Mamdani defends controversial New York City grocery store proposal

Bronx, New York – New York City Democratic Mayor Candidate Zohran Mamdani Although he plans to be elected mayor in November this year, he plans to establish a “partnership” between the city and the grocery store and Bodega owners, although he plans to open five city-run grocery stores.

“If more and more cities own grocery stores, what do you say to the owner of the grocery store?” Fox News Digital asked Mamdani during an anti-Trump event in the Bronx on Thursday afternoon.

Mamdani replied: “I’m interested in working with every New Yorker, and I actually talked with a lot of grocery store owners and made it clear to them that I recognize the work they do. In fact, they are a key part of our community.”

Mamdani told Fox News Digital that most grocery stores in New York City are family owned because he invested in those families in New York City, especially in the 1970s, when he said that the small business owners stayed when the big retailers left, but the small owners stayed because “they believe in the city.”

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“We can still offer the same stores to assist them with the skyrocketing rents, insurance issues that are the bulk of the instability in their business model, while also ensuring that we are using every tool to create a more affordable city for New Yorkers,” Mamdani said.

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Like many of his progressive policies, Mamdani plans to open a city-run grocery store if the mayor of New York City raises some eyebrows About its feasibility.

But Mamdani explained on Thursday: “This is not against grocery store owners or Bodega owners. This can actually be used together to improve competitiveness, as we have seen public choices do so in the past.”

Like a former president Donald Trump During the 2024 presidential election, Mamdani made affordability a central theme in his campaign. One way Mamdani seeks to lower New Yorker prices is to open a city-owned grocery store in each of the five boroughs.

“As mayor, Zoran will build a city-owned grocery store network that focuses on keeping prices low, rather than making profits. Without having to pay rent or property taxes, they will reduce their expenses and pass on their savings to shoppers,” Mamdani’s campaign website said.

Zohran Mamdani held anti-Trump campaigns throughout the week in five New York City’s boroughs. (Deirdre Heaveny/Fox News Numbers)

Mamdani Sports said the city-run grocery stores will “buy and sell at wholesale prices, centralize warehouses and distribution, and work with local communities to engage in products and procurement.”

The 33-year-old mayor’s hopeful person said it’s time to redirect public funds to create a real “public option.”

Mamdani told Fox News Digital on Thursday that his plan “is part of the vision of public goods Too many New Yorkersgroceries are out of reach, and the importance of the municipal government in a reasonable policy experiment. ”

New Yorkers should be able to have the same product as “fast food restaurants around the corner,” he said.

Zohran Mamdani took a selfie with supporters when she arrived at the anti-Trump match on Staten Island on Wednesday. (Deirdre Heaveny/Fox News Numbers)

Economist and Wall Street executive Issue an alarm About the plan for Mandani’s interview with Fox News’ digital numbers shortly after the Democratic primary.

John Catsimatidis, owner of the Gristides supermarket chain, largely criticized Mamdani’s idea of running a grocery store in the city, believing it would “harm New York.”

“If New York City is socialist, I will definitely close, sell or relocate or franchise,” Catsimatidis told Fox Business in a June interview.

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Rep. Michael Rulli of R-Ohio – His family owns and operates the Rulli Brothers, a small chain of two grocery stores in Youngstown, Ohio, echoing Catsimatidis’ concerns Visit Fox News Digital last month.

“If this caught the heart of the U.S. grocery industry, it would be a bullet,” Rulli said.

Amanda Macias and Elizabeth Elkind of Fox News Digital contributed to the report.