Name as it appears on the ballot: Mahmoud A. (Travis) Hamed

Previous elected offices held: N/A

Age as of Election Day: 36

Occupation (employer, where you work, what you do): Sell Your Car Today LLC, General Manager

Best phone number and email for voters to reach you. Website and campaign social media:

1. Give us your elevator pitch in 200 words or less. Why are you running for this office? What makes you the most qualified candidate?

I am running for Fayetteville City Council to give District 8 the leadership it deserves, leadership that delivers results instead of excuses. I grew up here, went to school here, and today I manage my family business where I make tough financial and investment decisions every day. That discipline of making hard calls, staying accountable, and focusing resources where they make the most impact is exactly what City Council needs.

Fayetteville is full of potential, but we are held back by crime, wasteful spending, and projects that stall for years. My plan is built on safety, transparency, prosperity, and strength. I will work to fully staff and support our police and first responders so families and businesses can thrive in secure neighborhoods. I will make the city budget clear and understandable and insist on accountability for every project and contract. I will push for smart growth that brings small businesses and veteran entrepreneurs to District 8 and beyond.

I am not running to serve political insiders or special interests. I am running to return power to the people and to make Fayetteville a safer, stronger, and more prosperous city for everyone.

2. What do you view as the three most pressing issues facing your district and the city as a whole? How will you address them as a city council member?

The three most pressing issues facing District 8 and the City of Fayetteville are public safety, responsible financial management, and real economic growth.

First is public safety. Fayetteville’s police department is understaffed and stretched thin, leaving officers overworked and families uneasy. I will fight to fully staff and support our police and first responders with competitive pay, strong retention incentives, and the resources they need to protect every neighborhood.

Second is financial management. Our city’s $315 million budget is growing faster than our population and too often dollars are spent on programs and projects that do not deliver measurable results. I will insist on a full review of spending priorities, making sure money flows to core services like police, infrastructure, and essential community needs instead of unproductive bureaucracy. I will work for transparent budgeting that residents can easily understand and trust.

Third is economic growth. Poverty rates hit 25% in some areas, deterring investment and fueling crime. I’ll streamline permitting red tape, target incentives for our veterans, and use budget savings for small business grants, generating organic revenue so families build wealth, not dependency. I will champion policies that attract and reward businesses that invest locally, create good jobs, and keep wealth in our community.

Fayetteville can be safer, stronger, and more prosperous with disciplined leadership.

3. What’s the best or most important thing the Fayetteville City Council has done in the past year? Additionally, name a decision you believe the council should have handled differently. Please explain your answers.

The Fayetteville City Council hasn’t done much worth celebrating in the past year, but if I had to pick the least bad thing, it was accepting the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police Performance and Wellness Grant on September 8, 2025, for officer support.

A decision they botched badly was approving the ShotSpotter contract on September 8, despite its dismal track record of 88% false alarms, wrongful arrests in lower income neighborhoods, and zero crime reduction in larger cities. This waste diverts funds from qualified officers and community programs. Also, the creation and funding of the Office of Community Safety. More than two million dollars have been allocated to launch a department without a clear operational plan or proven track record. Similar offices in larger cities have failed to reduce crime and often underreport nonviolent offenses, leaving residents less safe and first responders discouraged. Those dollars also could have been directed to fully staffing our police force, improving retention, and supporting programs with measurable results.

4. Last year, the City of Fayetteville sued a contractor for abandoning over $6 million in construction projects. The city has since hired new contractors to finish the projects. What steps will you take to ensure Fayetteville is able to successfully complete capital projects in the future?

This exposed deep weaknesses in how our city manages capital work. It was truly a disgraceful example of the mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. Families and taxpayers deserve better than half-finished fire stations, parks, or roads.

As a City Council member, I will push for a process that rewards performance and protects residents. Every major project should begin with rigorous prequalification: verified financial stability, a proven record of on-time and on-budget delivery, and clear references from similar work. I will insist on strong bonding and insurance requirements, so the city is financially covered if a contractor walks away. Ironclad safeguards rooted in transparency and accountability is the only way.

During construction, contracts must require milestone-based payments tied to documented progress, with regular on-site inspections and immediate penalties for delays or substandard work. Independent auditing and transparent public updates will keep residents informed and hold all parties accountable.

Finally, I will champion a culture of real project management inside City Hall, ensuring staff have both the authority and the responsibility to act quickly when problems appear.

By demanding accountability at every step and insisting that taxpayer dollars fund results, Fayetteville can finish projects on time and on budget and rebuild public trust

5. While overall crime in Fayetteville has decreased by around 13% this year, the number of homicides and incidents of juvenile crime have increased. The Fayetteville City Council recently enacted a youth curfew ordinance. Would you have voted in favor of it? How will you work to improve public safety and reduce crime in the city?

I would have voted against the youth curfew ordinance. It is government overreach that punishes every young person while failing to address the real causes of crime. Crime does not follow a clock. Tragic events can happen at any hour, and broad curfews simply move the problem without solving it.

Real safety starts with supporting our police and first responders. Fayetteville’s police department is understaffed and stretched thin. I will fight to fully staff and support the department so officers can patrol proactively instead of racing from call to call. Competitive pay, strong retention incentives, and recruitment of experienced officers will help build the force we need.

Prevention matters too. We must strengthen families and create opportunity. I will support mentorship programs, mental health resources, and community initiatives that give young people constructive paths forward. I am also willing to personally offer free finance and investing classes for youth to help them learn real-world skills and develop their own business ideas.

By focusing on proven solutions like strong policing, family support, and economic opportunity, we can reduce violent crime and juvenile offenses and create a safer, stronger Fayetteville for every resident.

6. How will you work to attract and retain new businesses and other development to Fayetteville? Name another municipality you believe has made smart decisions about sustainable growth and development, and describe what it has done that could be implemented in Fayetteville.

Fayetteville has tremendous opportunity to grow, but businesses need confidence that projects will move quickly and predictably. I will focus on making Fayetteville one of the easiest places in North Carolina to build and expand. That starts with streamlining zoning and permitting, cutting unnecessary red tape, and setting clear timelines so investors and entrepreneurs can plan with certainty. I will also support infrastructure that matters most to business and make sure every dollar spent delivers a measurable return.

We can create a one-stop development center, digitizing plan reviews and inspections, and publicly reporting progress so everyone, from small shop owners to large employers, has transparency and confidence.

By combining low taxes, safe neighborhoods, and a fast, predictable approval process, we can attract and keep the businesses that create jobs and build a strong future for every family in Fayetteville.

7. The county and city have often struggled to determine who is responsible for addressing homelessness. How would you work with the Cumberland County government and other community partners to decrease homelessness in the city?

Homelessness is a challenge that neither the city nor the county can solve alone. It requires a coordinated approach that starts with clear responsibility and measurable outcomes. As a City Council member, I will push for a formal city–county partnership that sets defined roles, funding commitments, and performance benchmarks so that resources are not duplicated or wasted.

Instead of pouring money into unproven programs or expensive facilities without clear plans, I will support solutions that have shown results: targeted transitional housing, partnerships with proven non-profits and faith-based organizations, and mental health and addiction treatment that connects people directly to recovery and employment. I will also work with local businesses and job-training programs to create real opportunities so people can regain stability and independence.

Public safety must remain a priority. The city should enforce ordinances that keep public spaces safe and clean, while offering services to those ready to accept help. Taxpayers deserve accountability for every dollar spent and visible progress in reducing street homelessness.

By focusing on proven recovery programs, coordinated funding, and pathways to work, we can offer compassion that leads to independence and ensure Fayetteville remains a safe, welcoming city for every resident.