009 and that he wants it to change.

"We want the city to reopen the negotiations and establish a tax rate for the stadium,” said Dr. Goodman.

The East 161st BID is calling on local officials to join the Bronx Lives Matter campaign.

Goodman says he’s written to council members Vanessa Gibson and Fernando Cabrera, as well as Assemblywoman Natalia Fernandez.

He says he’s only heard back from Gibson, who he says isn’t interested.

"The businesses are dying off. The people don’t have money to pay rent, they need to set up a plan for this neighborhood for this community that has supported them,” Bronx resident Jim Fairbanks tells News 12.

The Yankees responded to News 12 with a statement saying, "In addition to the day in and day out focus of the New York Yankees Foundation to support, develop, and implement initiatives that enhance access to educational, health/wellness and recreational outlets, during these trying times we've dedicated millions of dollars in resources and support to assist our neighbors with addressing heightened disparities."

News 12 reached out to the offices of Gibson, Cabrera and Fernandez but has not heard back yet.