(Bloomberg) — Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso, a billionaire real estate developer, said he would disclose his tax records if his opponents agreed to do so.
Caruso pledged at the urging of City Attorney Mike Feuer during a mayoral debate at the University of Southern California on Tuesday evening.
“When all the candidates pay in taxes, I will release too,” Caruso said.
He was also on stage with rival Congresswoman Karen Bass, who leads the early voting show alongside city council members Kevin De Leon and Joe Buscaino. A total of 12 candidates have qualified to run for the position of four years.
“Many people (including his own advisors) were surprised when Caruso committed to releasing his tax returns,” Buscaino’s campaign said in a statement.
The mayor’s debate discussed questions about rising crime and homelessness – issues of widespread concern to voters in the second-largest US city.
According to a recent survey, over 40% of Angelenos view crime as a major concern. Last year the number of murders in the city rose 12% to 397 – the highest level in 15 years. In 2020, the last time Los Angeles County counted the homeless, 66,436 people were found living on the streets, a 13% increase from the year before.
The primary is 7 June and the general election is 8 November. The LA Mayor’s Office is nonpartisan. LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, who has been in office since 2013, cannot run again because of term limits. In July he was named as Biden’s choice for ambassador to India, but the position has yet to be confirmed by the US Senate.
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