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The Largest Selection of Wholesale Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Products in New York City

When it comes to trying new, exciting cuisine, few foods hit the spot like a deliciously fresh Mediterranean meal. However, we know that it can be very difficult to find authentic Mediterranean grocery wholesalers in New York City, NY. Having lived in metro Atlanta for years, we realized that our customers needed an easy way to find quality wholesale Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food in bulk. That is why we created Nazareth Grocery Mediterranean Market - to give everyone a chance to enjoy tasty, healthy food, desserts, and authentic Mediterranean gifts at wholesale prices.

Founded in 2009, Nazareth Grocery has become one of New York City's leading international wholesale grocery stores. We are very proud to serve our customers and do everything in our power to give them the largest selection of high-quality wholesale goods available.

If you're looking for the freshest, most delicious Middle Eastern wholesale products and ingredients, you will find them here at the best prices in the state. We encourage you to swing by our store in Marietta to see our selection for yourself. We think that you will be impressed!

The Nazareth Difference

At Nazareth Grocery Mediterranean Market, our mission is simple: bring you and your family the largest selection of wholesale Mediterranean products in New York City. When coupled with our helpful, friendly staff and authentic Middle Eastern atmosphere, it's easy to see why we are the top Middle Eastern grocery wholesaler in New York City, NY. We're proud to carry just about every kind of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern product that you can think of, from prepared meals and hookahs to fine seasonings and sweets. We're here for our customers and want each one of them to have a unique, one-of-a-kind experience when they shop with us.

Our loyal customers love our selection of the following wholesale foods and gifts:

  • Fresh Breads
  • OlivesOlives
  • HummusHummus
  • CheesesCheeses
  • SaucesSauces
  • Savory-FoodsSavory Foods
  • DessertsDesserts
  • DrinksDrinks
  • HookahsHookahs
  • TobaccoTobacco
  • SaucesGifts
  • Much More!Much More!

Our Service Areas

Most Popular Wholesale Mediterranean Foods

There is so much more to Mediterranean food than pizza and pasta. The perfect climate combined with delicious foods and amazing wine makes the Mediterranean incredibly irresistible. That's why our customers absolutely love to buy this kind of cuisine in bulk. Every country in this region has its own set of specialties and delicacies, each with its own flavors and styles of preparation.

Mediterranean countries include:

  • France
  • Greece
  • Italy
  • Turkey
  • Syria
  • Egypt
  • Israel
  • Libya
  • Morocco
  • Tunisia
  • Spain
Mediterranean Grocery New York City, NY

So, when it comes to the most popular wholesale Mediterranean products in New York City,
what are we talking about?

 Mediterranean Supermarkets New York City, NY

Feta Cheese

Feta cheese is a classic Mediterranean dairy product that is often enjoyed on its own, in Greek salads, on bread, or mixed with zucchini. Depending on where the feta is sourced and produced, the cheese can be made from cow, sheep, or goat milk, or even a combination of the three. Regardless of the animal it comes from, this delicious cheese is a crowd favorite.

 Mediterranean Grocery Store New York City, NY

Baba Ganoush

This Levantine dish is one of the most well-known Mediterranean dishes to eat in the United States. It typically comes in the form of a dip, served with pita or another kind of dipping bread. Commonly served before dinner as an appetizer of sorts, it usually features tahini, eggplant, garlic, spices, and sometimes yogurt. This tasty cuisine works great as a spread on a sandwich, or you can even eat it with a spoon, all on its own.

 Middle Eastern Grocery New York City, NY

Baklava

If you have never tried authentic baklava before, get ready to have your mind blown. This dessert is a traditional Mediterranean food that will have your taste buds craving more and more. Once you open a box of baklava from our Mediterranean grocery wholesaler in New York City, NY, you won't want to stop eating! Baklava is made with layers of thin filo dough, which is layered together, filled with chopped nuts (think pistachios), and sealed with honey or syrup. Baklava is so good that its origins are debated, leaving many wondering which country invented the dessert. Everyone from the Turks to the Greeks and even Middle Easterners hold unique takes on baklava. Try each one to discover your favorite!

Most Popular Wholesale Middle Eastern Foods

Fresh, healthy, aromatic, rich: it's no wonder that the popularity of Middle Eastern cuisine and products has skyrocketed in the United States. This genre of cuisine features a large variety of foods, from Halvah to Labneh. If there were one common theme throughout all Middle Eastern food, it would be the bright, vibrant herbs and spices that are used. These flavorings help create rich, complex flavors that foodies fawn over. Typically, Middle Eastern food is piled high for all to eat, with enough food for an entire republic to put down.

 Mediterranean Food Stores New York City, NY

Tabbouleh

This refreshing, healthy dish is chock-full of greens, herbs, tomatoes, and bulgur (or cracked wheat), creating a memorable, bold flavor. This dish may be eaten on its own or paired with a shawarma sandwich or helping of falafel. It's best to buy your ingredients in bulk to make this dish because it tastes best freshly made with family around to enjoy. Just be sure to bring a toothpick to the tabbouleh party - you're almost certain to have some leafy greens stuck in your teeth after eating.

 Middle Eastern Market New York City, NY

Shawarma

We mentioned shawarma above, and for good reason - this dish is enjoyed by men and women around the world, and of course, right here in the U.S. Except for falafel, this might be the most popular Middle Eastern food item in history. Shawarma is kind of like a Greek gyro, with slow-roasted meat stuffed in laffa with veggies and sauce. The blend of spices and the smoky meat mix together to create a tangy, meaty flavor that you will want to keep eating for hours. For western-style shawarma, try using beef or chicken. For a more traditional meal, try using lamb from our Middle Eastern grocery distributor in New York City, NY.

 Greek Grocery Store New York City, NY

Hummus

Traditionally used as a dip meant for fresh pita, hummus is a combo of chickpeas, garlic, and tahini, blended together until silky, smooth, and creamy. You can find hummus in just about any appetizer section of a Middle Eastern restaurant menu. That's because it's considered a staple of Middle Eastern food that can be enjoyed by itself, as a spread, or with fresh-baked pita bread. Hummus is also very healthy, making it a no-brainer purchase from our grocery store.

Benefits of Eating a Mediterranean Diet

If there's one diet that is most well-known for its health benefits, it has got to be the Mediterranean diet. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report listed the Mediterranean diet as No. 1 on its best over diet list. This incredible diet has been cited to help with weight loss, brain health, heart health, diabetes prevention, and cancer prevention.

Whether you already love Mediterranean food or you're looking to make some positive changes in your life, this "diet" is for you. Eating cuisine like Greek food, Persian food, Turkish food, and Italian food is healthy and tastes great. Even better than that? At Nazareth Wholesale Grocery, we have many staples of the Mediterranean diet for sale in bulk so that you can stock up on your favorites at the best prices around.

So, what exactly is the Mediterranean diet?

It is a way of eating that incorporates traditional Greek, Italian, and other Mediterranean cultures' foods. These foods are often plant-based and make up the foundation of the diet, along with olive oil. Fish, seafood, dairy, and poultry are also included in moderation. Red meat and sweets are only eaten in moderation, not in abundance. Mediterranean food includes many forms of nuts, fruits, vegetables, fish, seeds, and more. Of course, you can find at them all at our wholesale Mediterranean grocery store!

Here are just a few of the many benefits of eating a healthy Mediterranean diet:

Reduced Risk of Heart Disease

Reduced Risk
of Heart Disease

Many studies have been conducted on this diet, many of which report that Mediterranean food is excellent for your heart. Some of the most promising evidence comes from a randomized clinical trial published in 2013. For about five years, researchers followed 7,000 men and women around the country of Spain. These people had type 2 diabetes or were at a high risk for cardiovascular disease. Participants in the study who ate an unrestricted Mediterranean diet with nuts and extra-virgin olive oil were shown to have a 30% lower risk of heart events.

Reduced Risk of Stroke for Women

Reduced Risk
of Stroke for Women

In addition to the heart-healthy benefits of a Mediterranean diet, studies have shown that eating healthy Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods can reduce the chances of stroke in women. The study was conducted in the U.K., which included women between the ages of 40 and 77. Women who stuck to the Mediterranean diet showed a lower risk of having a stroke - especially women who were at high risk of having one.

Benefits of Eating a Mediterranean Diet

First and foremost, purchase your Mediterranean and Middle Eastern wholesale foods from Nazareth Grocery - we're always updating our inventory! Getting started on this healthy, delicious diet is easy.

Try these tips:

Try these tips

1.

Instead of unhealthy sweets like candy and ice cream, try eating fresh fruit instead. It's refreshing, tasty, and often packed with great vitamins and nutrients.

2.

Try eating fish twice a week, in lieu of red meat. Fish is much healthier and doesn't have the unfortunate side effects of red meat, like inflammation.

3.

Try planning out your meals using beans, whole grains, and veggies. Don't start with meats and sweets.

4.

They're tasty, but try to avoid processed foods completely.

5.

Instead of using butter to flavor your food, use extra virgin olive oil instead. Olive oil contains healthy fats and tastes great too.

6.

Try to get more exercise and get out of the house. The Mediterranean lifestyle is an active one, best enjoyed in the beautiful sunshine when possible.

Why Buy Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Products Wholesale?

Buying wholesale and retail are quite different. When you buy products from a wholesaler, you're essentially buying from the middleman between a retail establishment and the manufacturer. Wholesale purchases are almost always made in bulk. Because of that, buyers pay a discounted price. That's great for normal buyers and great for business owners, who can sell those products to profit. This higher price is called the retail price, and it is what traditional customers pay when they enter a retail store.

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 Middle Eastern Store New York City, NY

Latest News in New York City, NY

In 100 Years in New York City, So Much Has Changed, and Yet …

This article is part of our Museums special section about how art institutions are reaching out to new artists and attracting new audiences.You know that life in the Big Apple has changed in the last 100 years. But when was the last time you stopped to think about just how much? Or in some cases, just how little?A new exhibition celebrating the centennial of the Museum of the City of New York will remind you.Take for e...

This article is part of our Museums special section about how art institutions are reaching out to new artists and attracting new audiences.

You know that life in the Big Apple has changed in the last 100 years. But when was the last time you stopped to think about just how much? Or in some cases, just how little?

A new exhibition celebrating the centennial of the Museum of the City of New York will remind you.

Take for example, the commuter, Speedy, portrayed by Harold Lloyd in the 1928 silent film of the same name, and Michael Richards’s Kramer of the long-running television series “Seinfeld.” Both confront the decades-old problem of finding a satisfactory seat on a subway train, as clips of the actors’ work show.

Or consider the costumes worn by the cast in the television series “Pose,” about the city’s underground ball culture, as well as the robe and gloves worn by Robert De Niro, who starred in the film “Raging Bull,” which depicted the boxer Jake LaMotta. These characters from different eras are in their own ways synonymous with the city.

And the oldest object in the exhibition, a 1923-1924 lithograph of George Bellows’s painting “Dempsey and Firpo,” and the newest, Cheyenne Julien’s 2023 painting, “Salsa Sundays at Orchard Beach,” show how New York has inspired the creativity of countless artists over the past century.

Occupying the entire third floor of the museum — on Fifth Avenue, between 103rd and 104th Streets at the top of Manhattan’s Museum Mile — the exhibition, “This is New York: 100 Years of the City in Art and Pop Culture,” will be on display from May 26, 2023, through July 31, 2024.

Among the subjects it will explore are New York’s streets and subways; its songs; its representation by artists, photographers and filmmakers; and the space of domesticity there.

The museum was founded in 1923 by Henry Collins Brown, a Scottish-born writer and preservationist. Its original goal was to appeal to children and immigrants, to focus on exhibitions and to “emphasize the lives of ordinary New Yorkers,” according to research recently published by the Gotham Center for New York City History, which is sponsored by the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

It first occupied Gracie Mansion, a historic home owned by the Parks Department, today the mayor’s official residence.

In 1928 the city offered the museum the site where its current home was later built, a Georgian Colonial Revival building constructed between 1929 and 1932 and designated a landmark in 1967. It underwent a 10-year renovation and modernization project that was completed in 2015.

Today the museum’s collection includes more than 750,000 objects, ranging from paintings, prints and photographs to decorative arts, toys and theatrical memorabilia.

Among its noteworthy possessions are Eugene O’Neill’s handwritten manuscripts of some of his plays; 412 glass negatives from the collection of the pioneering photographer Jacob Riis that document living conditions of the city’s poor; and the Stettheimer Dollhouse, which contains a miniature painting by Marcel Duchamp.

One highlight of the exhibition will be an exploration of the songs of New York, featuring music from the city’s five boroughs inspired by its subways and streets.

Each borough will be represented by an outline on the gallery’s floor. When people step into a specific borough, snippets of a song will be played from a speaker on the ceiling, while images or video and information about the song will be projected on the gallery wall. Music featured here will range from the Mills Brothers’ 1931 “Coney Island Washboard,” celebrating Brooklyn, to Jennifer Lopez’s 2002 paean to the Bronx, “Jenny from the Block.”

A unique feature of the “At Home in New York” section of the exhibition will be a reading room furnished with what the museum describes as “a digital bookshelf.” It will be toward the end of the gallery, filled with books and VHS or DVD boxes, all embedded with a radio frequency identification tag. Visitors can choose an item from the bookshelf and place it on a docking station at the end of the gallery that will read the bar code on the tag and project the appropriate audio or video.

Among the more than 20 books on the bookshelf will be John Cheever’s “The Enormous Radio,” read by Matthew Broderick, and “Harriet the Spy,” written and illustrated by Louise Fitzhugh and read by Lea DeLaria. Television shows will range from “The Honeymooners” and “I Love Lucy” to “Seinfeld” and “Living Single.” All works featured are set in New York and depict life at home there.

The “Destination NYC” section of the exhibition will feature works by artists and photographers — such as Edward Hopper, Romare Bearden, Nan Goldin and Faith Ringgold — depicting places where New Yorkers spend their free time, including restaurants, nightclubs, bars, parks, fire escapes, rooftops and waterfronts, such as Coney Island and Orchard Beach.

Another highlight will be “You Are Here,” an immersive film experience created in partnership with RadicalMedia, a media and communications company based in Lower Manhattan. Working with a curatorial committee of filmmakers and other experts, RadicalMedia selected more than 400 films made since the museum’s founding.

According to RadicalMedia’s chairman and chief executive, Jon Kamen, “bits and pieces” of these films, representing “sound bites of everything we appreciate and love about New York,” have been spliced together to create a 20-minute film that will be projected onto 16 screens in one of the exhibition’s galleries.

The oldest of the films featured will be “Manhandled,” a 1924 silent film starring Gloria Swanson, while the newest will be Questlove’s 2021 film, “Summer of Soul,” about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which won an Academy Award for best documentary feature and of which Mr. Kamen was an executive producer.

Sarah Henry, interim director and chief curator of the museum, said its goal since its inception has been “preserving and interpreting the memory of the past and engaging in the contemporary life of the city.”

Noting that “everyone has a love-hate relationship with the city,” she said, now “is a great moment to celebrate and rediscover New York, as we recover from the blow of the pandemic and consider where we’re heading next.”

Jets HC Robert Saleh believes new QB Aaron Rodgers' 'wish list' is 'silly narrative'

When you wish upon a superstar, makes no difference which team you are, anything said star desires will come to you in that hopes that your dreams of winning come true.Thusly, from New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh's view, his club bringing in some of new quarterback Aaron Rodgers' old teammates is hardly any kind of fresh concept.There are no wish lists in Saleh's eyes, just a practiced approach in fostering familiarity and chemistry w...

When you wish upon a superstar, makes no difference which team you are, anything said star desires will come to you in that hopes that your dreams of winning come true.

Thusly, from New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh's view, his club bringing in some of new quarterback Aaron Rodgers' old teammates is hardly any kind of fresh concept.

There are no wish lists in Saleh's eyes, just a practiced approach in fostering familiarity and chemistry within the ranks.

"I'm going to try to say this as respectfully as I can. I am not attacking anyone," Saleh told reporters Friday. "It's just I do think it's a silly narrative with regards to wish lists, and I say that because there's 32 teams in the NFL, and it's common practice for when there's changes when you have a new coaching staff. When you have people coming in that, you surround those people with people they're familiar with. I had a wish list. There's Soloman Thomas, Marcell Harris, D.J. Reed, Kwon Alexander. Guys who I've worked with who are very familiar with our messaging, very familiar with our scheme, who can come in and play."

The Jets boast four former Green Bay Packers teammates of Rodgers' -- quarterback Tim Boyle, wide receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb and offensive lineman Billy Turner. And, of course, there's offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Rodgers' so-called wish list was initially reported by ESPN back in March, and the future Hall of Fame quarterback downplayed it, though he also conveyed his opinions on some of his preferred teammates to club brass when the Jets met with him at his home.

As Saleh noted, regardless of the headlines it garners, a coach or superstar QB looking to bring in talent he's familiar with is far from a novel concept.

"Shoot, Tom Brady goes to Tampa and he gets [Rob] Gronkowski and Antonio Brown," Saleh said. "So, it is very common for new faces to want old faces. To be able to come in and help accelerate the insulation of a program. And it's not just everything is being pinned on the quarterback. It's not just him. Hackett has something to say about it. He loves Lazard, loves Randall. Took Billy Turner with him to Denver, wanted here in Green Bay, so of course, you're going to surround a coach with people who he feels will be able to plant the flags. So, you know, that whole narrative of what people are trying to put on the quarterback, I think it's tired but it's common practice in the NFL."

Common could be a stretch, but it's certainly not new. Neither is Rodgers commanding the spotlight, and that's certainly not ending for him or his teammates -- new and old.

Rangers, Gallant mutually agree to part ways

The New York Rangers and coach Gerard Gallant are parting ways after losing in the first round of the NHL playoffs.The Rangers announced the change, which they called mutual, on Saturday — less than a week after a seven-game series loss to the rival New Jersey Devils.“I have a ton of respect for Gerard as both a coach and person and truly appreciate everything he did for us on and off the ice these last two seasons,” general manager Chris Drury said in a statement. "After my evaluation of the season and d...

The New York Rangers and coach Gerard Gallant are parting ways after losing in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

The Rangers announced the change, which they called mutual, on Saturday — less than a week after a seven-game series loss to the rival New Jersey Devils.

“I have a ton of respect for Gerard as both a coach and person and truly appreciate everything he did for us on and off the ice these last two seasons,” general manager Chris Drury said in a statement. "After my evaluation of the season and discussions with Gerard, we mutually came to the conclusion that a change would be beneficial for both parties. I wish he and his family all the best in the future. Our search for a new head coach will begin right away.”

Gallant led New York to the Eastern Conference final in 2022 in his first season with the team and was a finalist for the Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year. He has not lasted three full seasons in any of his five head jobs around the league.

In a statement sent through the team, Gallant thanked owner James Dolan and Drury for the opportunity.

“The experience of coaching an Original Six franchise with such rich history and an incredibly passionate fanbase is something I will never forget,” Gallant said. "After conversations with my family and Chris, it became clear that this was the right decision for both myself and the Rangers at this time.”

Gallant's departure was not particularly surprising, but it came after the 59-year-old defended his job status during exit interviews earlier in the week, calling the line of questioning “disappointing.”

“I can’t believe I have to answer some of these questions about me getting let go or getting fired, brought up by the media,” Gallant said Wednesday. “If I can’t stand by my record and what I’ve done, I think there’s something wrong.”

The Rangers now begin another coaching search in hopes of finding the person who will get them their first Stanley Cup title since 1994. Three-time championship-winning coach Joel Quenneville's name has already been connected to the franchise, though he would need to be reinstated by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman after his role in a sexual assault scandal with the Chicago Blackhawks from 2010 that caused him to resign from his job with the Florida Panthers in October 2021.

Two years ago, Drury thought Gallant was the right person to lead the Rangers. After assuming control when President of Hockey operations John Davidson and GM Jeff Gorton were fired by Dolan, Drury shifted into win-now mode, hiring Gallant a year and a half after the veteran coach was let go by Vegas.

Gallant and the Rangers finished second in the Metropolitan Division in his first year behind the bench and made an improbable run to the East final before losing to Tampa Bay.

With that playoff success raising expectations, the Rangers had an up-and-down regular season and scuffled in the days leading up to the trade deadline. They acquired previous Cup champions Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane in a pair of deals and finished third in the division to set up a showdown with the Devils.

The Rangers won the first two games of the series on the road before losing three in a row, a stretch that included a tirade from Gallant about his team being “not good enough — not even close to good.”

“We didn’t show up, we didn’t play hard enough, we didn’t compete hard enough,” Gallant said after Game 4. “A lot of bad things.”

New York staved off elimination at home to force a Game 7. Despite some lineup adjustments by Gallant, the Rangers lost 4-0 to get knocked out.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Jets HC Robert Saleh: 'Never Been Around a Quarterback Quite Like' Aaron Rodgers

It's been 18 years since Aaron Rodgers was a rookie, but the Jets new QB was the main topic Friday after the Green & White concluded its first rookie minicamp workout.Rodgers, acquired from the Packers last week, immediately jumped into the team's voluntary program and is helping the Jets transition to a new offensive system under OC Nathaniel Hackett."It's been good," HC Robert Saleh said. "I've never been around a quarterback quite like him personally and all his experience, his communication. Every play ta...

It's been 18 years since Aaron Rodgers was a rookie, but the Jets new QB was the main topic Friday after the Green & White concluded its first rookie minicamp workout.

Rodgers, acquired from the Packers last week, immediately jumped into the team's voluntary program and is helping the Jets transition to a new offensive system under OC Nathaniel Hackett.

"It's been good," HC Robert Saleh said. "I've never been around a quarterback quite like him personally and all his experience, his communication. Every play talking to the receivers, talking to the backs, his demeanor in the meetings, all that stuff. He is practically another coach out there, he's pretty impressive."

While Rodgers elected to skip the voluntary program the past few years in Green Bay, Saleh isn't surprised the four-time NFL MVP has been on the field with his new teammates this spring.

"How vocal he is in good way and how positive he is with the group and how much he wants to share his knowledge. It's impressive," Saleh said. "Personally, and I don't know if this is the right thing to say, but I was never worried about whether or not he was going to be here. I always felt that he was going to be here if he did decide to be a Jet. And he does understand he has to get acclimated to the new building, he has to get the receivers acclimated to him, and he'll have to get the verbiage and help get everybody on the same page.

"So in my mind, you just see a fire in the guy's eyes, he's going to do everything. He's coming to win and you can just feel it in his voice, and you can see it in his eyes the way he's going about his business."

In addition to Rodgers, the Jets have signed several former Packers this offseason including WRs Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, OL Billy Turner and QB Tim Boyle. Wideout Malik Taylor also spent 2020-21 with Rodgers and Hackett.

"It is very common for new faces to want old faces, to be able to come in and help the installation of a program," Saleh said. "And everything is just being pinned on the quarterback — it's not just him. Hackett has something to say about it. He loves Randall, he took Billy Turner with him to Denver and wanted him here. So, of course, you are going to want to surround a coach with people who feels are going to be able to plant the flag. That whole narrative of what people are trying to put on the quarterback I think is tired, but it's common practice in the NFL."

Saleh compared it to when he was first hired as head coach of the Jets when he had a list of players he wanted to try and acquire to help install the new systems. That group included CB D.J. Reed, G Laken Tomlinson, RB Tevin Coleman and LBs Kwon Alexander and Marcell Harris.

Serving as offensive coordinator in Green Bay from 2019-21, Hackett helped Rodgers earn back-to-back MVP honors in 2020-21 as the Pack finished top-10 in passing both years and led the NFL in scoring in 2020 while averaging 31.8 pts/g. Rodgers may be familiar with some of his current teammates from his previous chapter in Green Bay, but that does not give them a pass on the 2023 Jets.

"At the end of the day, the best 53 will be on the football team and the best 11 will be on the football field when it comes down to snapping the ball," Saleh said. "At the same time, the reason why we're excited to bring those guys in, they stand for everything we believe in. You look at Allen Lazard, he came in as an undrafted free agent and he has all this unbelievable ability to him, and he made himself. Randall has such an amazing amount of experience, Billy Turner has so much experience, but they're internally driven individuals who just want to win football games and they love the game of football. Why wouldn't you bring them in and help accelerate, plant the flag and echo the message that Nathaniel and his staff are trying to accomplish?"

Following an illustrious run in Wisconsin, Rodgers, the future Hall of Famer, has embraced the football at One Jets Drive and life in the big city. Since his arrival, he's attended a New York Rangers/New Jersey Devils playoff game at Madison Square Garden and two New York Knicks postseason contests. Most recently, Rodgers dined with CB Sauce Gardner at Carbone in Greenwich Village and then sat courtside with the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year near the likes of Jessica Alba and Spike Lee as the Knicks evened their series with the Miami Heat.

"He's soaking it up," Saleh said of Rodgers. "New York is different, obviously. I don't want to speak for him, but I think deep down, he's a big-city guy at heart, and I think he's been enjoying it. I know he was in absolute awe of Madison Square Garden, which I was, too, when I first went. It's probably the coolest stadium in all of sports. He's embracing it. He's been enjoying all of it. He is cool in the sense when he's in here — it's football. It's been good."

If You Double-Park and You’re Rich, Should You Pay a Higher Fine?

A few months ago, a rumor started spreading through the leafy streets of Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, and eventually made its way to the local city councilman, Justin Brannan. Mr. Brannan’s constituents, he said, complained that someone had built an illegal driveway next to their home by drilling through the concrete sidewalk.The homeowner was telling neighbors that simply paying the fines was more affordable than a parking spot, and less of a hassle than street parking.Mr. Brannan, who has ...

A few months ago, a rumor started spreading through the leafy streets of Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, and eventually made its way to the local city councilman, Justin Brannan. Mr. Brannan’s constituents, he said, complained that someone had built an illegal driveway next to their home by drilling through the concrete sidewalk.

The homeowner was telling neighbors that simply paying the fines was more affordable than a parking spot, and less of a hassle than street parking.

Mr. Brannan, who has narrowly won elections in his swing district on a message of making New York City more affordable for middle-class families, said he had the story in mind when he started drafting a bill that would require City Hall to come up with a pilot program to charge wealthy New Yorkers more than their lower-income neighbors for civil violations like building that driveway.

The sliding-scale idea, known as a day-fine program, would mean that some fines would be charged in proportion to an individual’s income on civil offenses that could include littering, double parking, idling in a car or truck or open container violations, which currently carry fines ranging from $50 to a few hundred dollars.

It is not yet clear what the formula for the new fines would be and how much the penalties would cost, since the details of the pilot would be decided by city officials.

The bill, introduced in the City Council last week, is the latest example of how local lawmakers are trying to put even small dents in the city’s affordability crisis. That task has become even more urgent: Gov. Kathy Hochul’s push to build more affordable housing in the city failed during state budget negotiations, and a city panel tentatively approved substantial rent increases for rent-stabilized apartments. And about half of New Yorkers can no longer afford basic necessities like housing, food and transportation, according to a recent report.

“People just feel like they are being squeezed from every end, and there’s no end in sight,” Mr. Brannan, the chair of the Council’s finance committee, said in an interview. “If someone in the middle class gets a ticket, that’s a serious issue for them to figure out how to pay. But the guy across the street is racking up tickets and doesn’t care, because he can afford it.”

The bill, which was first reported by The New York Daily News, is not expected to come up for debate until the budget is wrapped up this summer, Mr. Brannan said.

Versions of the day-fine program have been used for decades in some European countries, along with Maricopa County, Ariz., and Bridgeport, Conn. But where other day-fine programs, including a one-year program tried on Staten Island in the 1980s, have largely focused on fines related to felonies or misdemeanors, Mr. Brannan’s bill would only apply to civil offenses.

If the bill passes the Council, it would be up to the city’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, along with other agencies chosen by Mayor Eric Adams, to decide which civil offenses would be subject to a sliding scale and how to determine how much New Yorkers should pay in fines according to their income. The administrative trials office handles almost all civil penalties except for parking and moving violations.

The pilot program would last at least a year and apply to 10 or more local laws.

Fabien Levy, a spokesman for Mr. Adams, said City Hall is reviewing the bill. Another city official privately pointed to a number of issues that would make it difficult to implement Mr. Brannan’s bill: New Yorkers can already pay off some fines with community service, for example, and many summonses are issued to businesses, rather than individuals.

Studies have shown that day-fine programs typically lead to more people actually paying their fines, in part because penalties that were once out of reach for low-income and middle-class residents become more manageable.

Mr. Brannan also said he believes that some wealthy New Yorkers are not bothering to pay fines, and that higher penalties could be a more effective deterrent.

The city is owed over $2 billion in fines from civil violations committed since 2017, including over $1 billion in parking and camera-related fines for speeding or running red lights, according to a recent report by the Independent Budget Office.

While a sliding-scale fine system may help ease the burden of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities for some New Yorkers, the city should pursue other creative solutions to the crisis, said Jonathan Bowles, executive director of the Center for an Urban Future, a local think tank.

Short of sweeping action on housing, which is at the center of the problem, the city could offer free MetroCards to City University of New York students, or help older New Yorkers enroll for the federal benefits for which they are eligible, he said.

The day-fine bill “is an idea worth considering,” Mr. Bowles said. “But it is highly disappointing if this is what we can do right now to address the city’s affordability crisis.”

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