As the midterm elections begin tonight, Los Angeles mayoral candidates U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) and Democrat Rick Caruso are neck and neck. Caruso is a successful businessman from the area, while Bass is currently the representative for the 37th district. She hopes to be the first woman to hold the position of Los Angeles mayor. 

OBJECTIVES OF THE CANDIDATES 

For both candidates, ending homelessness is a top priority. 

On Nov. 8, Bass, whom the presidential party endorses,said, “We can end homelessness, we can make our city safer, and we can make our city more affordable – but ONLY if we do it together.” 

Caruso shared similar sentiments on his Twitter, and both parties are interested in issues surrounding public safety and affordability. The candidates mainly differ in their focuses on corruption within the city. While Bass focuses deeply on justice and safety for citizens, Caruso emphasizes cracking down on corruption within the city’s systems of power. 

“In the last three years we have seen an unacceptable spike in arrests of elected officials for corruption,” Caruso states on his website. “We’ve seen the arrests of Councilmembers, official staff, bureaucrats, and high-level commissioners.” 

He also cites that this is something his opponent does not care for. Bass, however, is focused on boosting the local economy by supporting small businesses efforts, supporting workers, boosting the tourism industry and supporting the booming film industry in Los Angeles. 

“A Bass administration will promote equitable, pro-growth policies that support L.A.’s small businesses and key industries – because it’s the only way we’ll tackle income inequality and our city’s affordability crisis,” Bass states on her website. 

Caruso’s only economic efforts listed on his website include his focus on developing real estate inside of Los Angeles, a comparative weak point. 

WHY BIOLANS SHOULD CARE 

Biola University sits just inside the walls of L.A. County, meaning that students have been deeply affected by the COVID protocols and other major city decisions. Students who live in La Mirada have also witnessed and served the houseless community that is present in the city. Furthermore, as students find jobs off-campus, support for small city businesses maintains those jobs. 

Biola’s close proximity to the city of Los Angeles includes student concerns, as many look for jobs in the city—especially cinema and media arts students. Bass has a specific plan to support the film industry in Los Angeles. 

Both candidates expressed special interest in helping the homeless problem in the city, which widened with the pandemic. Los Angeles’s recovery of this problem will be crucial to the future of Biola, whose appeal to prospective students partially lies in the proximity to the city for job and internship opportunities, cultural experience and entertainment.