Who is Stephanie de Sarachaga-Bilbao, a Republican candidate for Charlotte mayor?

Name: Stephanie de Sarachaga-Bilbao

Political party: Republican

Email: stephanie@stephanieforcharlotte.com

Age as of Nov. 8, 2022:

Campaign website: www.stephanieforcharlotte.com

Occupation: Finance

Education: I am first generation Mexican American and the first woman in my family to attend college and further higher education. I’m blessed to have gone and I will work to help others have the same opportunities I have had.

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought): No

Please list your highlights of civic involvement.

My family heritage is service; this is an inheritance I strive to pass to my daughter and others. I have and continue to work to build public/private partnerships which build individual and community capacity.

What does the future of policing in Charlotte look like if CMPD can’t recruit enough officers to keep up with the city’s population growth?

Charlotte is growing and we need a department which reflects this. I believe in ramping up recruiting efforts for all our first responders Community and intelligence lead policing is built around collaboration between City and community based organizations. Our city is changing and CMPD should have all the tools it needs to help us to achieve our City’s vision. We can promote these partnerships through the development of an integrated data system and roundtable working groups.

How will you plan to consult grassroots organizations when determining the use of public funding to address racial disparities in Charlotte?

I would focus on capacity building and guidance for the ecosystem of current community organizations. So we can have more thriving non profits scale in partnership with the private sector to meet the needs of the community. I am well versed in the power of community based participatory research. I would use evidence based methodologies paired with new technology, such as crowd sourcing, to be able to provide the most engagement possible while simultaneously implement specific solutions.

Currently, developers are required to build a certain number of parking spots when they put up a new building. Raleigh just got rid of its parking minimums, responding to a growing sentiment that it’s better for the environment, helps housing costs and encourages other forms of transportation. Should Charlotte follow Raleigh and get rid of minimums?

Charlotte has a unique voice and doesn’t need to always look outside for answers. A mother carrying children and groceries or an elderly couple who need parking near where they live now. They factor parking in when purchasing or renting. We can’t keep reaching for broad based long term goals without being paired with shorter term solutions. I believe in sustainable development which meets the needs of our communities and still builds the economy. Attracting Corporations who share our values.

Is there an area where you disagree with your party? Why?

I believe that both parties need to examine themselves so we can have a more inclusive American dream.

Describe your leadership style and an example of when you showed leadership.

I have been blessed with life’s hardships necessary for me to become a leader. Leading during chaos and uncertainty is as natural to me as leading during stability. I am an instinctive leader with front sight focus. Developing leadership qualities in my team is paramount and I thrive on helping each member find their values to bring to the team. I use this as a guiding principle of my life and on a daily basis working with various groups and businesses. I leave no one behind.

What separates you from your opponent?

When I am mayor I will put our vision to work. I remember driving into uptown with my mother when I was seven and seeing the few buildings of the skyline that was Uptown. My mother, born in Mexico and raised in New York City, would turn to me and say, “Mija, one day our home will be a great City. And our skyline will be full.” She died shortly after and never lived to see the monoliths that make up our skyline from every angle, but I did, and I ask, what does our skyline actually stand for?

As I have traveled from Beatties Ford to Independence, from Steele Creek to University and South Charlotte, I hear the individual voices of our community asking for help. For safety, housing, assistance putting food on the table, help starting a business, and we are all struggling alone.

I have the utmost respect for any elected official that wants to help the people of Charlotte. That will always be our common ground. A service heart is a value to our City - and our City needs those ready, willing and able to put service to action. Where we differ is I believe Charlotte’s soul is faith, family and community, and my number one goal when I am Mayor is to bring our community together, make the city safe, and meld this soul with the strongest economic engine possible.

Anyone can be part of this future in Charlotte and achieve the best version of themselves. It is not based on a person’s current bank account balance or type of family or employment status but on their willingness to work hard on helping us achieve our goals. The ability to be part of our re-birth into a city where we live, work and prosper after the last few years of so many losses and setbacks.

This story was originally published April 22, 2022 at 3:00 PM.