New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is pushing for city-run grocery stores to require the use of ID.
“How are you going to keep people from taking advantage of that deal and is there going to be a limit on the number of items that someone can take that are discounted at that level from that essential basket?” a reporter asked Mamdani.
The mayor handed the response over to Economic Development Corporation interim chief Jeanny Pak, who said the plan will be similar to a “library card-esque thing.”
A business group is preparing to sue New York City over Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to create taxpayer-funded grocery stores. The Multicultural Business Coalition’s board voted to file a lawsuit after Mamdani announced the effort, the New York Post reported last week.
“The mayor doesn’t seem to want to sit down with us,” said MBC Chairman Frank Garcia. He added that Mamdani “won’t be able to bully these lawyers we are going to bring in.”
Radhames Rodriguez, president of the United Bodegas of America, also told the outlet, “Having items that sell for 30% less than our prices, means nobody will go to our stores.”
During a press conference earlier this week, Mamdani argued that the “five city-run grocery stores, one in each borough,” will hold a “collection of essential staples that will be predictably 30% cheaper at all of our city-run grocery stores.”
“Once a month, our five city-run grocery stores will set prices for this core set of goods at 30% below retail prices. No exceptions, no gimmicks,” Mamdani said of the effort. “These savings will last for the entire month.”
