Part 4/6:

Claypool has expressed his desire for Mayor Bass to resign, citing a reported plan to cut the fire department’s budget by $49 million just a week before the wildfires. He questioned the rationale behind such cuts amid a climate of increasing fire risk, reflecting the community's urgency for preparedness against natural disasters that are all too familiar to Southern Californians, including wildfires, mudslides, and earthquakes.

Moreover, he raised concerns about the significant compensation package for the new head of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, comparing it unfavorably to necessary funding for firefighting resources.