Local Politics

Meeker undecided on re-election

Mayor Charles Meeker said Wednesday that the state of the local economy in the coming months will determine whether he seeks a fifth term as Raleigh's leader.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Mayor Charles Meeker said Wednesday that the state of the local economy in the coming months will determine whether he seeks a fifth term as Raleigh's leader.

After eight years as mayor, Meeker said it might be time to move on, but he said he would be reluctant to do so if Raleigh's economy continues to struggle.

He said his experience in leading the city through the downturn that followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks could be beneficial to helping Raleigh recover from the current recession.

As mayor, Meeker has been a strong advocate for downtown redevelopment and environmental issues.

During his tenure, Raleigh opened a new downtown convention center, reopened Fayetteville Street to traffic and underwent a boom in downtown condominium development.

He backed stiff water restrictions during the 2007-08 drought as Falls Lake shriveled to a series of streams amid an expanse of cracked, dry clay, and he has championed the city's effort to adopt energy-efficient lighting and hybrid vehicles.

He also pushed for higher impact fees from developers to help pay for Raleigh's growth and for limiting the size of homes built in the city's older neighborhoods.

Meeker, who ran unopposed in 2007, said he would make a decision on running for re-election by June. He said he's not interested in any other public office.

"I won't be running for anything else," he said.

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