Tariq Bokhari, In Full: From South Charlotte to FTA and Back Again
As of September 7, 2025, Tariq Scott Bokhari is a Charlotte Republican and fintech executive who served four terms on City Council representing District 6. He resigned effective April 20, 2025 to become deputy administrator at the Federal Transit Administration. He served as acting administrator in May before returning to the deputy post after the Senate confirmed Marc(us) Molinaro on August 2, 2025. On September 4, 2025, Bokhari announced he was leaving the FTA and returning to North Carolina, citing family, business, and a desire to support his wife’s District 6 campaign.
District 6, defined by habit and turnout
District 6 covers south Charlotte and includes the SouthPark area. It has long leaned Republican, with higher turnout and a donor base that often shapes city debates on roads, police, and growth. The geography matters because it frames Bokhari’s coalition: homeowners near SouthPark and along major south-side corridors who are focused on congestion, schools, and neighborhood stability.
Before politics: the fintech résumé
Bokhari built his public profile in financial technology. He is the founding executive director of the nonprofit Carolina Fintech Hub. Earlier, he led innovation and investment for FIS Global and worked at GE Capital, Wells Fargo, and Wachovia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and information systems from Radford University. The crossover between fintech and City Hall would later become part of his political brand: jobs, startups, and a tech-forward posture.
City Council tenure: the rise and the margins
Voters first elected Bokhari in 2017. After redistricting delays shifted the normal cycle, he won again and then, on November 7, 2023, edged Democrat Stephanie Hand. The certified 2023 result was 50.7% to 49.3%, with 11,727 votes for Bokhari to 11,413 for Hand. The narrow margin is the story of modern District 6: still right-leaning, but competitive enough that organization and message decide close races.
The transit tax fight and the Red Line vote
On September 3, 2024, the Charlotte City Council voted 10–1 to support draft legislation seeking Raleigh’s permission for a countywide referendum on a one-cent transportation sales tax and to spend $91 million to acquire tracks for the Red Line. Bokhari cast the lone “no.” His critique focused on governance and precision inside the bill. That vote foreshadowed 2025’s central ballot question. The General Assembly later passed the Projects for Advancing Vehicle-Infrastructure Enhancements (P.A.V.E.) Act, and Governor Josh Stein signed it on July 1, 2025, clearing the way for Mecklenburg County commissioners to place the referendum on the November ballot. The county did so on August 6, setting up a high-stakes vote that will define roads, buses, and rail for a generation.
CMPD, outer-carrier vests, and a settlement
A year-long dispute between Bokhari and CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings over outer-carrier protective vests for officers escalated into hardball private messages. Texts published in 2024 showed Bokhari telling the chief he would press for his removal and damage his legacy. On May 5–6, 2025, City Council approved a settlement to avoid potential litigation. Jennings later released the terms: $305,000 in value, including a $175,000 lump sum, retroactive pay, additional leave, and $25,000 in legal fees. The state auditor opened a review, saying the public deserved disclosure of any payment and terms. The episode spurred internal friction at City Hall, including criticism of the interim city attorney’s decision to dismiss an ethics complaint against Bokhari and, in July, the hiring of outside counsel at $300 per hour to examine broader claims of unethical conduct. Jennings has announced he will retire effective January 1, 2026.
The Washington turn: five months at FTA
Bokhari left City Hall for the U.S. Department of Transportation in late April. An FTA organizational chart in July listed him as deputy administrator. In early May, trade and industry notices described him as acting administrator while the White House’s nominee moved through the Senate. The Senate confirmed Marc(us) Molinaro as the 16th FTA administrator on August 2. On September 4, Bokhari posted that he was leaving the agency after five months, highlighting grant backlogs cleared, red tape reductions, and work on an AI framework. Local outlets noted that he planned to return home to help with the District 6 race and his businesses.
The seat he left, the race that follows
After Bokhari resigned, the Council appointed Edwin Peacock III to serve out the term in a 5–5 vote broken by Mayor Vi Lyles on May 19–20, 2025. District 6 appears on the September 9 primary ballot. On the Republican side: Krista Bokhari and Sary Chakra. The Democratic primary was canceled; Kimberly Owens advanced to November. District 6 is likely to remain one of the city’s most competitive districts, with the transportation sales tax looming over every doorstep conversation.
What his record says about his politics
- Transportation: Skeptical of the one-cent sales tax structure adopted in 2024. Supporters of the tax argue it is the only viable way to fund the Red Line, key road widenings, and bus upgrades. Critics, including Bokhari, have focused on governance and promises versus deliverables.
- Public safety: Pressed CMPD leadership on officer equipment and posture. The vests dispute and the subsequent settlement will shape how future councils manage personnel conflicts and closed-session settlements.
- Economic development: Pro-growth framing tied to fintech and workforce development. The Carolina Fintech Hub and related programming remain central to his civic résumé.
- Partisan posture: One of two Republicans on the 2023–25 Council. Often the outlier on large structural votes, which gave him both a brand and a ceiling.
Key dates for readers to anchor
- April 20, 2025: Resignation effective date from City Council.
- May 5–6, 2025: Council approves settlement with CMPD chief; terms released May 25.
- May 19–20, 2025: Edwin Peacock III appointed to District 6.
- August 2, 2025: U.S. Senate confirms Marc(us) Molinaro as FTA administrator.
- September 4, 2025: Bokhari announces departure from FTA and return to Charlotte.
- September 9, 2025: Charlotte municipal primary, including District 6.
- November 4, 2025: General election and the transportation sales tax referendum.
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About the Author
Jack Beckett runs on coffee and committee packets. Most mornings start with an Americano and end with a spreadsheet. In between, it is meetings, budgets, and whatever Council just tried to pass after 10 p.m. Find our work at The Charlotte Mercury, the latest at News, the heavy lifts at Politics, and the full 2025 package at Poll Dance 2025. Message us on X or, as we call it, Twix: @QueenCityExp.
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This article, “Tariq Bokhari, In Full: From South Charlotte to FTA and Back Again,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
“Tariq Bokhari, In Full: From South Charlotte to FTA and Back Again”
by Jack Beckett, The Charlotte Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)