Thursday, March 28

Billionaire Caruso and Congresswoman Bass Join Crowded LA Mayor Bid


Article content

(Bloomberg) — Billionaire real-estate developer Rick Caruso and Congresswoman Karen Bass are among the best-known contenders jumping into a packed race to lead Los Angeles, the second-biggest city in the US

LA Councilmembers Kevin de Leon and Joe Buscaino and City Attorney Mike Feuer also filed their paperwork to run by Saturday’s deadline, according to the LA city clerk’s website. The primary is June 7, and the general election is Nov. 8. The LA mayor’s office is nonpartisan.

Article content

The crowded field, with a total of 27 mayoral candidates, includes less familiar faces too — from a teacher to a chiropractor and construction worker, along with community activists and businesspeople.

The eventual winner will oversee a metropolis that’s still trying to rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic and coping with worsening homelessness and bouts of civil unrest. Greater LA’s 8.4% jobless rate in December was more than double the national average.

Bass is a longtime representative of South Los Angeles, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and reportedly was a finalist to be President Joe Biden’s vice presidential nominee. She started out as a community activist and was the first African-American woman to serve as speaker of the California State Assembly.

Article content

Caruso would bring a business background to the mayor’s office as owner of the Grove shopping center and other high-end properties. A former president of the Los Angeles Police Commission, Caruso is critical of how local officials have handled crime and homelessness.

The next mayor would take office later this year, though a change could come sooner. Mayor Eric Garcetti is in his second and final term, and was nominated by Biden to serve as US ambassador to India. LA may have an interim replacement before city residents choose Garcetti’s permanent successor.

During Garcetti’s tenure, the city saw infrastructure improvements at Los Angeles International Airport as well as advances in renewable energy and water conservation. But homelessness swelled, underscoring inequality in the city.

©2022 Bloomberg LP

Bloomberg.com



financialpost.com