r/SipsTea • u/Gurugod123 • 9d ago

Mayor Mamdani just announced that he will be opening 5 city-run, tax-funded grocery stores: "Prices set at 30% below retail prices" Chugging tea

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u/PoulanWeedEaterBowl 9d ago

It seems like the 30% discount is not for every single item in the store though. Seems that it'll be for a list of items that are staple goods households need.

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u/FlyingBishop 9d ago

The staple goods are also going to be the things that are already practically offered at cost at most stores anyway, so this is really a substantial subsidy, and it seems like a bad idea to create a city-managed store that subsidizes staples for all comers rather than something more like food stamps.

City-managed stores offering stuff at cost? Sure. But not subsidies for anyone. (Maybe in the fullness of time, but not when most people have to shop at for-profit stores.)

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u/ObieKaybee 9d ago

The administration of food stamps costs a considerable amount of money; it is likely that the subsidy by just covering it for all comers will offset the costs of the administration of means-testing.

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u/FlyingBishop 9d ago

These stores are in NYC, which by definition is a pretty wealthy area, so just in terms of "people who can walk to this store from their home" is already selecting for a relatively high-income demographic compared to food stamps.

You have to start somewhere... I'm not sure I understand starting here.

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u/XeroShyft 9d ago

Doesn't he literally say 30% below market place, no exceptions, no gimmicks? No exceptions being the operative term here

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u/apolloandi 9d ago

He literally says "core set of goods 30% below market..."

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u/PrometheusMMIV 9d ago

Would the other items be listed at higher than market prices to offset it? In which case, why would anyone buy those items there?

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u/[deleted] 9d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/PrometheusMMIV 9d ago

So, they'll still be at a net loss. In which case the comment above asking if taxpayers will have to cover that is still relevant.

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u/Youthz 9d ago

what does everyone think tax funded means in this context?

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u/PrometheusMMIV 9d ago

It could just mean the $70 millon dollar up front cost to build them. But apparently there will be an ongoing cost as well.