Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has reversed course after facing intense criticism over her decision to appoint longtime acquaintance Steve Soboroff as the city’s Chief Recovery Officer with a contract reportedly worth $500,000 for three months of work.
The position of “recovery czar,” was created to lead efforts in addressing the city’s ongoing recovery challenges following January’s devastating wildfires. Soboroff’s primary role was to develop an initial strategy, after which additional consultants would be brought in to execute the plan.
Public Outrage Over High-Priced Appointment
The move sparked widespread backlash, including sharp criticism from City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who called the payout “obscene” and “infuriating.” Critics questioned how “mysterious” charitable funds would be allocated to a temporary position with such a high price tag.
🚨🇺🇸LA MAYOR SCRAMBLES AFTER BACKLASH OVER $500K WILDFIRE CZAR PAYOUT
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) February 9, 2025
Mayor Karen Bass just did a humiliating U-turn after public outrage over paying wildfire recovery czar Steve Soboroff a staggering $500,000 for 90 days of work – all funded by mysterious charities.
Bass now… pic.twitter.com/sxojrLAqhy
Rodriguez is a member of the ad hoc wildfire recovery committee. She has expressed confusion about the various appointments and consultants involved in the recovery process.
She states that it is unclear how outside consultants will lead city employees, or how those employees will guide the consultants, which raises further concerns about transparency and accountability in the City of Angels.
Adding to the controversy, Soboroff—previously known for leading the L.A. Recreation and Parks Commission—is also recognized for a racist tweet in which he described Trump supporters as “too white.”
The funding for Soboroff’s salary was set to come from unspecified private charitable sources.
Backtracking: Soboroff Now Working for Free
Following the public outcry, Soboroff and his deputy, Randy Johnson, are now serving in their roles without pay. The decision has done little to quell broader concerns over the city’s spending priorities and its reliance on high-paid consultants.
The Los Angeles Times has additional information about the complicated process:
Three weeks ago, Bass named longtime civic leader Steve Soboroff as her recovery czar, saying he would come up with a comprehensive strategy for rebuilding, working closely with city agencies to lead the recovery’s first phase.
But on Friday, as the city marked a month since the fires, Bass suggested that Soboroff would have a more limited role, leaving him primarily in charge of rebuilding the Palisades’ historic business district and the area’s library, park and recreation center.
“He is focused on the rebuilding of Palisades Village, the historic Palisades Village,” Bass claimed, before adding: “But we consider Steve to be the overall ambassador to the Palisades.”
Soboroff, 76, said he always wanted to ensure that taxpayers would not be responsible for his salary. He insisted that his role is not shrinking, saying he continues to work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other government entities.
Bass, who has faced stinging criticism over her performance during the early days of the fire, also announced Friday that she had selected Hagerty Consulting, an Illinois-based firm that specializes in disaster response, to provide “full project management” of the recovery. That firm, she said, will report to Jim Featherstone, who returned to the city workforce after the fire to become the No. 2 at the Emergency Management Department.
As America’s second-largest city works to recover from its latest crisis, the controversy surrounding Soboroff’s appointment has only intensified scrutiny of Mayor Bass’s ongoing response to the historic fires.
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Here is a fresh example of the Racist Democrats complete corruption spending taxpayers hard earned money on their racist pals for BS
Better monitor the books for the next few years to see if she tries to pay “her consultant “ under a different accounting code. I doubt he’s willing to really do what he thought was worth $500K for free. If she somehow pays him under a code — say “consulting” — she should face 34 felony counts and hundreds of millions in fines. LOL
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER, I REPEAT , ANOTHER ABUSE AND DISGUSING ACCOUNT OF THE LIBERAL LEFT PUTTING ALL ACCOUNTS OF REASONIG ASIDE AND GIVING ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF UNJUSTIFIED PAYOUTS TO THEIR INSIDER FRIENDS, WHO WILL BE GIVING KICKBACKS TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LETTING THIS HAPPEN. WAKE UP AMERICA!! THIS SHIT HAS GONE ONFOR TOO LONG, SAY SOMETHING, DO SOMETHING, ITS NOT TOO LATE TO BELIEVE IN WHAT IS RIGHT.!!!!