Socialist Zohran Mamdani's policy to have government-run grocery stores is based on an accounting error, according to a new report from the Washington Examiner.
According to the outlet, Mamdani's claim that he will pay for publicly-funded grocery stores in New York City with subsidies that are already going to private grocery stores is based on the socialist's misunderstanding of the tax breaks given to retail grocers in the New York, and the money he has said will pay for them is not available.
The Examiner reported, "Specifically, he wrongly believes that the city is spending $140 million to subsidize private grocery stores, and he thinks he can take half of that money and use it to build government groceries."
Mamdani has brought up the talking point before in one video when touting the idea of government-run grocery stores. “We will redirect city funds from corporate supermarkets to city-owned grocery stores whose mission is lower prices, not price-gouging," he said.