J.D. Mazuera Arias, Charlotte City Council District 5 candidate, answers our questions
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Voter Guide 2025: Read answers for Charlotte City Council District 5
In east Charlotte’s District 5 Charlotte City Council primary, incumbent Democrat Majorie Molina faces a challenge from J.D. Mazuera Arias.
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To help inform voters in the Sept. 9, 2025, election, this candidate questionnaire is available to be republished by local publications in North Carolina without any cost. Please consider subscribing to The Charlotte Observer to help make this coverage possible.
Name: Juan Diego (J.D.) Mazuera Arias
Email: jd@jd4clt.com
Political party: Democratic
Which position are you running for on the Charlotte City Council? Charlotte City Council District 5
Age: 27
Campaign website or social media page: jd4clt.com; facebook.com/jd4clt; instagram.com/jd4clt
Occupation: Lead, Global Government Affairs & Policy, Kyndryl
Education: BA in Political Science, Queens University of Charlotte; MPA NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
Have you run for and/or held elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought and/or held)
No
Please list your highlights of civic involvement
Chair of the Hispanic Democratic Caucus of Mecklenburg, former Precinct 34 Chair, and founder of the NC Latino Political Caucus. Former staffer at The Century Foundation, Aspen Institute, and Congresswoman AOC’s office. Author of published policy work on queer Latino health and the Latino workforce. Organizer with DNC’s Organizing Corps, McCready for Congress, and national campaigns. Lifelong advocate for immigrant, queer, and working-class communities.
What are the most important issues facing Charlotte, and how would you address them?
Charlotte’s greatest challenges are deeply interconnected, and we need bold, community-centered leadership to meet this moment.
At the top is economic development. Too much of Charlotte’s growth has benefited corporations and developers while working families struggle to get by. I will fight to bring equitable, mixed-use development to East Charlotte that creates good-paying jobs, supports small and minority-owned businesses, and ensures our economic policies uplift those who have been left out of Charlotte’s prosperity. I’m not anti-business, anti-growth, nor anti-development, but I am people-first.
Next, we must restore trust in city government. Too often, decisions are made behind closed doors or without input from the very people most impacted. I will lead with transparency and accountability by making City Hall more accessible, ensuring decisions are community-informed, and guaranteeing that every neighborhood gets a seat at the table.
On housing, we need more than just new development. We need housing people can afford in communities where they can thrive. I will advocate for stronger tenant protections, making homeownership accessible, combating corporate housing, community land trusts, and beneficial agreements, and deeper investments in affordable and livable housing that protect residents from displacement. Public safety must be redefined as a holistic investment in community well-being. I will push for a safety strategy that prioritizes youth services, mental health resources, and violence prevention (in collaboration with Mecklenburg County) while still ensuring timely emergency response.
Finally, we need a transit system that truly works for East Charlotte. That means more than better bus service, safer sidewalks and bike infrastructure, and a long-term vision that centers the needs of residents, it means finding creative solutions to get rail and more modes of transit into East Charlotte and not just the rest of Charlotte. We need to invest in getting community feedback, not just 1% of it and not just push billions of dollars on advertising for a sales tax that is regressive and will impact low-earning families more than anyone.
The city of Charlotte provided CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings with more than $305,000 in a deal reached during a private meeting – details of which were not available until news outlets started reporting on the issue. Did the city handle this correctly based on what the public knows about the situation? Why or why not?
A $305K payout to CMPD’s Chief, made in a closed-door meeting and only revealed after media reports, is a breach of public trust. Taxpayer dollars should never be spent in secret. Charlotte deserves transparency, not backroom deals.
How will you earn public trust in the wake of public controversies that roiled City Council this spring?
I’ll earn public trust by staying rooted in community. District 5 residents are tired of being left out of decisions that impact their daily lives. I’ll lead with transparency, show up consistently, and ensure decisions are made with the people, not behind closed doors. Trust starts with listening, acting with integrity, and being accountable to those we serve, not special interests or political insiders.
How will you work to improve transparency within city government?
I’ll improve transparency by making city decisions easier to access, understand, and influence. That means pushing for public updates before key votes, hosting regular community meetings, and making sure residents know how to engage with City Hall. I’ll fight to get information to voters months in advance—not just weeks or days—and launch a monthly newsletter to keep District 5 informed, engaged, and at the center of every decision.
The General Assembly has given Mecklenburg County permission to put a referendum on the ballot to raise the county’s sales tax to fund road, rail and bus projects. Will you vote in favor of the referendum? Why or why not?
I won’t support the sales tax referendum as it is. While I support light rail and believe in investing for the future, this plan prioritizes road expansion and light rail in other parts of the city, not East Charlotte. It locks us into a “better than nothing” plan for decades instead of delivering the bold, equity-centered transit vision our city truly needs. The sales tax is regressive. It would raise the prepared food tax from 8.25% to 9.25%, which hits working-class communities like East Charlotte hardest. Many families here rely on prepared foods because of limited time, transit, and access to fresh groceries.
This is not just a penny, it is a long-term financial burden on those with the least. This plan will cost a lot of money, but will it serve the people who need reliable transportation the most? That is not what I see. If we truly want a Better Bus system, we need to ask whether this is the best way to fund it, or just the most convenient for those already in power. We can and must do better.
Is there an area where you disagree with your party on local or state issues? Why?
I disagree with my party when it prioritizes developers over community voices. In Charlotte, we’ve seen decisions made with little input from those most impacted—especially in East Charlotte. At the state level, I believe we must be bolder in protecting and empowering immigrant communities. I’m proud to be a Democrat, but progress means holding ourselves accountable and always centering the people we serve.
What separates you from your opponent(s)?
I don’t yield to other council members on major developments in our district. I don’t block constituents who disagree or stay silent during a crisis. I released a People’s Platform built from real conversations—not recycled talking points. I show up year-round, not just during election season. I’m not funded by corporate PACs. I’m powered by neighbors, renters, and workers who deserve real representation. This is about putting East Charlotte first. Always.
What one professional or political accomplishment are you most proud of?
I’m also incredibly proud of serving as a Legislative Fellow in the office of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. There, I worked on immigration, housing, and labor policy—bringing the stories of working-class and immigrant communities like mine into the halls of power. It reinforced my belief that policy should be shaped by those closest to the pain, and that public service means standing up for people, not special interests.
This story was originally published August 13, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
