During her 2020 City Council campaign, Raman advocated for defunding the police. Two years later, she voted for a nearly 3% increase in the Los Angeles Police Department's budget, allocating an additional $82 million. More recently, she voted against Mayor Karen Bass's request to add 170 police officers, citing budget concerns. Weeks after launching her mayoral campaign, Raman declared that city leaders must maintain the LAPD's size.
Raman also initially supported Measure ULA, a tax on real estate sales above $5.4 million, downplaying concerns about its impact on apartment construction. She later reversed her position, stating the tax has negatively affected apartment construction and requires an overhaul, arguing that a policy worsening a housing shortage cannot address a housing crisis.
Her campaign team defends these shifts, attributing them to new information, changed circumstances, or a re-evaluation of issues. Opponents, including Mayor Bass, have criticized Raman's changing positions, with some colleagues questioning her core principles. Raman has stated that her thinking evolves based on new facts and that she takes responsibility for mistakes.
Raman's evolving positions extend to her endorsement of Mayor Bass for a second term, which she later rescinded when she entered the mayoral race herself. She explained her initial endorsement as a strategy to secure resources for her district. Critics have characterized these shifts as opportunistic, while supporters view her willingness to re-examine positions as a strength.