Councilmember Larken Egleston
What steps will you take (or have you taken) to ensure LGBTQ+ people who live in, work in, travel to Charlotte are protected against discrimination and included at all levels of decision-making?
Alongside Mayor Pro Tem Julie Eiselt, I led the City Council's efforts to expand the non-discrimination ordinance in 2021, partnering with many leaders in our local/state LGBTQ community. The result of that work was a unanimous and bi-partisan vote to expand our NDO.
What will you do (or have you done) to address the affordable housing crisis that plagues Charlotte? What plans do you have to ensure Charlotte develops sustainably for future generations?
I was one of only six councilmembers who supported the 2040 Comprehensive Plan despite much outside pressure to vote against it - the Comp Plan will help us build a more equitable community as we move forward. Alongside my colleagues elected to the 2017 city council, I was part of expanding our city affordable housing bonds from $15 million to $50 million every two years. The same group of us also reimagined how the city approaches affordable housing through initiatives like a new emphasis on the preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing.
What actions do you support (or have you supported) to ensure people have equitable access (including transportation) to jobs that provide a living wage?
As the Vice Chair of the Council's Transportation and Planning Committee and city's representative on multiple regional planning boards, I have been an outspoken advocate for expanding transportation options as well as investments in bike/ped infrastructure that offers people in our community options besides the use/cost of owning and operating a single passenger vehicle to move around our city.
With racism being declared a public health crisis, what steps do you support (or have you supported) to address the racial inequities that exist in Charlotte? These include but are not limited to environmental racism, overpolicing, and access to healthcare.
As the Chair of the city's Safe Communities committee, I led the effort to reimagine our police department and their policies in an effort to improve interactions between our law enforcement officers and the citizens they are charged with protecting and serving. The council since 2017 has also adopted numerous policies that incorporate a racial equity lens that had often been overlooked in the past by local government.
Are there any additional comments or initiatives you'd like to share?
Thank you for your past support and your future consideration of my campaign for an at-large seat on the Charlotte City Council.