SANTA MONICA, CA — A local business leader says Spencer Pratt’s sudden rise in the Los Angeles mayoral race reflects frustration with rising crime, recent wildfire recovery failures, and a business climate that no longer works for small companies and visitors. The argument is simple: voters are fed up with leaders who tolerate disorder and stifle commerce, and Pratt’s plainspoken approach is cutting through the noise. This piece captures those concerns, the wildfire aftermath, and the way local economies like Santa Monica feel the ripple effects of Los Angeles policy.
John Putnam, who runs Putnam Brands & Putnam Accessory Group and once ran for Santa Monica City Council, says the mood is shifting. “I think a lot of people are concerned about what’s happening, they really don’t know how to fix this, and I think the crime, the homelessness, the addiction, all the above behaviors of what’s happened in our city as politicians that are causing this, I think a lot people are seeing that,” he said, pointing to a broad sense of unease among residents and business owners. He worries city leadership has become out of touch with the everyday realities of safety and basic order. That disconnect, he adds, is driving interest in nontraditional candidates who promise straightforward fixes.
“And I think Spencer’s actually bringing the light in a real way. He’s pretty basic with his delivery of his issues and I think that’s resonating a lot. Even if you don’t want to vote for him, you’re listening, though and I think that’s resonating with a lot of people.”
Putnam noted Santa Monica doesn’t pick the Los Angeles mayor, but decisions in LA still cascade across the county. “California’s got a big issue, but the city, especially where we live, Santa Monica, is a byproduct of what’s happened in Los Angeles and across the world,” he said, emphasizing how LA’s direction affects nearby beach towns that rely on visitors. He pointed out that Santa Monica’s revenue is largely driven by those who come from outside the city, and if they stop coming, local businesses suffer.
“It costs so much to operate a business here,” Putnam said. “Out of 250 cities that were surveyed a few years ago, Santa Monica came in number one of being the most expensive place to do business and that’s because of all the regulation, all the other aspects. But on top of that, if you can’t create an inviting environment and a safe environment and a clean environment, there’s no hope.”
Crime and public disorder keep coming up in conversations about the mayoral race between Pratt, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, and Councilwoman Nithya Raman. “There’s all sorts of stats, it’s worse, everyone’s trying to sugar coat it in different ways, but the stats are out there, they’re saying crime is down, I think violent crime is down across the country, but all this petty stuff is happening,” Putnam said, summing up the disconnect between official numbers and everyday experience. He argues that small-scale theft, open drug use, and street disorder make people feel less safe even if some violent crime categories decline.
“It’s come in all neighborhoods. I mean you know it’s down in the south side of Los Angeles, east. It’s everywhere. You know even here in Santa Monica, we’re definitely being victims of this behavior of crime, and the drug addiction that’s running rampant in our city that’s causing this kind of criminal activity doesn’t really satisfy anyone. It doesn’t protect us. It doesn’t make us feel safe, and it doesn’t help our community just to grow.”
The wildfire season that devastated parts of LA County added fuel to frustration over city leadership and emergency response. Putnam recalls the Altadena and Pacific Palisades fires that killed dozens and left thousands of structures damaged, including the home of one high-profile resident. Recovery has been slow, and the lack of rebuilt homes and reopened small businesses has become a persistent complaint in neighborhoods still dealing with ash and uncertainty.
“People are feeling left out, they’re not feeling like they’re being helped,” Putnam said. “I mean, their whole town, Altadena and Palisades were just destroyed. Beyond that, you had nail salons, you have all these hair salons, you had restaurants, these people are homeless from their businesses, their income and they aren’t getting the love and the attention they deserve, we need to come together and help those people.”
“That’s what’s frustrating. I think people are angry, but also just really concerned. And I think this is really, Spencer’s really done a good job of bringing that out and letting people know this is not acceptable, and we have a choice here.”
The primary will narrow the field, with the top two vote-getters moving on unless someone reaches 50 percent to win outright. Voters fed up with high costs, public disorder, and a slow recovery from disasters may see this race as a chance to change course. For business owners and residents who feel the pain every day, the debate is not academic — it is about who will restore safety, economic vitality, and basic competence to the city’s leadership.
