LA mayoral debate erupts over fires, homelessness and safety

In a heated Los Angeles mayoral debate, Karen Bass faced aggressive challenges from Spencer Pratt and Nithya Raman on wildfire preparedness, homelessness, policing, and city spending. Pratt criticized reservoir management and argued for stronger wildfire protections and new dip sites; Bass defended her record and noted a drop in street homelessness and housing efforts while blaming staffing gaps on a former fire chief. Raman highlighted district gains on encampment reductions, stressed shelter and services, and called for balanced policing and housing investments. The discussion also touched on needle programs, Olympics policing, funding oversight, and a controversial stance on voting rights for non-citizens, with Pratt pushing for stricter rules and Bass and Raman offering hedged positions.