As New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani moves forward with plans for city-owned grocery stores, economists and local business owners warn the proposal could crush small grocers while leaving taxpayers with a hefty bill.
The initiative, a key Mamdani campaign pledge, would establish city-backed supermarkets across the city in an effort to lower food costs.
Adam Lehodey of the Manhattan Institute believes the city could address food affordability more efficiently through private-sector partnerships and existing assistance programs rather than operating grocery stores itself.
"I think really it’s a distraction and a pretty wasteful distraction," Lehodey told Fox News Digital. "There’s an easier and better way to solve the problem."