What's Next, Los Angeles? with Mike Bonin

The Winners Are Clear. The Questions Remain

The votes have been (mostly) counted, and the winners are clear.  What will a Bass-Raman match up look like? And what will it mean for Los Angeles? I share some thoughts. Also: an interview with City Controller Kenneth Mejia and his campaign manager, Jane Nguyen, about his resounding victory; and a conversation with County Registrar Dean Logan about the controversy over the pace of the count in Los Angeles County. What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin [https://www.mikebonin.com/], in partnership with LA Forward [https://www.laforward.org/].

MARISSA ROY: Candidate for L.A. City Attorney

The office of Los Angeles City Attorney doesn’t always get the same attention as races for mayor or city council, but it plays a major role in how the city functions — overseeing legal advice to city departments, enforcement of city laws, and misdemeanor prosecutions, while also shaping how the city approaches issues like housing, labor standards, consumer protection, and civil rights. Today’s guest is Marissa Roy. Roy currently works as a Deputy Attorney General with the California Department of Justice, where her work has included consumer protection and tenant rights enforcement. Earlier in her career, she worked in the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, handling labor and worker protection matters.  Her campaign has focused heavily on using the office more aggressively to protect renters from illegal evictions, pursue wage theft and worker exploitation cases, crack down on consumer fraud, and take legal action against polluters and corporate misconduct. She has also argued that the City Attorney’s Office should play a larger role in challenging actions by the Trump administration that affect Los Angeles residents.  https://www.marissaroy.com/ [https://www.marissaroy.com/] What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin [https://www.mikebonin.com/], in partnership with LA Forward [https://www.laforward.org/].

MICHAEL TUBBS - Candidate for Lt. Governor

Today we turn to the race for lieutenant governor — an office that often gets less attention than governor or senator, but one that can play an important role in shaping state policy, economic development, higher education, and California’s political future. Today’s guest is Michael Tubbs. Tubbs first gained national attention when he was elected mayor of Stockton at age 26, becoming one of the youngest mayors of a major American city. During his time in office, he focused on issues like gun violence prevention, economic mobility, and poverty, and became especially well known for launching one of the country’s first guaranteed income pilot programs. Since leaving office, Tubbs has remained active in public policy, writing and speaking about economic inequality, education, and the challenges facing communities that have often been left out of California’s prosperity. He has also taught at Stanford and worked on statewide and national initiatives focused on opportunity and anti-poverty policy. Now running for lieutenant governor, Tubbs is arguing that California needs a new generation of leadership focused on affordability, economic opportunity, and making state government work more effectively for working people. I sat down with Michael Tubbs recently to talk about his campaign, his time as mayor, and how he sees California’s future. https://michaeltubbsforca.com/ [https://michaeltubbsforca.com/] https://mtubbs.com/ [https://mtubbs.com/] What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin [https://www.mikebonin.com/], in partnership with LA Forward [https://www.laforward.org/].

Wendy Carrillo: Candidate for State Senate

Today, we continue our focus on the race for the State Senate seat in District 26, currently held by Maria Elena Durazo, who is termed out of office. District 26 is a dense, urban district centered in Los Angeles, including Downtown LA, Boyle Heights, Echo Park, and surrounding neighborhoods. It’s home to largely Latino and immigrant communities, with a mix of working-class families and renters, and it sits at the center of many of the city’s biggest challenges — from housing affordability and homelessness to economic inequality and access to public services. Today’s guest is Wendy Carrillo, a member of the California State Assembly. Carrillo represented the 52nd Assembly District from 2017 to 2024, covering much of Northeast Los Angeles. Before entering elected office, she worked as a journalist and communications professional, and has long been active in immigrant rights and community advocacy. In the legislature, she worked on issues including housing, labor, and immigrant protections, and has been part of broader debates in Sacramento over affordability and the cost of living. She’s now running for State Senate in a competitive race to succeed Durazo. And in this conversation, we also talk about something more personal — her experience with sobriety and recovery, and how that has shaped her life and approach to public service. What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin [https://www.mikebonin.com/], in partnership with LA Forward [https://www.laforward.org/].

SARA HERNANDEZ: Candidate for State Senate District 26

Sara Hernandez, an attorney, educator, and member of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees, is running for State Senate District 26, ans she joins me on this episode of What's Next, Los Angeles. District 26, currently represented by Maria Elena Durazo, is a dense, urban district centered in Los Angeles, including Downtown LA, Boyle Heights, Echo Park, and surrounding neighborhoods. It’s home to largely Latino and immigrant communities, with a mix of working-class families and renters, and it sits at the center of many of the city’s biggest challenges — from housing affordability and homelessness to economic inequality and access to public services. Hernandez has spent her career working at the intersection of education, housing, and public policy. She began as a middle school teacher in LAUSD, where she founded the nonprofit Helping Young People Excel, or HYPE, to support low-income students through high school and into college. Her work with students facing homelessness, food insecurity, immigration challenges, and barriers to opportunity led her to pursue a career in law and public service. After earning her law degree, Hernandez worked in Los Angeles City Hall, helping lead community revitalization efforts through investments in housing, transportation, infrastructure, and economic development. She now practices as a housing and environmental attorney and has done extensive pro bono work representing immigrants in asylum proceedings and assisting students navigating the DACA process. In 2022, she was elected to the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees, where she has focused on expanding access to education, increasing enrollment, connecting students to housing resources, and growing apprenticeship programs in the building trades. Hernandez is also active in grassroots organizing, including founding DTLA Strong, a community group that helped significantly increase voter turnout in downtown Los Angeles. https://www.sarahernandez.com/ What's Next, Los Angeles? is produced and hosted by Mike Bonin [https://www.mikebonin.com/], in partnership with LA Forward [https://www.laforward.org/].