Who is Tariq Bokhari, 2023 Republican candidate for Charlotte City Council District 6?
Name: Tariq Bokhari
Political party: Republican
Which position are you running for on the Charlotte City Council?
District 6
Age as of Nov. 7, 2023: 43
Campaign website: tariqscottbokhari.com
Occupation
Serial entrepreneur
Education
College
Have you run for and/or held elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought and/or held)
Yes, Charlotte City Council loser in 2007 and 2009. Won in 2017, 2019 and 2022
Please list your highlights of civic involvement
I’ve served on City Council for 3 terms as well as served on the Business Advisory, Community Relations and Privatization and Competition Advisory committees. I have served as a director on the board’s of NC Heroes Fund, Blumenthal Performing Arts, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, Charlotte Area Fund, Innovate CLT and the Greater Enrichment Program.
Development-related issues frequently come before the City Council. If elected, what would your approach be to those decisions?
I start with fighting for removing burdensome regulation and focusing on tailoring ordinances for the outcomes that we care about and are most important. Predictability translates into a more business friendly environment and greater affordability. When specific transactions arise pitting neighbors against developers, I find a very hands-on approach enables us to find middle ground where everyone can win.
What’s the minimum and the maximum commitment Charlotte should give to the Carolina Panthers for stadium renovations?
It would be irresponsible to answer this question with a specific number. The number is irrelevant. It’s the ROI for the taxpayers and community as a whole. Most stadium deals are not good ones, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. But the first step to achieving the uncommon is not to pre-establish the dollar amount we will just give away without contemplating the deal terms.
What’s the best thing the City Council has done for Charlotte in the last 4 years? And what’s the worst thing?
Best thing = supporting the police in several back to back pay raises. Worst thing = throwing them under the bus from 2020-22, leading to the worst morale, recruitment and retention rates I’ve ever seen.
CATS has faced turmoil in the last year. What are, in your view, the most significant issues facing the system, and what role should the City Council play in solving problems?
The root cause of everything can be tracked back to an unsalvageable CEO. After over a year of working to bring that to everyone’s attention, we have now solved that. Now we are working to analyze the risks we still don’t know about and implement controls. More broadly, we need to solve the regional governance issue, as well as craft a roads-first plan that unlocks a transformational investment.
Is there an area where you disagree with your party on local or state issues? Why?
Firstly, I have consistently stayed focused on the local issues of Charlotte, because weighing in on things other than that distracts me from my core responsibilities. Putting that aside, as one of the only elected Republicans left here in Charlotte, I don’t find myself in disagreement with myself on almost anything.
What separates you from your opponent(s)?
I grew up experiencing poverty first hand, figured out how to achieve upward mobility, and learned how to use those lessons to pay it forward at scale for others struggling like I did. Along my career path, I developed a knack for solving incredibly complex problems, and innovating in ways people thought impossible. I also believe in all forms of diversity, including that of political perspective, which is nearly nonexistent in Charlotte now.
What one professional or political accomplishment are you most proud of?
I created Charlotte’s leading workforce training programs, from high school to adult cohorts, generating over $30M in upward mobility investments, without taxpayer dollars, over the last 6 years. Outcomes include graduating over 190 technology developers, with over 80% people of color, over 50% female, and before entering, their average annual incomes were under $20K. My own background makes me proud to pay it forward.
