Gov. Kathy Hochul has rejected New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s controversial plan for taxpayer-funded supermarkets, saying she “favors free enterprise.” The remarks came during a business breakfast in the Hamptons on Saturday, where Hochul’s comments drew applause from the crowd, according to the New York Post.
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist and member of the state Assembly, proposed the creation of five municipal supermarkets, one in each borough, at an estimated cost of $60 million. His plan aims to address food insecurity and rising grocery prices, but it’s already facing backlash from both sides of the political aisle.
Billionaire supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, whose grocery chains could be threatened by the proposal, later praised Hochul’s comments, saying, “These types of grocery stores just don’t work.”
Critics of Mamdani’s plan, including former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s spokesperson Rich Azzopardi, have blasted the idea as unrealistic. Azzopardi told Fox News Digital that the plan was a “snappy slogan” that “doesn’t work,” and referenced the failed government-run grocery store in Kansas City.
The store, Sun Fresh Market, closed after receiving about $18 million in taxpayer funding over ten years, citing issues like theft, empty shelves, and heavy losses. Azzopardi added, “Gov. Cuomo has proposed a plan that was actually thought out to help those with food insecurity, and the answer isn’t Soviet-style breadlines.”
Cuomo also weighed in with a scathing post on X, criticizing Mamdani for being disconnected from the struggles of everyday New Yorkers. He wrote, “When you have rich parents to fall back on, the results don’t matter. As @ZohranKMamdani has said, c’est la vie. That’s not a governing philosophy. It’s an excuse for failure.” Cuomo also called for “real affordability policies” rather than Mamdani’s “excuse for failure.”
Mamdani’s plan has sparked more debate, especially with concerns over how it would affect private grocers. Critics argue it could limit consumer choice, drive small businesses out of the market, and put an unfair financial burden on taxpayers. While Mamdani insists the supermarkets are necessary to combat rising food prices, his critics warn it’s not a sustainable solution.
Mamdani, who represents Queens, is also facing scrutiny over housing issues. Recently, an ethics complaint was filed against him regarding his use of a rent-stabilized apartment while earning nearly $150,000 as a legislator. Cuomo has seized on the issue, proposing “Zohran’s Law,” which would block high earners from taking subsidized housing. Mamdani’s campaign has dismissed these allegations as politically motivated, maintaining that he didn’t know the apartment was rent-stabilized when he moved in with an income of $47,000.
As Mamdani continues to push his progressive agenda, the fallout from his supermarket plan and housing issues could play a key role in shaping the mayoral race in New York City.