LA Mayor Karen Bass on Paris Olympics, Kamala Harris, and HollywoodTax Credit

EXCLUSIVE: Karen Bass is about to make some historical past, once more.

The primary girl elected Mayor of Los Angeles, the previous Congresswoman is in Paris for Sunday’s Olympics Closing Ceremony and the handover to the Metropolis of Angels for the Video games of the XXXIV Olympiad. In that handover from Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Mayor Bass would be the first Black girl mayor to obtain the Olympic flag in what would be the first feminine mayor to feminine mayor switch.

“I hope that it sends a message to ladies typically around the globe, however particularly Black ladies in the US,” declares the primary time period mayor from the streets of the Metropolis of Mild forward of tomorrow’s closing ceremony within the 80,000-capacty Stade de France. In fact, on this 12 months of a distinctly unpredictable election within the United  States, a wise retail politician like Bass is in Paris to suss out what might be discovered from the previous two weeks of competitors and tradition for the following summer season Olympics right here in Los Angeles.

In that context, the Mayor chatted with me about Paris 2024 and the closing ceremony, plus LA 2028. Mayor Bass additionally spoke about her efforts to assist soar begin the movie and TV trade in Los Angeles after a tough previous few years which have seen a pandemic, strikes, cuts galore and extra belt tightening by the studios and streamers. After which there’s that matter of a sure historical past making Vice President and a sure convicted felon.

DEADLINE: In taking the Olympic flag from Mayor Hidalgo in Sunday’s closing ceremony,, you may be the primary black girl mayor ever to obtain the flag. What does that imply to you as each the mayor of LA and as a person?

MAYOR KAREN BASS: Nicely, to start with, it’s an unbelievable supply. of pleasure.

I’m very enthusiastic about it and humbled by it. I hope that it sends a message to ladies typically around the globe, however particularly Black ladies in the US. I imply, we’re on the verge of a Black feminine president. So, I believe it’s simply an thrilling time. I’m at all times  eager about younger folks feeling as if that they will do something. But when I could make a small contribution to a teen feeling that method, then I shall be very glad.

DEADLINE: On the subject of the closing ceremony, there are plenty of rumors about what we’re going to see from LA close to the tip. We reported on Tom Cruise swooping down. There’s speak of the likes of Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and others performing, and a giant Hollywood manufacturing from LA 2028. In addition to your individual flag handover function, what else are we going to see?

MAYOR BASS: (laughs) Very severely,  I don’t know.

DEADLINE: C’mon …

MAYOR BASS: I’m severe, I don’t know.

DEADLINE: Okay, we’ll take your phrase for that, however staying on LA 2028 and the tip of Paris 2024, what we’ve seen over the previous two weeks, what are the professionals and cons for you trying ahead 4 years from now?

MAYOR BASS: Nicely, I believe what we may be taught from them professional is easy methods to have an exquisite occasion that includes all people, easy methods to have a assure put aside for small companies. After which I believe on the con, I don’t know what’s the con you already know.

DEADLINE: Actually?

MAYOR BASS: Maybe how they did their opening ceremony. I believe we’d focus extra on the athletes. I don’t assume it’s a con or a criticism,  simply one thing we’d select to do.

DEADLINE: The 2028 Olympics will happen midway what by means of could be your second time period, which suggests you’ll not solely have quite a lot of affect on the Video games, however shall be actually the host and the one handing over the flag to the Mayor of Brisbane . How will you utilize that affect?

MAYOR BASS: I view it as a goal date through which we have to handle a variety of challenges in our metropolis. And I’ll let you know that I wish to see the sport happen and profit the complete metropolis. So, one of many issues I’ve liked about being right here is that even in neighborhoods the place the video games usually are not truly being performed, there’s full participation nonetheless with cultural occasions and fan festivals..

DEADLINE: How so?

MAYOR BASS: I used to be in entrance of Metropolis Corridor earlier this week and there have been  1000’s of individuals on the market watching one of many video games on a giant display screen, I wish to see that very same kind of factor occur for or video games. I need all of Los Angeles cooking, electrical and concerned.

DEADLINE: Inside and outdoors the venues then?

MAYOR BASS: Sure, as a result of we’re so lucky in LA to have so many venues. So, the Griffith Observatory might be one place for folks. one of many issues by way of communities, I wish to see us use the Greek Theatre,  I wish to see us use the Hollywood Bowl.  We now have the BMO Stadium. We now have  Exposition Park.  Oh, my goodness, we’re so lucky.

DEADLINE: I get these areas however I’m wondering what you are feeling in regards to the typically ignored elements of our metropolis – South LA and a number of the satellite tv for pc cities that don’t get acknowledged as a lot or over in wonderful Boyle Heights and East LA.  We now have the Watts Tower, a nationwide landmark, that I do know many individuals in LA have by no means seen in particular person. How can we convey these elements of town in to play, so to talk, for 2028 to indicate the total, wealthy image of LA?

MAYOR BASS: Nicely, we’re positively going to try this as a result of we’re going to have of us all over. So, the Watts Tower,  completely, By then we can even have the open areas of Vacation spot Crenshaw We now have the unbelievable murals of East L.A. and on the San Fernando Valley. I wish to guarantee that all of these neighborhoods are represented together with our varied ethnic neighborhoods like Little Ethiopia and Koreatown. Little Armenia, Little Bangladesh.

DEADLINE: Madame Mayor, that each one sounds each bold and nice, however one of many greatest challenges LA faces now and heading in direction of 2028 is homelessness, each for the unhoused themselves and the strain have so many individuals on the streets has created within the metropolis …

MAYOR BASS: Sure..

DEADLINE: Governor Newsom lately signed a brand new order based mostly on the Supreme Court docket’s ruling about homelessness and encampments. LA has made it fairly clear that they’re not going to take what some have known as draconian measures, however I do know that coping with this disaster has been a serious a part of your administration. Speaking to folks, I hear rather a lot: “Oh, God, we will’t have an Olympics. There’s all these folks on the road.”

What would you say to these folks?

MAYOR BASS: To begin with, Dominic you already know I’m round for this, as a result of that has been my focus, my ardour, my concern, and I’ve labored on this evening and day since even earlier than I took workplace.

So, for the primary time in a few years, we’ve truly had a decline in avenue homelessness. The place I agree with the governor and have labored in very shut partnership with him, is we’ve been clearing out encampments, we’re going to proceed to try this. The distinction is that for us that’s clearing out an encampment for us is outlined by getting folks housed. What I don’t assume works is simply telling folks to maneuver alongside.

DEADLINE: On one other native difficulty, you lately made strikes to spice up manufacturing right here within the dwelling of Hollywood, and put collectively an  Leisure Business Cupboard, with the likes of MPA boss Charlie Rivkin, NBCU VP Yvette Estrada, ex-Movie Czar Ken Ziffren, Netflix’s Amy Lemisch, and Jason Reitman in it.

MAYOR BASS: Sure..

DEADLINE: Once you and I spoke on the Shirley premiere on March 19 you talked about to me about you had been making an attempt to see if the governor would even enlarge the state’s $300 million annual movie and TV tax credit. So, popping out of the pandemic popping out of final 12 months’s strikes, what do you assume must be finished that may actually assist to get the trade again on its ft, get manufacturing again to the place it was and get folks again to work?