I love Los Angeles - I grew up and raised my own family here. My grandparents emigrated here and started their lives from scratch as they worked hard to achieve the American Dream. They instilled in me strong family values, a hard-working spirit, and a deep commitment to giving back to the community. These are the values that motivate me to this day and they are what inspires me to run for Mayor.
Los Angeles is a city where people come to make their dreams come true. But today’s LA is not delivering the opportunities it should for residents. Los Angeles is in a state of emergency with homelessness on the rise and people not feeling safe to take mass transit to work, have their children walk to school or walk around the block. The root cause is that the system in Los Angeles is broken and the interests of Angelenos are being sacrificed by career politicians. What we all heard in the leaked City Hall recordings is not a new phenomenon - it was just a peek behind the political curtain - calling attention to the corruption that is rampant and plagues our city’s elected officials and career politicians.
To deliver change for the better Los Angeles needs to elect someone new – a political outsider – who has the leadership skills, experience and proven ability to deliver results. I know how to drive clarity of mission, build coalitions of diverse stakeholders and get projects done faster than expected and with an efficient use of resources.
FINAL COUNTDOWN: HERE'S WHAT'S AT STAKE IN NEXT WEEK'S MIDTERM ELECTIONS
Homelessness has spiked to staggering numbers in Los Angeles and has left tens of thousands of people living out on the streets. As Mayor, on day one I will declare a State of Emergency and will build 30,000 shelter beds in 300 days. I will make the Mayor responsible for homeless response and coordinate all aspects, holding myself accountable to lead our city out of this crisis. I will create a City of Los Angeles Health and Human Services Department and will coordinate supportive services so the unhoused population receives the mental health counseling, job training, and permanent housing that is so desperately needed.
We must address a key catalyst of homelessness – the lack of affordable housing in Los Angeles. My Emergency Declaration will also address the crisis Angelenos are experiencing with the high cost of living. I will prioritize expediting zoning and land use policies, entitlement and permitting processes, and housing access and neighborhood stabilization to increase options for rental and homeownership. I will establish a city-led housing subsidy aimed at alleviating housing costs for the most vulnerable rent-burdened households. By focusing on temporary and short-term policy decisions, the city can immediately provide housing accessibility in transit-rich areas and along major commercial corridors. In doing so, the city can enhance affordability across the housing spectrum. What sets me apart from my opponent is that I’m a builder and I have experience solving complex problems.
Crime has also sharply increased in the city. As former president of the Police Commission, I built the right team by recruiting Chief William Bratton, and we developed effective strategies that resulted in a 30 percent reduction in crime. I will hire 1,500 new officers and increase community-based policing by hiring officers that look like, and understand, their communities. Hiring more police officers is my top public safety priority. We need to stop crime and having officers who know their neighborhoods creates a system for early detection and prevention. Second chances are very important to me, and I will also focus on reducing recidivism through better education, access to job training, and mental health services. I will also address the link between mental health and crime by hiring mental health workers to respond to 911 and 988 calls.
FOX NEWS POLL: POLARIZATION DEFINES THE MIDTERM ELECTION
Starting my first day in office, I’ll be ready to lead the second largest city government in the country. I’ve built a business from the ground up starting with just one employee, and it has grown to where it has created thousands of jobs. I’ve successfully navigated the city bureaucracy to sustainably build major projects ahead of schedule and with an efficient use of resources. I know I can restore faith in government because I will be beholden to no one other than the people of the great city of Los Angeles.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE OPINION NEWSLETTER
I want to be Mayor of Los Angeles to help restore the Angeleno spirit that has been weakened by our failing systems. I want to make LA a city where every resident can have a great quality of life. This isn’t just another stepping stone where I bury the best interests of my constituents because I’m worried about securing the next political office. Being Mayor of Los Angeles is the only job I want; Angelenos deserve a Mayor who is 100 percent dedicated to advancing their interests not placating their political cronies. Our great city of Los Angeles deserves a government that isn’t corrupt and gives all residents the fair opportunity to succeed.
Fox News Digital has also invited Rep. Karen Bass to submit an op-ed about why voters should choose her in the mayoral election.
