New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration faced criticism this week from the City Council over transparency and planning issues involving two major initiatives.

On Monday, the City Council accused Mamdani's Department of Education of impeding an audit of hundreds of agency contracts valued at approximately $12 billion. Council members characterized the department's response as uncooperative during their review process.

Separately on Tuesday, Mamdani's budget chief acknowledged that the administration has not conducted studies examining how the mayor's proposed city-operated grocery store program might affect local small businesses. The grocery store initiative carries an estimated cost of $70 million.

The Council's audit of DOE contracts represents part of ongoing oversight efforts to review major city expenditures and procurement processes. The Department of Education manages one of the largest contract portfolios among city agencies.

The grocery store proposal represents a significant policy initiative for Mamdani's administration, though details about implementation timeline and specific locations have not been publicly released. The program would involve the city directly operating retail grocery facilities.

Both issues highlight tensions between the mayor's office and the City Council over government transparency and the thoroughness of policy development processes during the early months of Mamdani's tenure.