Mamdani wants to let New Yorkers sue over unfair business practices, but some biz groups aren’t sold

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is proposing to give workers, consumers, tenants and small businesses a new right to sue companies over unfair and abusive business practices, drawing immediate pushback from major city business groups that warn the measure could drive up costs and expose small companies to costly litigation. The proposed POWER Act would create a municipal private right of action under New York City consumer protection law, allowing individuals and organizations to pursue alleged unfair and abusive practices themselves rather than relying on government enforcement alone. City Hall says the legislation would allow lawsuits over unfair methods of competition and unfair, deceptive, abusive or unlawful business practices. The administration says that could include tenant unions suing landlords over deceptive trade practices, taxi drivers challenging financing companies over unconscionable loan terms and consumers seeking relief from predatory for-profit schools. The measure is sched