My heart breaks as Los Angeles burns. But where are the city's leaders? | Opinion
Call me undiplomatic, but the timing of Mayor Karen Bass' absence from Los Angeles is incredibly unfortunate.
Wildfires have scorched thousands of acres and destroyed hundreds of buildings in Los Angeles in the past couple of days. Images from the fires seem like something out of a dystopian film.
Tens of thousands have fled their homes and at least five people have died. Evacuation orders remain in place in large sections of Los Angeles County.
It's heartbreaking to see parts of Southern California − land of wealth, opportunity and entertainment − burn. Californians deserve our empathy and aid as first responders, especially firefighters, put themselves in harm's way.
The initial cause of the blazes is unknown, but low humidity and high Santa Ana winds have made the fires immeasurably worse. But these fires raise questions about the management of Los Angeles and of California, a city and state with enormous wealth and power.
Who's running LA as the city burns?
As parts of Los Angeles burn, it's worth asking: Where are its leaders?
Mayor Karen Bass has been out of the country this week. In her stead, City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. Bass, who left her city on Saturday despite warnings about dangerous weather conditions, was in Ghana to attend that country's presidential inauguration at the behest of President Joe Biden.
Call me undiplomatic, but the timing is incredibly unfortunate. Why is the mayor of Los Angeles needed for a political event in Africa? It's irresponsible and a waste of taxpayers' money.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, that beacon of progressive hope, has been on the ground, observing the fires and making statements to journalists. He declared Monday that “the state is taking early, proactive steps to coordinate with local partners to protect communities as dangerous weather enters our state."
Those proactive steps clearly weren't good enough.
The Los Angeles Times reported that hydrants were low on water and some ran completely dry as the fires raged. City officials blamed the insatiable demand for water required to fight the fires.
But Rick Caruso, a high-profile developer and former candidate for mayor, blasted city leaders: “The firefighters are there (in the neighborhood), and there’s nothing they can do ‒ we’ve got neighborhoods burning, homes burning, and businesses burning. ... It should never happen,” Caruso said on live TV.
City leaders must look into why this happened in an area that has no shortage of taxpayer dollars to protect public safety.
Angelenos also should pressure Mayor Bass on why she cut fire department funding by more than $17 million this fiscal year.
Democratic politicians have failed Los Angeles
Democratic politicians have run California and Los Angeles for decades. The last time a Republican served as mayor was 2001.
From billionaires and Hollywood stars to tech gurus and entrepreneurs, Los Angeles is home to some of the wealthiest people in the world. Those residents and millions of others of lesser means pay an extraordinary tax rate. At about 13%, California has the highest income tax rate in the nation.
Yet for all their tax dollars, Angelenos have been unable to purchase safety and security. Much of that is because of misplaced priorities.
Just one example: Newsom has allocated about $20 billion to alleviate California's homeless crisis since he became governor in 2019, but the problem has only increased. He's now vowed to spend $827 million more.
But voters don't seem to connect these problems to their politicians. In the 2022 mayoral election, Los Angeles voters chose Bass over Caruso, the man responsible for creating places like The Grove, a luxury dining and shopping experience in the city.
I'm sure I'll be accused of politicizing a tragic event, but it's not politicizing to ask who is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the residents in a county with an operating budget of nearly $50 billion.
I am not suggesting these devastating wildfires happened because of liberal politicians. No human being controls the weather. Gusting winds, low humidity and dry brush make for perfect conditions for raging fires.
But those conditions aren't uncommon in Los Angeles, and it's up to elected leaders to ensure the city is ready when a predictable tragedy strikes.
California and Los Angeles will continue to suffer from mismanagement until Democratic leaders do better or until voters elect someone else.
Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with Paste BN. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.