Who is Victoria Watlington, 2023 Democratic candidate for Charlotte City Council at-large?
Name: Victoria Watlington
Political party: Democrat
Which position are you running for on the Charlotte City Council?
At-Large
Age as of Nov. 7, 2023: 36
Campaign website: winwithwatlington.com
Occupation
Global R&D Engineering Program Manager
Education
PhD, Infrastructure & Environmental Systems (Urban Policy), MS Systems Engineering & Engineering Management, BS Mechanical Engineering
Have you run for and/or held elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought and/or held)
Charlotte City Council District 3
Please list your highlights of civic involvement
Drafted Safe Charlotte framework, spearheaded Corridors of Opportunity and Source of Income Discrimination Ordinance
Development-related issues frequently come before the City Council. If elected, what would your approach be to those decisions?
I support right-sized projects in the right places that provide net benefit to the surrounding community. I consider the will of the people, first and foremost, and seek to foster collaboration between developers and neighbors. I believe we must preserve the character of our city — it is our competitive advantage. In addition, we must preserve the ability of our residents to have a real ownership stake in this city.; both in their voice and in their property
What’s the minimum and the maximum commitment Charlotte should give to the Carolina Panthers for stadium renovations?
Without a financial analysis or feasibility analysis, any answer would be premature. Ultimately, this will depend on how this project impacts our ability to fund other tourism initiatives, and the overall return on investment to the community. As with all economic development projects, I’m interested in the real economic impact, livable wages, substantive opportunities for MWSBE participation in design, construction, and operations, and workforce development opportunities.
What’s the best thing the City Council has done for Charlotte in the last 4 years? And what’s the worst thing?
The best thing the City Council has done for Charlotte in the last four years is deploying ARPA dollars to enable residents to navigate the pandemic by supporting myriad causes, including housing assistance, small business investment, upskilling and workforce development.
CATS has faced turmoil in the last year. What are, in your view, the most significant issues facing the system, and what role should the City Council play in solving problems?
The most significant issues facing CATS is low ridership. Without steady revenue, the system cannot be sustained, much less improved to increase reliability, frequency, and routes. The City Council has to take the lead for the region in standing up a regional authority that reflects the responsibility of each municipality to invest in our regional infrastructure. Because CATS is currently a City department, we must continue our efforts to improve operations and conduct long range planning as input into future development.
Is there an area where you disagree with your party on local or state issues? Why?
I affirm the tenants of the Democratic party. I would like to see us more strategic in how we execute policy/legislative initiatives. We are a big tent party, so are made up of people of various backgrounds and ideologies. At some point, we must agree on enough to coalesce around a passable bill. At times, our ideological purity test may be impractically high, resulting in an all-or-nothing stalemates.
What separates you from your opponent(s)?
Progressive pragmatism. As an engineer and policy scholar whose PhD focused on economic mobility policy, I bring big-picture thinking, academic rigor, and practical problem-solving to my service as a neighborhood leader-turned-councilmember. I have been an advocate for the marginalized, a proud West Side resident, and a bridge builder between hardworking, honest neighbors who care about their community and the establishment. I am a firm believer that the people rule — not only those at the top.
What one professional or political accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am most proud of drafting the framework for the Safe Charlotte plan, and for championing the Corridors of Opportunity program, having led the development of the West Boulevard Corridor Playbook as a board member of the West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition.
