The details aren’t all there yet, but potential options:

• scalping - put an upper limit order value or max number of an item in place. You can’t completely remove scalping, but if they can maintain stock, there isn’t a real need to go to a scalper.
• 30% of what is the current grocery price. If other stores drop their price then I would expect the price differential will drop but the objective will be met then.
• Odds are the municipal store won’t compete on every item, but more the essentials. I’d expect it to look more like an Aldi than a store with 60 options. Lower prices should cause higher turnover of perishable items and lower variety would minimize hitting expiration dates. Shrink is where a lot of profit is lost in grocery stores, so it’s a good thing to target. Municipal store should also be able to use some government beuracracy (food stamps, food banks) already in place to have lower overhead.
• it should be able to be self funded but realize it will likely start linking together food security programs (food stamps, wic) which would look like it is getting extra gov funding even though the tax burden wouldn’t change.