Before joining Trump, Tariq Bokhari offers thoughts on transit, crime, Charlotte growth
Outgoing Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari offered parting thoughts on some of the biggest issues facing the city in a “bittersweet” final town hall before resigning for a federal job.
Bokhari, who represents south Charlotte’s District 6, confirmed last week he’ll depart local government to become deputy administrator for the Federal Transit Administration in the Trump administration.
The four-term Republican held the town hall Monday at the SouthPark Regional Library.
“Town halls at a local level are a special fun thing for the last eight years for me, and I’ve always enjoyed them,” he said. “To think that that’s, you know, potentially the last one for me like that, it’s a little sad. But really happy to see a lot of friendly faces.”
Ahead of taking on his new position that will give him a say in billions in federal transit grants, Bokhari told attendees he remains “deeply conflicted” over Charlotte’s plan to overhaul its transportation system. He reflected on two of his other “passion projects” while on City Council: public safety and south Charlotte growth.
Bokhari also publicly endorsed his wife, Krista Bokhari, to finish out his term on the Charlotte City Council. State law says the council must appoint a Republican who lives in the district.
“I think she is the best candidate for that appointment,” he told reporters after Monday’s town hall.
‘Deeply conflicted’ on transportation bill
Bokhari was the only City Council member to vote against a draft transit deal and purchasing railroad tracks for the Red Line train from uptown to the Lake Norman area. Now, he’s taking on a senior role in the federal agency with the potential to provide a significant portion of the funding for the plan.
The plan also calls for a countywide 1-cent sales tax increase to pay for rail, bus and road projects. Charlotte still has to get the North Carolina General Assembly to sign off on a referendum for the tax increase.
“There’s a really high bar for making sure that we’re incredibly precise,” he said.
Asked during the town hall about the bill’s chances in the General Assembly, Bokhari said it’s currently “50/50.” As one of two Republicans on the City Council, he said it will be difficult but not impossible to win over the heavily GOP legislature and its many rural members for a plan like Charlotte’s.
The deal under consideration caps spending on rail projects at 40% of the new tax revenue in an effort to appease Republican leadership that publicly called for a “roads first” approach.
“It’s a hard sell, but I think there are ways,” Bokhari said.
‘Passion’ for public safety, managing south Charlotte growth
Much of Monday’s town hall also focused on crime and public safety.
Bokhari has been a vocal advocate for more police funding during his time in office and at times pushed for a harder line approach from the city on certain public safety issues. On Monday, he said he supports many “good cop” initiatives to address the root causes of crime and help formerly incarcerated people. But “the city has to play bad cop too,” he said.
Bokhari called for more attention to property crime and repeat offenders while expressing optimism the public safety initiatives proposed to the City Council last week are a sign of progress.
“I’ve calmed myself down a little and recognized what a great step forward this is,” he said.
Bokhari said supporting the growth of Symphony Park and promoting the development of the SouthPark Loop trail were also “passion projects” during his time in office.
He also fielded questions and concerns about Charlotte’s unified development ordinance, which passed by a narrow 6-4 vote in 2022. Bokhari, who voted against the UDO, said it poured “rocket fuel” on the city’s growth without properly accounting for infrastructure needs.
“If I hadn’t fought it for two years, I wouldn’t be so flippant and saying, ‘I was there, I was on the front line and bashed my face into it,’” he said. “I wasn’t successful, and we have to follow the will of what the broader council wants to do.”
Bokhari endorses successor
Bokhari reiterated Monday that he doesn’t have a specific date yet for when he’ll officially step down from City Council but expects to do so in “the next couple weeks.”
Krista Bokhari’s name has dominated the public discussion of who could be appointed to City Council since the news of Tariq Bokhari’s departure broke. She ran unsuccessfully last year for a seat in the North Carolina House.
Her husband confirmed Monday she’s talking to other City Council members about an appointment to fill the District 6 vacancy through the end of his term in December.
“I’m wishing her the best in that process and giving her all my support and endorsement in it, but knowing that this will be the first vote, one of the first votes, I don’t have a vote on the last eight years for City Council,” Tariq Bokhari said Monday.
The voters will decide who gets the next full term representing District 6 in the November general election, he added. Political experts predict a crowded field in the competitive purple district.
“It’s their seats, not ours,” Tariq Bokhari said.
This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 9:35 PM.
