Brendan K. Maginnis, Charlotte mayor candidate, answers our questions
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Voter Guide 2025: Read answers for Charlotte mayor
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles is seeking a fifth term at the head of city government and facing four challengers in the Democratic primary. The winner will advance to the general election, where challengers from the Republican and Libertarian parties await. Lyles did not respond to The Charlotte Observer’s questionnaire.
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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: Brendan K. Maginnis
Email: info@maginnisformayor.org
Political party: Democratic
Age: 50
Campaign website or social media page: www.maginnisformayor.org
Occupation: Small Business Owner
Education: BA in Political Science from UNC-Greensboro
Have you run for and/or held elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought and/or held)
Ran for US House 14th District in 2024
Please list your highlights of civic involvement
Board Member- Biddleville-Smallwood Community Organization
Chair- Democratic Men of Mecklenburg County
What are the most important issues facing Charlotte, and how would you address them as mayor?
The top 3 issues I’m addressing are: 1. Transparency: Secretive deals erode trust. My Transparency Pledge ensures open meetings and real-time financial data. 2. Housing: A 36,000-unit shortage burdens many. I’ll expand the Housing Trust Fund and aim for 25,900 units by 2035. 3. Transit: I’ll reject costly plans, extend the Blue Line, and make buses free.
What strengths do you bring to the position that set you apart from your opponents?
As a former Marine and financial planner, I bring a unique blend of service, practical problem-solving, and deep Charlotte roots to the mayor’s race. Unlike my opponents, my experience building a business from scratch and keen economic insights equip me to address transparency, housing, safety, transit, equity, and childcare costs as interconnected economic challenges, ensuring Charlotte’s growth benefits all residents through fiscally sound, inclusive solutions.
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?
The city mishandled the $305,000 Jennings settlement by conducting it in a private meeting without prompt public disclosure, eroding trust. State law requires settlement terms be made public soon after conclusion, yet the city delayed until media pressure forced Jennings to release details. This secrecy, amid several controversies during the current Mayor’s leadership, fuels perceptions of a “brazen disregard for the law,” as one council member noted, undermining accountability to Charlotte’s 890,000 residents.
How will you work to improve transparency within city government?
Improving transparency is one of my top issues. I’ll enhance Charlotte’s Open Data Portal with real-time budget updates and community workshops, inspired by Greensboro’s participatory budgeting. My Transparency Pledge will disclose lobbyist meetings within 24 hours, and a Charlotte Accountability Commission, modeled after Oakland, will oversee decisions like the $305,000 Jennings settlement. More detail can be found at www.maginnisformayor.org.
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 will vote “NO” on the referendum to raise Mecklenburg County’s sales tax. The $25 billion plan it funds burdens working families in Charlotte, neglects east Charlotte, and prioritizes the costly $1.38 billion Red Line, benefitting wealthy suburbs outside Charlotte over urban needs in Charlotte. My plan extends the Blue Line to Carowinds for $1.2–$1.5 billion, adding 10,000–15,000 daily riders, boosting south Charlotte’s economy by $50–$100 million, and increasing Center City tourism by $20–$30 million. It also makes major bus routes free, and upgrades infrastructure first, ensuring equitable access without increasing or introducing any new taxes.
This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
