Bass and Raman Clash Over City Finances and Homelessness

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman engaged in a heated exchange at a campaign forum Saturday, previewing the increasingly contentious race for City Hall as Election Day nears.

During the KBLA Talk 1580 Town Hall and Ballot Forum at the SEED School in South Los Angeles, Raman accused Bass of mismanaging the city's finances and allowing basic services to deteriorate. "Our quality of life is worse today than it was just a few years ago," Raman stated, pointing to issues such as trash, graffiti, and potholes. She specifically criticized a 2023 contract that provided raises to the Los Angeles Police Department, arguing the city could not afford it and that the police union's funding of Bass's reelection campaign was in return for these raises. Raman claimed this contract contributed to the city's approximately $1 billion deficit and subsequent cuts to services.

Raman also criticized Bass's approach to housing policy, alleging the mayor promised to prevent housing development in certain communities when speaking with the Sherman Oaks homeowners association. Raman characterized Bass's decisions as "politically convenient" rather than beneficial for Angelenos.

Mayor Bass defended her administration's record, particularly on homelessness and housing. She stated that upon becoming mayor, she found the homeless system to be "profoundly" broken and emphasized the need for the city to have greater control over a system currently divided between the city and county. Bass also challenged Raman's record on affordable housing, claiming Raman's council district ranked near the bottom in building such housing.

Bass dismissed Raman's assertions about the police raises contributing to budget problems as a "lie," urging voters to support candidates who "tell the truth." She also contended that Raman was taking credit for a drop in homelessness in her district that was actually driven by Bass's "Inside Safe" program.

While Bass highlighted a decline in homelessness for two consecutive years, recent data from the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count showed a 3.4% rise in people experiencing homelessness in the city, with the unsheltered population increasing by approximately 7.9%. This trend reversed the declines observed in the preceding two years.

Ballots for the general election, scheduled for November 3, have begun to be mailed out, marking the final month of an election cycle that also includes races for California governor and Congress, alongside various local and statewide measures.