Hey Zohran - why not this idea for a supermarket?

 Zohran Mamdani, NY State Assemblyman and candidate for NYC Mayor, has suggested the idea of City run supermarkets.  Specifically, Mr. Mamdani proposes five supermarkets, one in each NY City Borough and all run by the City of New York.  The idea would be to provide low-cost food to underserved New Yorkers.

It sounds like a good idea.  I think Mr. Mamdani should do it but in a slightly different way. 

I suggest Mr. Mamdani create a non-profit organization.  Mr. Mamdani can then create a business plan describing how the supermarkets would work.  To show his support for the idea, Mr. Mamdani should put his money where his mouth is - pony some of his own cash and money from his family.

With seed money, a business plan and the offer of tax-deductions, Mr. Mamdani can then start tapping his friends - including the ones who attended his wedding in Uganda, they are not paupers.  Mr. Mamdani can also reach out to supporters, like the billionaire hedge fund heir Elizabeth Simons who recently donated $250k to a PAC that supports Mr. Mamdani.  

After friends and supporters, there would be those who have endorsed Mr. Mamdani's campaign.  For example, Bernie Sanders can share some of the "Bern" - he's got money and can ask his supporters to chip in.  Representative Ocasio-Cortez, the famous AOC, has not been feeding at the public trough as long as Senator Sanders so she's not as rich as he is yet, but she has a bully pulpit and the ear of the media.  AOC can help drum up cash too.

While the fundraising is underway, Mr. Mamdani can locate properties in the boroughs where he'd like to open up shop.  Then he can do like every other business person and apply for the appropriate licenses and permits.  He can also line up contractors and the various trade unions to be ready to do the work when said licenses and permits have been received.

As he gets closer to opening, Mr. Mamdani's non-profit can run a job fair, seeking employees for the various stores.  Since this is not a City business, the organization should also work on securing the various insurance policies required for the organization - liability, workers comp, fire, etc.  The employees would not be City employees, so the organization should also secure the health insurance policies (if any they will offer) as well as setting up any other benefit programs they may offer, such as a 401k plan, life insurance, short and long term disability, etc.

Three years later - if he's lucky - when all of the city requirements have been met and construction completed, all of the employees hired and benefits arranged, Mr. Mamdani's non-profit can open up shop and sell groceries the way he thinks they should be sold.*

The reasons for my suggestions are three-fold.  First, why should taxpayer dollars be used to make his idea come to life when Mr. Mamdani can do it himself with the help of friends and supporters.  Why doesn't he put his and their money at risk.**

Second, why add supermarket employees to the City employee base.  They create more costs for all the benefit programs managed by the City and create more liability for the public pension programs.  

The final reason is so Mr. Mamdani can get a taste of reality.  Mr. Mamdani will get a a first hand education on what it is really like to try to open and operate a supermarket, or any business in New York City.  Be still my heart, but maybe a taste of reality will cause Mr. Mamdani to realize the solution to New Yorkers problems is not always more government but perhaps less.

----------------- Cynical after thoughts----------------

* Three years after opening - I'm being generous in my estimate - Mr. Mamdani will probably hire a lawyer to take the non-profit supermarkets to bankruptcy, or the State equivalent of that process followed by non-profits.

** Of course the idea of progressive government officials putting their own money up is a pipe dream.  They only get rich working in government (see Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi as examples 1 and 1a) by spending tax payer money.