Zohran Mamdani defends government-run grocery store plan during CNN interview

Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani defended his plan for government-run grocery stores on Friday when pressed about a failed attempt in Kansas City, Missouri.

“There’s another example in Kansas City, where they had a government-run grocery store, and it’s been there for years, but it’s [closed] because it doesn’t work. They’ve been riddled with crime. They’ve dealt with just a lack of inventory. There are other examples where it just hasn’t worked because, frankly, the government is not that good at being in the business of being in grocery stores. So what do you say to that example?” CNN host Abby Phillip asked Mamdani.

Mamdani’s plan for government-run grocery stores is among his progressive agenda items, including raising taxes on corporations, free buses and rent freezes. 

“I say to that example, as well as the examples of our own failures, city government right here in New York City, that we have to prove not only the efficacy but the excellence of this idea. Because for every one example that you can point to, there’s another of another municipality today considering opening a city-run grocery store. But to me, the most important thing is the outcome. This is something I believe will work. We will bring the best and the brightest to deliver it, and it will be five stores at the cost of $60 million, which is less than half the city’s already spending on subsidizing corporate supermarkets,” Mamdani said.

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Local news outlets reported in August that the doors to the Kansas City Sun Fresh market were locked, with a note saying the store was “unable to serve” the community.

“Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, we are no longer, at this time, able to serve the residents of this important community,” the note read, according to KSHB in Kansas City. “It has always been our dream and passion to provide quality products and services in a safe, family environment. At this time, unfortunately, we are unable to do that.”

The city purchased the Linwood Shopping Center, where Sun Fresh operated, in 2016 and opened the grocery store in 2018 in an effort to provide more options for residents. Kansas City spent more than $17 million in taxpayer money acquiring and renovating the Sun Fresh market.

Despite its efforts, Sun Fresh has been plagued with empty shelves and crime, leading employees to reportedly carry tasers. Last year, the Kansas City Council approved spending $750,000 in emergency city funding in an attempt to keep the store open, but to no avail.

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Phillip also asked Mamdani to explain how his plan would actually work. 

“There are more than a thousand grocery stores in New York City. I‘m proposing creating five additional ones, one in each borough of New York City, that the city would run and that would guarantee cheaper groceries—not free food, but cheaper groceries,” he said. 

Mamdani argued groceries were too expensive and said they are a necessity for New Yorkers.

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“And we can see the promise and the possibility of a public option. And we’ve seen in studies that have been done about the applicability of this in an urban setting like Chicago, that this is something we could actually deliver right here in New York City,” he said. 

Fox News’ Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.