While the candidates align in their goals, they differ in their ideas of what it means to effectively achieve them.
Los Angeles mayoral candidates Karen Bass and Nithya Raman shared their plans for a greener L.A. at a forum on Thursday, sharing many of the same goals but differing views on how effective the city has been in addressing environmental issues.
The forum took place at Los Angeles Trade-Tech College where the candidates answered similar questions from LAist climate reporter Erin Stone. They both had 45 minutes to communicate their environmental platforms to voters, appearing separately.
While the candidates shared many of the same goals relating to water conservation and local sourcing, phasing out oil drilling plants, increasing access to public transportation, moving towards clean energy and providing the unhoused population relief from extreme heat, they differed in their views of the current state of L.A.’s environmental initiatives.
Bass said under her leadership progress has been made in making the city coal-free, reusing vacant office buildings into apartments to creating more affordable housing and fighting for environmental justice. Raman criticized her administration for showing a lack of urgency to achieve its climate goals, and for attempting to cut funding for environmental programs.
“Efforts to build a resilient water supply, close neighborhood drilling sites, make our streets safer, all of these have slowed over the last four years,” Raman said. “Our climate policy cannot run on autopilot. A mayor has to appoint leaders who share this urgency, make it progress, and hold departments accountable when they fall behind.”
Bass had proposed cutting funds to the Climate Emergency Mobilization Office due to a budget shortfall, which the City Council denied. She later removed and replaced the city’s chief heat officer. Bass said the proposal was made not because she doubted the importance of the office’s work but because it had failed to deliver a climate action plan and needed to be revamped.
Another major environmental issue that the candidates discussed was emergency preparedness for environmental disasters such as wildfires. Raman was critical of Bass’ response to the Palisades fire, and the fact that a new chief recovery officer was not appointed after Steve Soboroff left three months following the fire.
“Residents from the Palisades have felt that the preparation before that event was inadequate, and that the recovery has been inexcusably slow,” Raman said.
Scroll to continue reading
Bass said that the city’s response to the Palisades fire was impeded by an overlap in jurisdiction between city and state land, but that they have learned from the situation how to be more proactive. She said she wants to expand the fire department and prioritize brush clearance.
“Part of the brush was the city, part of the brush was the state. There was a reluctance to go into state territory because our folks were told they couldn’t do that,” Bass said. “As far as I’m concerned, that’s not gonna happen again.”
Raman also criticized Bass’ for relaying inaccurate information regarding air quality to residents of Boyle Heights following the Lineage warehouse fire. Bass addressed the statement saying she relied on information from public health officials which later turned out to be inaccurate.
When asked to describe the difference between themselves and their opponent, Bass emphasized her experience and track record dealing with environmental issues while Raman emphasized her commitment to prioritizing environmental initiatives.
“I have a record. She has wonderful ideas and plans, but she’s been there twice as long as I have, and the question is: what actually has she produced?” Bass said.
Raman said that she believes there has been a lack of “urgency and focus” from Bass on environmental issues, as demonstrated in policymaking and advocacy, budgeting and resource allocation.
“I have been disappointed in the fact that timelines keep getting moved back, the fact that staff keep getting cut at the city who are essential to us achieving these goals,” Raman said. “To me, for this administration — for the Bass administration — climate has not been a priority.”
The candidates will run against each other in the November 3 general election.