Nithya Raman Challenges Mayor Bass Over Homelessness, City Services, And Leadership In First Debate

India-West News Desk

LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman clashed on August 19 over homelessness, public safety, city services and leadership in their first face-to-face debate of the November 3 mayoral election, with Raman arguing that the city needs a change in leadership and Bass defending her record in office.

In a statement closing the debate at the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association, Raman, a progressive, said she is running because she loves Los Angeles but believes the city has become “rudderless” under Bass.

“My 10-year-old twins only get one chance to grow up here. They can’t wait four years for change. Angelenos, we should raise our expectations,” Raman said.

Raman credited Bass’ long career in public service but said the election should be about results. Los Angeles, she said, can be “affordable, functional, safe, joyful, ambitious,” and urged voters who are ready for change to join her campaign.

Much of Raman’s argument centered on what she sees as the failure of the mayor to fully use the authority of the office.

Raman noted that she is one of 15 members of the City Council and has limited power to advance legislation. The mayor, by contrast, is effectively the city’s chief executive, she said.

“When this mayor talks about how much power I have, I feel like she fundamentally misunderstands the power of the mayor’s seat,” Raman said. “When you have power, but you don’t use it, it looks like you don’t have that power at all,” she said adding that she would use that authority to advance the interests of Los Angeles residents.

Homelessness was another major point of contention. Raman said Bass has been mayor for four years, but argued that residents have not seen sufficient results. She pointed to homelessness as one of the clearest examples. “In my district, homelessness has gone down because of our relentless focus on it,” Raman said. “I do not want people sleeping on the streets.”

She said reducing homelessness requires action, leadership, management, data and oversight, and argued that those elements are missing from City Hall.

Raman also criticized the condition of basic city services, citing broken streetlights, potholes and sidewalks.

Bass defended her administration’s record, saying she has helped hundreds of people move off the streets and fast-tracked 42,000 units of housing.

The two candidates also clashed over public safety and the leadership of the Los Angeles Police Department, though the exchange largely centered on the department’s response to federal immigration raids.

Raman criticized LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, saying his response to the raids “have not met the moment,” but declined to say whether she would fire him if elected.

Bass pushed back, saying that removing a police chief is within a mayor’s authority. “It is not hard to fire the police chief if you want to,” Bass said.

The debate also showed the candidates’ contrasting approaches to governing.

Bass accused Raman of having difficulty working collaboratively with her colleagues. “She does not have the support of not one of her colleagues,” Bass said. “How is she going to govern the city when you have to govern with the City Council?”

The mayor waded in further on how Raman approaches city government and it took on an almost anti-intellectual hue that is more Republican:

“City Council and City Hall is not an academic institution,” Bass said.

At another point, Bass said of the ivy league educated Raman, “She does not act, she studies.”

Bass later reiterated the criticism, saying, “A study is not going to get you there.”

In her closing remarks, Raman returned to the personal reason she says she is seeking the mayor’s office.

“Los Angeles can be affordable, functional, safe, joyful, ambitious,” she said. “And if you’re ready for change, I want to invite you all to join us.”