Bodega house owners decried probably Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani’s proposal for city-run grocery shops in a Monday press convention alongside billionaire proprietor of Gristedes supermarkets John Catsimatidis.
Leaders of the United Bodegas of America (UBA) mentioned Mamdani’s plan would harm hundreds of bodega staff throughout New York Metropolis and switch the town right into a communist authorities. Mamdani — a Democratic socialist, which is way completely different from being a communist — has proposed creating 5 municipally owned grocery shops, one for every borough, that supply meals at decrease costs to handle excessive charges of meals insecurity.
The rally included round 10 bodega house owners and Gristedes staff standing with UBA management, in addition to Catsimatidis, who argued that Mamdani was a menace to the town.
Fernando Mateo, the speaker of UBA and a one-time Republican mayoral candidate, mentioned municipal grocery shops would drive bodegas out of enterprise and harm the 25,000 staff that UBA represents.
“There’s no way that New York City can take over and install bodegas run by the government,” Mateo mentioned through the press convention. “This is not a communist country. This is a capitalist country where immigrants came to work and progress, and we are here because we are in disbelief that the government is going to come in and set up bodegas where we’re located. That cannot happen.”
“Government does not know how to run businesses — every business that the government runs is bankrupt,” Mateo added.
Mamdani’s proposal calls for under 5 city-run shops, however Mateo mentioned such an operation would threaten bodega house owners throughout the town. Each Mateo and Catsimatidis, nonetheless, skirted questions as to how the proposal would have such a drastic influence.
“You’re not taking my money to compete with the entrepreneurs that came to the city and risked everything they have,” Mateo mentioned.
On the identical time, Mateo additionally mentioned city-owned grocery shops would by no means work and accused Mamdani of mendacity to voters.
“It cannot work. It’s off the table. It’s a non-starter,” Mateo mentioned. “It is not true. You cannot do it.”
Mamdani’s marketing campaign didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Picture by Ajani Stella
Mamdani superior his plan as a method to handle New York Metropolis’s affordability disaster and meals insecurity, which some specialists say is a modest proposal that will preserve the town’s aggressive market whereas reducing prices in sure neighborhoods. Municipal grocery shops aren’t a novel concept: the U.S. Division of Protection has public retail markets, and cities together with St. Paul, KS, Madison, WI, and Atlanta have or plan to open city-run grocery shops, based on CNN.
Current polling from the progressive pollster Information for Progress additionally exhibits that 66% of New Yorkers help municipal grocery shops, and 90% are involved about rising meals prices.
Catsimatidis dismissed issues about rising prices when requested by New York News, saying it was part of dwelling in New York Metropolis and folks ought to “deal with it.”
In a December interview with The New York Instances, Mamdani mentioned his municipal grocery retailer plan was needed to handle rising prices.
“Everywhere I go, I hear New Yorkers talking about the outrageous prices of groceries,” Mamdani mentioned. “This is a bold and workable plan.”
Catsimatidis, who has threatened to close down his companies and depart New York Metropolis if Mamdani turns into mayor, spoke extra about Mamdani than bodegas. He portrayed the Queens Assemblymember as an out-of-touch socialist corrupting the Democratic Occasion and in contrast him to notorious communist leaders just like the late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
“He wants to be the Fidel Castro of New York City,” Catsimatidis mentioned. “Fidel Castro promised everything to everybody.”
“We’re going to have a big fight before we give up New York City,” Catsimatidis added. “We’re not giving up New York City that easily. We will do what we have to do now.”
Catsimatidis, who ran for mayor twice as a Republican after being a registered Democrat, mentioned he helps Mayor Eric Adams’ reelection marketing campaign and President Donald Trump’s deportation efforts, citing decrease crime ranges.
He additionally instructed investigating Mamdani’s background, noting that he obtained his citizenship “only” seven years in the past.
Radhames Rodriguez, the president of UBA who owns bodegas within the Bronx, mentioned Mamdani’s plan would destroy the lives of bodega house owners and staff.
“We have somebody that came from — I don’t know where he’s coming from — and tries to take our business from the people that have been here for over 50 years,” Rodriguez mentioned.
“That’s not going to happen,” Rodriguez added. “We’re going to stay and we’re going to fight, because we need those bodegas in every corner, serving our community.”
