Zohran Mamdani won New York City's Democratic mayoral primary partly on his plan to open five city-owned grocery stores—one in each of New York's boroughs. The idea is as absurd as it sounds, but it's a useful lens through which to view another government-run institution we've accepted for far too long: the public school system.
The case against government grocery stores is straightforward. Government providers have no incentive to spend money wisely or respond to customers' needs. Unlike private businesses, which must compete for customers by offering quality goods at reasonable prices, government entities get paid regardless of performance. Tax dollars flow into the system whether the shelves are stocked or empty, whether the service is stellar or abysmal.
This lack of accountability breeds inefficiency and waste. Government employees, shielded by bureaucratic inertia and powerful unions, often see more tax dollars as the solution to every problem, rather than innovation or better management.
