As a candidate, Zohran Mamdani ran on a number of proposals to make New York City more affordable, including creating city-run grocery stores.

NY1 spoke to small business owners who said they’re hoping he does a lot more to make it easier to own and run a business in the city.

“All the merchandise, all the products. They went up,” said Samir El Mejdoub. “The taxes. They went up.”

Inflation and rising costs have made it hard for small business owners in the city, like El-Mejdoub, co-owner of Roast and Co on Austin Street in Kew Gardens, Queens.

He’s hoping the mayor-elect will do something about it when he takes office.

“The hope I’m having right now for the new administration is just to keep his promises to lower the rent and to lower the taxes for all the small businesses so that way

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