Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman engaged in sharp exchanges during their first face-to-face debate, clashing over their records on homelessness, public safety, and other critical city issues ahead of the November 3 election.
During the debate hosted by the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association, Mayor Bass accused Councilmember Raman of struggling with collaborative governance and treating city matters as academic exercises, also highlighting Raman's record of missed votes during her tenure. Raman, in turn, defended her absences as necessary for her work on regional boards and oversight bodies. Raman also criticized Bass's approach to homelessness, asserting that while Bass saw success in her district, citywide numbers worsened, attributing this to a lack of "action, leadership, management, data, and oversight" at City Hall.
Mayor Bass highlighted her "Inside Safe" program, which has housed over 6,200 individuals, as a key factor in any district-level improvements and criticized Raman's leadership of the council's homelessness committee, noting repeated cancellations, including on the day of the debate, due to Raman's absence. Bass contended that Raman has "done very little" despite having numerous plans and ideas. The debate also touched upon their primary election performance, with Bass securing 34% of the vote and Raman 29%, and their campaign finances, where Bass holds a significant lead.
The discourse frequently became acrimonious, with interruptions from both candidates. Raman questioned Bass's negotiation of a costly police salary increase, arguing it necessitated cuts to essential services like street resurfacing and streetlight repairs, and pointed out the LAPD's ongoing struggles with staffing despite the raises. Bass countered that the raises were crucial for officer retention and criticized Raman for voting against hiring 170 officers in January, calling her stance "irresponsible" and contradictory.
The candidates also scrutinized each other's constituent responsiveness and consulting choices. Bass claimed her office frequently had to intervene to address constituent concerns in Raman's district due to alleged unresponsiveness from Raman's office. Raman, however, stated that residents across the city are disillusioned with Bass due to diminished services and deteriorating infrastructure, asserting that two-thirds of primary voters rejected the incumbent. Raman faced questions regarding her campaign's retention of the Fight Agency, a firm linked to a candidate who withdrew over sexual assault allegations, while Bass addressed concerns about a consultant advising both her campaign and a company involved in a significant warehouse fire.
The debate also covered housing policy, with Bass expressing opposition to state mandates like Senate Bill 79, which encourages denser development near transit, arguing for local control over land use decisions. Bass emphasized the city's commitment to building housing, particularly affordable units. Raman countered that Bass mishandled the city's response to SB 79, contributing to a severe housing shortage that displaces working families.
