During his campaign for mayor of New York City, candidate Zohran Mamdani pledged to open government grocery stores. A few weeks ago, he announced the first location of his taxpayer-funded grocery store. Although this might seem compassionate, let’s consider all the facts associated with a government-run grocery store.

First, we should ask why the government is involved at all, given the extensive network of food assistance programs already in place, along with food banks, churches, and private community organizations that help those who cannot afford groceries. Taxpayers are also being asked to spend $70 million on this project.

Second is the valid concern of fraud. The mayor promised to reduce prices by 30 percent. People are going to buy lots of produce and then sell it on the black market. To protect against that, there is talk about requiring an ID to buy groceries in New York City. That might keep out non-residents, but to prevent residents from exploiting the system, they will likely have to limit the number of groceries anyone can purchase.

If this project is successful, residents will flock to the stores and clear out the shelves. It may start out as “whole foods” but soon will become no foods. The mayor will have to put more money into the project to make the project look like a success. After all, these stores are there to sell socialism not produce.

Third, these stores will drive some neighborhood convenience stores to bankruptcy. The answer that came from the Democratic Socialist Party co-chair was simple: these small business owners “shouldn’t have been in the business in the first place.”

I think we would all like to  “Make America Healthy Again,” but let’s not naively assume that government-run grocery stores are the best way to achieve that worthy goal.