Immigrant-owned small businesses in East Harlem that spoke out against Mayor Zohran Mamdani's plan for city-owned supermarkets say they are suddenly receiving more New York City sanitation fines than normal, and some believe it is retaliation. Shop owners report receiving multiple tickets, sometimes for trash that isn't even theirs, costing hundreds of dollars, while others have faced penalties as high as $1,000. The Multicultural Business Coalition recently sued the city over the supermarket plan because it fears the government stores will unfairly hurt local shops, and it claims the fines increased right after members started going door-to-door for support. The Sanitation Department says it issues cleanliness tickets all over the city and is only trying to keep streets clean.
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