CHARLOTTE — DThe appointed District 6 representative is running for Charlotte City Council At-Large. Republican Krista Bokhari, the wife of former District 6 Councilman Tariq Bokhari, is facing Democrat Kimberly Owens. District 6 includes south Charlotte, SouthPark and Myers Park.
District 6 includes the southern part of the city, including SouthPark.
The Political Beat asked questions of each candidate in this race. Below are their unedited responses:
Krista Bokhari
What is your occupation? Marketing Director
Why are you running? I’m running to be a strong voice for District 6 and help put an end to one-party rule in Charlotte. We need to stop the backroom deals, restore balance, and bring a much-needed different perspective to the conversation. We are losing good officers due to low morale, pay and benefit shortfalls while city leaders secretly hand out big payouts behind closed doors.
Neighborhoods are being reshaped while the community is begging for it to stop. All the while, basic services like traffic safety, storm drainage, and street repairs keep getting ignored.
Families in District 6 pay some of the highest taxes in the city. But what are we getting in return? Our most dangerous intersections are put on years-long waiting lists. My husband fought to bring our tax dollars back to the District but I plan to take this to the next level by collaborating with the neighborhood leaders and SPAN to create a District 6 infrastructure pipeline to collect and track the infrastructure needs in the district and ensure they are being addressed.
Charlotte is on the same dangerous path we’ve seen in other big cities where one party controls everything and no one is held accountable. That’s how you get broken systems, unchecked corruption, and decisions that hurt everyday people. I’m running to stop that from happening here in Charlotte.
What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? Crime, congestion, and crumbling infrastructure are the issues residents feel every day, but the root cause that makes all of them worse is a lack of transparency and accountability in the City Council.
Too many decisions are made behind closed doors by a handful of insiders, while the public is left in the dark. I will address this by always telling the truth, even when it costs me, Speaking out on the Jennings payout likely cost me the interim District 6 appointment, but I refused to stay silent.
I understand how the Council operates, and I’ll respectfully challenge dysfunction head-on. I’ll advocate to disclose all settlements, limit closed-door sessions, and work to establish a citizen audit board. If a deal isn’t active litigation or a competitive negotiation, it should be public. Once finalized, every detail should be released immediately. Transparency can’t be a buzzword, it has to be a practice. That’s how we’ll fix the broken systems holding Charlotte back.
How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? I’m cautiously optimistic about supporting it, but will be watching what happens from now until November closely. I’m thankful to the legislature for requiring road funding and maintaining local expenditures, but we must ensure transparency and accountability. We are asking for billions of dollars without a comprehensive plan. I know how important a transformational investment here is for Charlotte, but we must ensure it is done correctly. I won’t support it if it becomes another backroom deal over the next 3 months benefiting special interests instead of all of Charlotte. We need to make sure all of Charlotte sees transit improvements. We also need to make sure our leaders are leveraging the taxes we have already paid. We have had leadership visit the Capitol but for some reason no one is pursuing the Federal support available to us. I want to change that for our City.
Do you support Charlotte City Council’s settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? No. The secret payout was wrong and eroded trust. The Police Chief had no case. His very same ethics complaint was dismissed just 6 months prior. It was pushed through just days after my husband left Council, because with him gone a few leaders thought they could get away with it. I’ll be a voice for transparency and fight to end the fear-driven groupthink that led to this betrayal of the public.
What the community should be even more concerned about is how many of the current leadership treated the few council representatives who questioned the payout. This is why it is imperative we vote for checks and balances on this council.
How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? While Charlotte City Council does not have the legal authority to directly regulate wage rates or workplace conditions for private contractors at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the current decision-making process (where the mayor and a handful of council members blocked a committee discussion) only amplifies frustration and distrust in affected workers and the broader community.
Under the Wage and Hour Act the state preemption limits local control over contractor labor standards. That reality means council members cannot impose binding wage rules. That said, the refusal to refer the SEIU‑backed CASE ordinance to a committee signals a concerning pattern of decisions ‘baked’ behind closed doors without meaningful public conversation. A council committee is precisely where complex issues (like airport contracts, worker safety, training standards, and vendor selection criteria) should be debated transparently, not dismissed outright in a final vote.
We also must protect the CLT airport and the region’s economic engine, while doing so with the transparency that builds trust we are lacking in our community.
What sets you apart from your opponents? I’m the only candidate with the experience to provide balance of perspective and checks on one party rule. I have first-hand knowledge of the needs of the district and city operations and a proven record of community service working side-by-side with neighbors solving real issues. I understand the dynamics of the City Council and how it operates behind the scenes. I will challenge the status quo, speak plainly about unethical behavior every time I see it, and put our families, not political agendas, at the center of my decisions.
Kimberly Owens
What is your occupation? Attorney.
Why are you running? As someone who has been interested in politics and government since staying up to watch the Ford/Carter election results, I cannot sit by and let cynicism take over the public’s attitude toward their government at all levels. It is time for new representation in City Council District 6. The community deserves to be represented by someone who will bring professionalism to the dais, who will be a pragmatic voice for the community and the city, and who will work to tone down the rancor that has become too common in government. I have decades of experience as an attorney and service to local non-profit agencies that can help shape discussions and decisions on the city’s biggest challenges, from transportation and land use to attainable housing and sustainability.
What is the most important issue and how do you plan to address it? Attainable Housing and Reliable Transportation Options. At almost 1M people and growing by approximately 177 per day, Charlotte is a big city that has attempted to manage its growth with mid-city-sized solutions that have left many residents with lackluster housing and transportation opportunities. We need to prioritize affordable housing,especially for our essential workers, while also allowing long time residents to maintain their property values and stay in the place they’ve called home for so long. As board chair of RAIN and the Havens, I gained insight on long-term, holistic solutions to housing instability. Many lacking safe, consistent housing are those who have aged out of foster care, have been alienated by family, or suffer from dependence or mental or physical health issues. This reality must be kept at the forefront of Council’s decisions. I will use this knowledge as well as the experience I’ve gained as a real estate attorney to work to make Charlotte a place that anyone and everyone can call home. In addition, we need reliable transportation options so residents can get from their home to work, health appointments, the grocery store, etc. Right now, Charlotte only has one bus line that comes every 15 minutes. The rest have 25, 30, even 40 minute gaps between buses. This is not practical nor acceptable for our fast-growing city. That is why I will be supporting the transportation referendum to modernize and expand our transportation system to serve more Charlotteans more consistently.
How are you voting on the sales tax increase referendum for transit and why? I plan to vote “yes” on the transportation tax referendum if placed on the ballot in November. To be sure, it is an imperfect package. The proportion of proposed spending on roads vs. rail and buses is not what Charlotte preferred and there are communities such as Matthews who feel their voices were not heard. However, the funds that would be raised through the sales tax increase are a necessary step forward to catch up with Charlotte’s transportation needs. I wish the funds came from a source other than a regressive tax, but with no state and federal funding on the horizon, the tax increase is, in my opinion, the only remaining option. Along with the tax increase, the city’s 2040 Plan, Unified Development Ordinance, and Community Area Plans are all steps in a direction Charlotte must go if we are to continue to meet the challenges of our growth. These plans focus on areas where mobility is the most challenging. I am encouraged by the transportation options Charlotte has rolled out recently, such as micro-transit --smaller means of affordable and accessible transit provide residents with innovative options that meet users where they are. I intend to serve on the Council’s Transportation, Planning and Development Committee and bring my experience as a real estate attorney to inform Council’s discussions on the city’s growth.
Do you support Charlotte City Council’s settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings? Why or why not? As an attorney, I understand the risk of litigation and the practicality of pursuing a settlement in certain situations. That said, the limited information that has been made public does not suggest to me that Chief Jennings had a viable cause of action against the city for the actions of former Councilmember Bokhari. However, I would need to see additional information to better assess the reputational and financial risk the case posed to the city. I am disappointed in the secretive manner in which taxpayer money was involved and in the amount of money that was at stake. This does nothing to help Charlotteans feel confident in their city government, and I pledge to be a transparent member of Council and to keep the community informed on how and where their hard-earned dollars are being used. I also pledge to act in a way that, unlike the former Council member, does not put the city and the public’s tax dollars in legal jeopardy.
How should Charlotte City Council address working conditions and pay issues raised by the SEIU at Charlotte Douglas International Airport? I support the spirit of what the CASE ordinance wants to accomplish. Airport workers, those employed by the city, by the airlines, and by the airline contractors, are the ones who power the economic engine of Charlotte Douglas International Airport. But the city should pursue other avenues that do not skirt the state law limiting the city’s options in this issue. I believe the ordinance would do more harm than good by providing the state legislature with a reason to revive the effort to pull control of the airport away from the city, jeopardizing the airport jobs the SEIU is seeking to improve. There is no questioning my support of labor and unions, but even friends and allies have disagreements, and this is one of them. To be sure, it is an important point to make sure airport contractors are treated fairly and receive a respectable wage, but the city should explore ways of achieving that without threatening the economic engine - the airport - that provides those jobs. I aim to work with union representatives to find a creative solution that works toward the goals outlined in the CASE ordinance while ensuring that our ownership of the airport is not threatened.
What sets you apart from your opponents? I have a legal degree and a track record of using my business and legal skills to provide positive outcomes for my community. I have lived in South Charlotte for 30 years and have devoted my time and resources to the betterment of our city. From representing CMS students who were under threat of expulsion pro bono in front of the School Board to chairing two nonprofits and working with many more dedicated to uplifting marginalized communities, I have always shown my dedication to our city. I, unlike my opponent, am unwavering in my support of law enforcement and our teachers. I have never threatened the employment or reputation of those who serve our community
(WATCH BELOW: 2nd Mecklenburg County chief deputy resigns in less than a year)
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