In the past the Mayor has pretty much had his own way on the City Council. It voted to fund his hotels, spend more on his convention center and to let him use tax-money to buy Dix Hill. But recently the Council voted down his push for English-style roundabouts on Hillsborough Street, and, now, on top of that, the Council has deferred action on new regulations downtown that cover everything from news racks to street venders to street performers.

We all know how the Mayor feels about downtown. He’s been trying to regulate everything from the types of planters people use to fining them for not cutting their grass. Is this a second clink in Mayor Meeker’s armor? Are there cracks opening in his once solid control of the City Council? Is Charlie Meeker about to become just one of eight votes on the Council?

It’s too early to say. But, according to the newspaper, the Mayor lobbied hard for his roundabouts – but even several of his fellow Democrats on the Council told him no.

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