Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman revisited familiar debates over encampments and the Los Angeles Police Department during their only televised debate ahead of the November election.
The debate, hosted by NBC4 and Telemundo 52, comes just days before the state’s voter registration deadline and exactly three weeks from the midterms. It’s a race that could end with an incumbent being defeated — a first since Mayor James Hahn lost to Antonio Villaraigosa in 2005.
Here's what you missed in the debate:
Where Bass, Raman stand on Flock cameras
Moderators noted that the LAPD is renewing and expanding its automatic license plate reader contracts, including installing the tech on streetlights. They then asked the mayoral candidates whether mass surveillance belongs in local
law enforcement.
Raman expressed skepticism about the technology, stating that she wants proof it effectively reduces crime and guarantees that data won't be shared with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Bass believes license plate readers have a place in crime prevention. However, she doesn’t support renewing the contract with Flock, the technology that has garnered criticism nationwide amid reports of misuse.
“There are other companies that provide that service, and I think that LAPD needs to have a contract with those companies,” Bass said.
The mayor highlighted that under her leadership, she established an Office of Community Safety to identify non-law enforcement solutions for reducing crime.
LA’s mansion tax: Will it get restricted to ‘luxury’ single-family homes?
Moderators asked the candidates if they would push to limit Measure ULA—commonly known as the “mansion tax”—to luxury single-family homes. Passed by voters in 2022, the measure levies an additional tax on property transfers over $5 million. A pre-recorded question played during the debate criticized the law for “choking housing production and lending” because it “hits every sale over $5 million, including apartment buildings and businesses.”
“When the results of the measure started to come in, I looked at the data again and said we need to reform it because this issue matters too much to voters,” Raman said, earlier saying that previous data suggested it would not impact new housing construction.
Bass said anything that is going to inhibit housing needs to be examined. The mayor said she was involved in the effort to reform ULA on the state level. The deal “collapsed” at the “last-minute,” she said.
Raman addresses ‘fascist’ comments
Attention recently focused on a since-deleted social media video featuring Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman and a digital content creator, in which the two deliver the line, “Only you can stop fascist liars”. In the video, the creator asked Raman about her plan to “de-fascisize” the city—arguing that Los Angeles had become “extremely fascist,” particularly following Mayor Karen Bass’s appointment of Jim McDonnell as LAPD chief.
“I would never imply that this city is fascist or that this mayor is fascist or that our police chief is fascist,” Raman said. “That’s not what I said at all.”
She described it as a misedited video from an outside party.
Raman previously said in an interview with NBC4 that her comments about fascism were about ICE and some of the actions of the federal government.
Will Raman replace the LAPD chief?
The city councilmember was also asked to clarify whether she’d replace Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell before the 2028 LA Olympics.
“It is not a unilateral decision by the mayor,” Raman said. “It takes agreement with the police commission, even agreement with the council. It’s not something that I can immediately set a timeline on, but I do plan to do it, and I will work towards it.”
She assured Angelenos that no decision would be made that puts the public at risk, promising that "everything will be done with care" and "deliberation"—particularly given the security challenges of hosting a major global event in Los Angeles. Raman has previously criticized Chief McDonnell, arguing that the LAPD under his leadership appeared to prioritize protecting ICE over local residents.
“I don’t think you have any idea what it takes to identify a police chief,” Bass said. “We are 640 days away from the largest sporting event to ever take place — a major national security event and if you think that you’re going to find a police chief, you would send the department in disarray by doing that.”
Bass, Raman talk homelessness and encampments
Bass was asked about “what went wrong” regarding homelessness going up in Los Angeles. The estimated number of people who are homeless in Los Angeles increased by 3.4% after two years of previous decreases, according to the 2026 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count.
The mayor said that Los Angeles “needs to be in complete control of the system” — no more working jointly with Los Angeles County — “so we can have transparency and accountability.”
Raman again scrutinized Bass’ Inside Safe program, which is intended to move people off the streets and from encampments into housing. The councilmember said she’d monitor every dollar and track its performance regarding homelessness.
On the topic of homelessness, moderators pressed Raman on her voting record regarding a city ordinance that bans encampments near schools and parks.
Raman emphasized the safety of children in Los Angeles matters greatly to her.
“Homelessness on our streets is unacceptable to me,” she said. “That’s why I push back against the kind of legislation that, at its most effective, uses scarcity resources to move an encampment across the street.”
Raman said she wouldn’t repeal the ordinance.
Moderators also questioned candidates about enforcing drug laws — if you do drugs on the street, you’ll be arrested, they said.
Bass said she thinks the model of drug court was a good model, “where you have a choice between going to jail or going into treatment.” First, however, treatment needs to be expanded in Los Angeles, the mayor said.
For Raman, homelessness can’t be addressed without a “whole of government approach.”
“You work with LAPD to make sure that you are enforcing laws that need to be enforced, that you’re arresting people who are committing crimes, and everyone else who simply needs a bed or needs shelter is able to go indoors,” she said.
Where is my ballot?
People can track their ballot by signing up at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov to receive notifications.
How long is the position of mayor in LA?
The term of office is four years.
When do we vote for LA mayor?
Election Day is Nov. 3.
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her atpbarraza@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 5 key takeaways in Los Angeles mayoral debate: Flock cameras, LAPD
