Mark Jaffe

“This is a campaign promise doomed for disaster if it is allowed to go through,”

Mark Jaffe · said 2026-08-26 · reported 2026-08-27

Jaffe spoke at a Wednesday rally of business leaders and bodega owners near the future site of a city-run grocery store in Harlem.

“[Small business owners] who have to pay their Con Edison bill, their real estate taxes, their fines and full price for food cannot compete.”

Mark Jaffe · said 2026-08-26 · reported 2026-08-27

Jaffe argued that subsidized city-run stores give operators an unfair advantage over small business owners who pay full costs.

“When you use government money discriminatorily, it could be a civil rights violation,”

Mark Jaffe · said 2026-08-26 · reported 2026-08-27

Jaffe commented on a class-action lawsuit alleging the city-run grocery stores would violate businesses' civil rights.

“The end-game here would be to help [small businesses owners] and not just subsidize 30% off from suppliers who are not lowering their prices for the city,”

Mark Jaffe · said 2026-08-26 · reported 2026-08-27

Jaffe suggested the city should help small business owners rather than only subsidizing grocery prices.

“Our tax dollars are buying groceries at full price, so we can sell them at 30% off up the street — that’s not going to feed enough struggling people.”

Mark Jaffe · said 2026-08-26 · reported 2026-08-27

Jaffe questioned whether the city's 30% subsidy model would effectively feed struggling people.

“Shame on the [Mamdani] administration for not working with small businesses, but trying to hurt them and being heartless in their statements.”

Mark Jaffe · said 2026-08-26 · reported 2026-08-27

Jaffe criticized the Mamdani administration for not working with small businesses on the city-run grocery store plan.

“The only reason [small businesses] are going to be hurt is because [Mamdani] is taking tax dollars to put [them] out of business,”

Mark Jaffe · said 2026-08-26 · reported 2026-08-27

Jaffe accused Mamdani of using tax dollars to put small businesses out of business.

“We have better ways to help feed the struggling people. Please listen, Mr. Mayor. Don't keep campaign promises that will hurt people.”

Mark Jaffe · said 2026-08-26 · reported 2026-08-27

Jaffe urged the mayor not to keep campaign promises that would hurt people, insisting there are better ways to feed struggling New Yorkers.

“It's wrong. We want a task force. We'll show you how to feed struggling people.”

Mark Jaffe · said 2026-08-26 · reported 2026-08-27

Jaffe called for a task force to address the impact on local businesses and show how to feed struggling people.

“It is doomed to fail. History shows us that communist supermarkets have empty shelves,”

Mark Jaffe · said 2026-08-26 · reported 2026-08-27

Jaffe argued the city-run stores would drive minority entrepreneurs out of business and compared them to communist supermarkets.