I have lived in Los Angeles for more than 50 years, and other than for Dick Riordan, have never endorsed a candidate for mayor in a primary, until now.

I am voting for Karen Bass, and here’s why. Living for 50 years in Los Angeles, during which I have served as a Los Angeles Police Commissioner (president twice, and still serving), recreation and parks commissioner [and] harbor commissioner, being involved in Big Brothers/Big Sisters since 1968, and as chair of the LAUSD Bond Oversight Committee, I know what it takes to actually get things done. Democracy is exhausting. Karen Bass makes the system work.

Karen Bass may not be uniquely qualified to make promises, but she is most qualified to implement them. Her relationships with the state, the federal government and with mainstream philanthropy, coupled with her accomplishments in hundreds of neighborhoods, are unique and frankly, unparalleled. Because she leads from the middle, she has an opportunity to be one of the most outstanding mayors that Los Angeles has seen in many decades.

Of course, we need to expand the LAPD, but saying a number only gets us to the 10 yard line. Getting to the finish line involves recruitment, funding, reassigning cops to neighborhood patrols and lawmaking. Karen Bass has a realistic plan to cross that finish line first. No one can make Los Angeles safer by simply saying we need thousands of more cops.

With the twin crises of homelessness and housing affordability, we need a leader who can implement, who understands all of the complexities and can get folks to work together. We need Congresswoman Karen Bass.

We all want our City of Angels to emerge stronger, safer and better. I am convinced that Karen Bass has the experience, the tools and the heart and soul to do just that.

Steve Soboroff

Los Angeles