A woman who is supposedly the lead person from Zohran Mamdani’s team for city-owned grocery stores was recently asked if their plan will put privately owned stores out of business, which, it obviously will.
She explained that privately owned stores that are in trouble will be able to apply for grants from the city, which is only going to make things worse, and far more expensive.
To recap, taxpayers pay for city-owned grocery stores and then, when those stores threaten privately owned stores, taxpayers will fund grants for those stores. The taxpayers just keep paying and paying, no matter what happens.
Townhall reports:
In an interview on Wednesday, Waverly Neer, a senior vice president of the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), which is overseeing Mamdani’s city-run grocery-store rollout, revealed that one proposal under consideration would let nearby grocers apply for grants to offset revenue lost to the city’s subsidized stores. In other words, New York City may use taxpayer money to undercut local businesses, then use more taxpayer money to compensate them for the damage they caused.
“I think ultimately the goals of these locations, not just here in East Harlem, but you know, any borough location is to be complementary to the neighborhood,” Neer said. “And really, you know, rising tides, right? We can we can all cooperate and work together in a meaningful way. ”
“Do you mind? What is the I’ve heard that that term from EDC officials that these are meant to be complementary. What does that mean?” Spectrum News NY1’s Dan Rivoli asked. “What does that complimentary mean in terms of policy operations and things like that? ”
“Yeah, I think we’re, you know, as an agency, looking at a number of different complementary policies and programs, grants, incentives that can come alongside these grocery stores to support other, you know, local independent businesses that are in the neighborhoods,” Neer replied. “We’re going to continue to listen and we’re going to continue to engage and be, you know, alongside the operator as our partner. Like I said, making sure that we are complimentary to the other businesses that are here in the neighborhood.”
“So other locations, other grocery stores can get grants from the city under this?” Rivoli clarified.
“[That’s] something on the table,” Neer said.
Watch:
Lead official for Mayor Mamdani’s NYC Groceries tells me city may give grants to local grocers fearing competition from city-run stores
“policies and programs, grants, incentives that can come alongside these grocery stores to support other local independent businesses” pic.twitter.com/S57e8Ne13B
— Dan Rivoli (@danrivoli) August 19, 2026
These people have absolutely no idea what they’re doing.
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