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⏱️ 6-minute read
The Announcement Everyone Expected — and the Record It Avoids
This weekend, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass officially launched her re-election campaign with a downtown rally focused on familiar topics: affordability, safety, and challenging Washington. The announcement was expected, the timing made sense, and her message was crafted to show confidence and certainty.
But she has not seriously addressed the problems facing the city she wants to lead for the next 4 years, other than, perhaps, to make them worse
By any fair measure, Karen Bass has been a poor mayor for Angelenos. Since she took office, the city has become less affordable, less functional, and less ready for the future. The difference between her promises and what she has delivered is obvious.
As I reviewed the mayor’s record for this column, it quickly became clear that there is too much to cover in just one piece. This overview is meant to give a big-picture look, not every detail. As the campaign continues, we’ll have time to dig deeper into these issues. For now, the goal is to step back and see how much has gone wrong under this administration.
And yet, that record alone may not prevent her from being re-elected. Bass starts this race as the clear favorite, backed by powerful groups, public-sector unions, and a political scene that often values appearances over real results. But being likely to win is not the same as deserving it. Before the campaign turns into a battle of slogans and turnout, we should take a closer look at her record.
Because when you do, the list is not short. It is overwhelming.
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Why Los Angeles now costs more while delivering less
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