Meet Your Mayor: How Well Do You Align With LA Mayoral Candidate Rick Caruso

Rick Caruso is a businessman and real estate developer whose properties include The Grove and Americana at Brand. He has served as president of the L.A. Police Commission and as a commissioner for the LADWP. He stepped down as Chairman of the USC Board of Trustees after announcing his run.

Website: carusocan.com

Positions

LAist sent out 19 questions to both candidates running for mayor in the Nov. 8 general election runoff. Rick Caruso's campaign participated in our primary quiz, but after weeks of emails and calls, they have failed to provide responses to our follow-up General Election questionnaire. Where possible, we have supplied Caruso's original answers from the Primary Election (you can see his full, unedited responses to that questionnaire here). Note, however, that this only includes six questions. Really want to see Caruso's answers to the other questions? Contact his campaign here and ask them to participate.

Climate Emergency

View topic guide

Climate change is contributing to longer and more severe droughts in California. What do you think is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to protect Angelenos' water supply?

No response / no position
What is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to keep Angelenos safe amid extreme heat?

No response / no position
Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Los Angeles. Where do you see the biggest opportunity to lower those emissions?

No response / no position
Fires in the city and its surroundings are growing more frequent and more severe as a result of the climate crisis. What is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to tackle this problem?

No response / no position

Housing and Homelessness

View topic guide

Los Angeles Municipal Code 41.18, better known as the “anti-camping law,” bans people who are unhoused from camping on public property close to locations such as schools, parks, libraries, and underpasses. Should 41.18 be kept as is, repealed, or changed?

Keep as is

Keep it, but expand support for those experiencing homelessness

Change the law or change how it’s implemented

Repeal it

I will build 30,000 shelter beds in 300 days with supported services to get people off our streets and provide them with the help they need to get back on their feet. I will also enforce 41.18 to keep people from turning our parks, sidewalks, and bus shelters into encampments.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “We need to stop allowing homeless encampments and shelters near residences.”

No response / no position
Do you agree with Angelenos who say that the large number of people living outside makes neighborhoods less safe?

Yes, the homelessness crisis makes everyone less safe

It's debatable

I think a significant percentage of our homeless crisis is driven by those who are mentally ill and suffer from substance abuse. Whether they directly make our city less safe is debatable, but they do make people feel less safe outside, at our parks, or walking down the street. We need to get people housed, we need to get them services, and for those who can not make rational decisions for themselves due to mental illness we need a Cares Court now.
What is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to address the homelessness crisis in the near-term?

No response / no position

Economics

View topic guide

Traffic violence is considered a public health crisis by many state and local officials. City programs and plans aimed at making streets safer, including Vision Zero and Mobility Plan 2035, have not been effective, especially for low-income Angelenos and in Black and Brown communities. What is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to make the streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists?

No response / no position
Due to the city's emergency decree, rent increases are currently not allowed for tenants living in the city’s rent-controlled housing. But before the pandemic, Los Angeles generally allowed annual rent increases between 3% and 8%, depending on inflation. Should the city alter its rent control limits, eliminate them, or keep them?

No response / no position
Landlords say they’ve been struggling amid rising costs, inflation over 7%, and pandemic-era restrictions such as temporary bans on rent increases and evictions. Should we lift the city’s eviction protections now, let them expire in January, or extend them past January?

No response / no position
What statement best reflects your position on the minimum wage of $16.04 that went into effect on July 1, 2022?

No response / no position
Do you agree with Mayor Garcetti’s decision to pilot a universal basic income program in Los Angeles?

Yes

No

I am always interested in innovative solutions to solving inequality. I am open to seeing the results of the City’s and County’s programs and seeing if there are real tangible results.

Policing

View topic guide

The Los Angeles Police Department currently has fewer than 9,400 sworn officers but is authorized to have about 9,700. As mayor, what would you do?

Increase sworn officers to the authorized limit

Push to authorize even more officers

Reduce, or keep it at the current level

The LAPD is the smallest big city police force per capita in the US and that must change. I will add 1,500 officers to our force before the end of his first term. My administration will apply for every federal and state grant there is and even demand more direct funding from the Biden administration and Governor Newsom to expand and strengthen our police force and ensure they are trained properly and engaged with the communities they serve.
The current LAPD operating budget of $1.9 billion represents about 16% of the overall city budget. Should LAPD funding stay the same, increase or decrease?

Stay the same

Increase

Decrease

I will restore the LAPD’s budget and expand the number of patrol officers with more hiring, civilianization of non-essential sworn positions, and a commitment to more training and diversified recruitment.
What do you think is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to ensure that officers responding to a 911 call can recognize a mental health crisis and avoid using lethal force?

No response / no position
Would you be willing to meet with groups that have been sharply critical of the police, such as Black Lives Matter and Reform L.A. Jails?

Yes

No

I am willing to meet with anyone and listen to their concerns and solutions.
District Attorney George Gascón came to office on a progressive agenda that includes fewer prosecutions for low-level crimes. What statement best reflects your opinion of his agenda?

No response / no position
What do you think is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to repair the frayed relationships between the LAPD and many of the communities it serves?

No response / no position

Back to Quiz

Rick Caruso

Positions

Climate Emergency

Climate change is contributing to longer and more severe droughts in California. What do you think is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to protect Angelenos' water supply?

What is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to keep Angelenos safe amid extreme heat?

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Los Angeles. Where do you see the biggest opportunity to lower those emissions?

Fires in the city and its surroundings are growing more frequent and more severe as a result of the climate crisis. What is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to tackle this problem?

Housing and Homelessness

Los Angeles Municipal Code 41.18, better known as the “anti-camping law,” bans people who are unhoused from camping on public property close to locations such as schools, parks, libraries, and underpasses. Should 41.18 be kept as is, repealed, or changed?

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “We need to stop allowing homeless encampments and shelters near residences.”

Do you agree with Angelenos who say that the large number of people living outside makes neighborhoods less safe?

What is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to address the homelessness crisis in the near-term?

Economics

Landlords say they’ve been struggling amid rising costs, inflation over 7%, and pandemic-era restrictions such as temporary bans on rent increases and evictions. Should we lift the city’s eviction protections now, let them expire in January, or extend them past January?

What statement best reflects your position on the minimum wage of $16.04 that went into effect on July 1, 2022?

Do you agree with Mayor Garcetti’s decision to pilot a universal basic income program in Los Angeles?

Policing

The Los Angeles Police Department currently has fewer than 9,400 sworn officers but is authorized to have about 9,700. As mayor, what would you do?

The current LAPD operating budget of $1.9 billion represents about 16% of the overall city budget. Should LAPD funding stay the same, increase or decrease?

What do you think is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to ensure that officers responding to a 911 call can recognize a mental health crisis and avoid using lethal force?

Would you be willing to meet with groups that have been sharply critical of the police, such as Black Lives Matter and Reform L.A. Jails?

District Attorney George Gascón came to office on a progressive agenda that includes fewer prosecutions for low-level crimes. What statement best reflects your opinion of his agenda?

What do you think is the most important and impactful step the city can take as part of a strategy to repair the frayed relationships between the LAPD and many of the communities it serves?

Candidates

Credits & Support

Reporting

Editing

Web Development and Design

Videography

Photography

Events

Marketing

Support

Special Thanks