All articles tagged with #food affordability
Anthony Shorris, newly named president of the NYC Economic Development Corporation, says Mamdani's goal of making the city more affordable will require systemic action beyond the plan for five city-owned grocery stores; the EDC should leverage the city’s scale and multiple levers—from education to policy—and is open to broader tools, including raising the minimum wage, to advance Mamdani’s economic agenda.
Vox argues New York City’s plan to open five city-owned grocery stores offering 30% discounts on staples isn’t a cost-effective way to make groceries affordable citywide. The stores would likely operate at a loss funded by taxpayers, diverting money from direct food assistance, and there’s little evidence they would outpace private retailers like Costco. The piece cautions that five outlets won’t meaningfully move prices across the city, and suggests alternatives such as expanding cash transfers or scaling up existing programs (like Get The Good Stuff) or easing zoning to attract low-cost national retailers. It notes public grocers could serve as a political symbol or community space, but in terms of affordability the theory remains incoherent and the program risks higher opportunity costs for the broader public.