Tariq Scott Bokhari

Apparently my biggest secret isn't political... It's that I drive painfully slow. @Larken says that's the last thing people would expect after seeing me debate City Hall. 😂

The I-77 debate may have just changed. NCDOT is proposing up to $300M in community benefits alongside the toll project. Will these proposed investments change the politics surrounding them? New episode drop. @Larken

Throwback. For years, we've welcomed Charlotte's newest civic leaders onto the podcast—not for soundbites, but real conversations. Police chiefs.
Fire chiefs.
Mayors.
City attorneys.
Council members. This was our first interview with Charlotte's new Police Chief during the early days of COVID. @Larken

Throwback to Episode 100. Former Charlotte Mayors Harvey Gantt and Richard Vinroot joined us for one of the most memorable conversations we've ever had. A candid discussion about systemic racism. 
Different perspectives.
Mutual respect. That's been the goal of this podcast for a long time. @Larken

Times they are a changin

Throwback to the first month of COVID and episode 98 of the original pod. We'd already moved the podcast remote, and no one knew what came next. One prediction we discussed: Charlotte could lose a third of its restaurants. Watching this now is a reminder of just how uncertain those early days really felt. @Larken

Throwback to 2018. Before the reboot...
Before short clips...
Before algorithms... Larken and I were debating how crime, affordable housing, and economic mobility all fit together—in front of a live audience in episode 30 of the 118 we produced while elected. Turns out, it's still relevant nearly 8 years later. @Larken

@michaelngraff @ForwardCarolina @andrew_dunn @PatMcCroryNC @SenatorBerger I try to read half a book each year. Just to exercise the old thinking muscle.

@ForwardCarolina @andrew_dunn @PatMcCroryNC @SenatorBerger Read it. Really liked it. Learned a bunch. Writing a book is hard. Writing a book in a year is very hard. Getting @FinTechInnov8r to read half a book is maybe most impressive of all

Counterpoint: @PatMcCroryNC was a weak and ineffectual governor who crumbled instantly under pressure at the state level. McCrory had neither the principles nor the courage to push back against @SenatorBerger's domination of his governorship, which rendered him all but irrelevant from day one. North Carolina voters duly chose the better man in 2016. Pat McCrory's subsequent career as a grumpy local talk radio shock jock forever re-litigating how he was wronged is a humiliating but fitting end for his career.

@WhiteGeorgeMaga I almost forgot. Thanks for the reminder.

@FinTechInnov8r Tariq you fucking suck and Im so glad ur not on CLTCC anymore.#Bum

I’m only about halfway thru Andrew Dunn’s new book on Pat McCrory, The Change Agent, but I have to say: this is a super unique book… It’s something people in US cities outside the top 5 almost never get to have: A masterful storytelling of how our community has evolved, and the little known decisions and battles that shaped it.  This is as much of a book about the modern history of Charlotte as it is about Mayor Pat… although it’s clear the two are forever intertwined.  I’d be surprised if this ever becomes a best seller (not because it isn’t written well, rather people will think it’s too niche to pick up), but it is something so unique and special for our community that we will have forever. It should be required reading for any elected official, and on the bookshelf of anyone who loves this great city.  @andrew_dunn @PatMcCroryNC

@andrew_dunn In some ways it reminded me of The Power Broker… learning about how things in NYC came to be… and how they were deeply tied to Robert Moses… but NYC has a lot of books like that and cities like ours do not. Thanks for doing this.

Thank you @FinTechInnov8r! 🙌

Who deserves accountability when a major decision goes sideways? Not necessarily the people who opposed it from Day 1. There's an important distinction between being wrong... and changing your position after creating the problem. That's the leadership lesson behind this discussion. @Larken

I used to oppose toll lanes. Here's why I (reluctantly) changed my mind: If transportation is going to be transformed by autonomous vehicles and new technology, it's better to have infrastructure we can repurpose than no infrastructure at all. Do you agree? 👇 @Larken

💡 "Don't box yourself in. Be ready when opportunity comes." What started as a question about Mark Jerrell's political future turned into a lesson on careers, leadership, and preparing yourself for whatever comes next. 🎙️ Watch the clip. @Larken @hipolitix

👀 What's next for Mark Jerrell? Mayor? Congress? Something else? We asked the Mecklenburg County Commission Chairman about his political future—and put him on the spot with a hypothetical. @Larken @hipolitix

Took me a year to come pick it up lol, but finally got my ceremonial street sign for serving. Now just need to decide what street I want to put it up on.

Who are toll lanes really for? The wealthy? Everyone? Or something else entirely? We debate one of the biggest questions in the I-77 fight with Mecklenburg County Commission Chairman Mark Jerrell. 🎙️ Watch the conversation. @Larken @hipolitix

Is 19th out of 100 counties for the lowest tax rate... good enough? We discussed with Mecklenburg County Commission Chairman Mark Jerrell. The conversation goes beyond the ranking into taxes, budgets, and whether Mecklenburg and Charlotte deserve its "tax-and-spend" reputation. 🎙️ Watch the debate. @Larken @hipolitix

After all these episodes... the County finally showed up. 😄 Chairman Mark Jerrell is our first Mecklenburg County guest on R&D in the NC. We talk I-77, transportation, the County budget, and what's next for Mecklenburg. 🎙️ Full episode out now. @Larken @hipolitix

@casualbrowser25 “اوہ، رکو، اب تو مجھے وہ نظر آ رہے ہیں۔ میری غلطی!

Why does charlotte not have lightning bugs?