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Could City-Owned Grocery Stores Survive New York’s Shoplifting Plague?
City Journal ^ | July 10, 2025 | Steven Malanga

Posted on 07/10/2025 1:18:59 PM PDT by artichokegrower

New York socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has sparked controversy with several proposals, including his plan to open city-owned grocery stores. Though critics observe that publicly owned stores failed when tried elsewhere, Mamdani argues that the city’s food retailers aren’t readily accessible in some neighborhoods, which he calls “food deserts.” Government-owned stores, freed of the need to make a profit or pay property taxes, would work better, he claims.

(Excerpt) Read more at city-journal.org ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; US: New York
KEYWORDS: shootonsight
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A Manhattan Institute study found that, in the wake of the state’s 2020 bail reforms, shoplifting complaints in the city increased from fewer than 40,000 in 2019 to nearly 65,000 in 2022.


Not shoplifting it’s food redistribution

1 posted on 07/10/2025 1:18:59 PM PDT by artichokegrower
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To: artichokegrower

Taxpayer subsided shop lifting.


2 posted on 07/10/2025 1:20:42 PM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: artichokegrower

LOL. That’s the entire point. The “disadvantaged” get to walk out with all the food they want without paying. The “rich” will pay for it all through paying their “fair share” of taxes.


3 posted on 07/10/2025 1:21:01 PM PDT by Opinionated Blowhard (When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.)
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To: artichokegrower

Just call them pantries and hand the food out for free.


4 posted on 07/10/2025 1:21:57 PM PDT by Kudsman (I am Coal baby! Burning for you. )
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To: artichokegrower

In answer to the title question: no.


5 posted on 07/10/2025 1:22:21 PM PDT by Darksheare (Those who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same. )
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To: Opinionated Blowhard

Not quite. The point is for there to eventually be no food unless the left allows you to eat.


6 posted on 07/10/2025 1:22:40 PM PDT by Tell It Right (1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: artichokegrower

I love these communist grocery stores because they are for the peoples and feed the peoples and the communities. The internal theft problems will be through the roof.


7 posted on 07/10/2025 1:22:40 PM PDT by dennisw (There is no limit to human stupidity)
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To: artichokegrower

Anarchy vs Communism, film at 11:00.


8 posted on 07/10/2025 1:25:32 PM PDT by \/\/ayne (I regret that I have but one subscription cancellation notice to give to my local newspaper)
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To: artichokegrower

AOC explained this patiently to us....

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hoK27rnyQtY


9 posted on 07/10/2025 1:26:03 PM PDT by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: artichokegrower

No such thing as shoplifting when everything’s free! On to Utopia, Comrades!


10 posted on 07/10/2025 1:27:22 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: artichokegrower

City owned stores would be hit the hardest
Then there will be a movement to make them free.

Free bus rides. Free food. What’s not to love?


11 posted on 07/10/2025 1:27:47 PM PDT by CaptainK ("No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up” )
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To: Tell It Right

Good statement.

That’s the story behind Stalin, Mao and more as the elites do quite well and the lower peasants starve.


12 posted on 07/10/2025 1:28:03 PM PDT by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: CaptainK

RE: Free bus rides. Free food. What’s not to love?

Young person: Hey, is this utopia or what?


13 posted on 07/10/2025 1:28:56 PM PDT by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: artichokegrower

If you think food is expensive now, wait until it’s free.


14 posted on 07/10/2025 1:34:22 PM PDT by Hildy
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To: CaptainK
I see you have read the script.

Starts off subsidized. Calls every year for 12% increased funding. Problems, theft and illegal activity lead to the same usual suspects, that started the whole thing, to call for it to be free. Even Republicans that love government think it is a great idea too. Viola, another new entitlement created.

15 posted on 07/10/2025 1:40:21 PM PDT by Kudsman (I am Coal baby! Burning for you. )
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To: Hildy

“Hey, how come this box of macaroni and cheese is $25??”

“Take it easy, Buddy. I got overhead I need to cover.”


16 posted on 07/10/2025 1:41:45 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy
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To: artichokegrower

Government stores offering free groceries, what could go wrong? Oh, taxpayers will leave New York.


17 posted on 07/10/2025 1:41:57 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: artichokegrower

No Worries! Just stock every state-run store with Spam, and only Spam. Any creep caught stealing Spam will be ridiculed by his fellow thugs.

Time for a flash from the past, from the groove yard of forgotten favorites.

Monty Python - Spam

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5k995bwJRdE


18 posted on 07/10/2025 1:42:19 PM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus III (Do, or do not, there is no try - AND - Every Time You Fall Down, Get The Frak Up! )
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To: 1Old Pro

We’ve lost almost half our House seats over the last six decades.

That ship sailed many, many moons ago.

Replacing makers with takers will never jerp NYS’s public sector in the style to which it has become accustomed.

But denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.

The best thing Trump could do is help us secure our elections.

We likely haven’t voted for this crap in decades.


19 posted on 07/10/2025 1:44:42 PM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
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To: artichokegrower

I’m really want to see Mamdani’s grocery stores in action, our of purely morbid curiousity.


20 posted on 07/10/2025 1:44:50 PM PDT by PGR88
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