The Raleigh City Election

First time candidate for City Council Champ Claris has spoken the tabooed words ‘Don’t build it downtown.’
 
 
Since Charles Meeker was elected Mayor (which seems like it was not long after General Sherman marched through Raleigh) Meeker’s been trying to turn downtown into the southern equivalent of the ‘Great White Way.’ It’s a mystery why Charlie Meeker loves downtown so much but if anyone wants to build something in Raleigh the Mayor is almost certain to urge them to put it downtown.
 
And it’s made him popular – Charles Meeker’s such a shoo-in for reelection it seems we ought to save the money, call off the election and announce the inaugural.
 
So Champ Claris saying ‘Don’t build it downtown’ – talking about the new basketball arena – took some old-fashioned courage.
 
The Mayor – who’s all for the new arena – says it only makes sense to go on and buy the land now, to be ready for the future when it’s time to start building; but does anyone really doubt once the City has its hands on the land that Charles Meeker will be able to resist the temptation to go on and start pouring the pilings?
 
Electing Champ Claris may also turn out to be doing the Mayor a favor – having someone on the Council who doesn’t agree with him may keep Charles Meeker from getting bored the next two years.
 
Champ Claris has bucked the political establishment, which doesn’t happen often in politics, and it would be good to have a maverick on the City Council.

 

The Raleigh City Election 10/2/2009

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Carter Wrenn

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The Raleigh City Election

First time candidate for City Council Champ Claris has spoken the tabooed words ‘Don’t build it downtown.’
 
 
Since Charles Meeker was elected Mayor (which seems like it was not long after General Sherman marched through Raleigh) Meeker’s been trying to turn downtown into the southern equivalent of the ‘Great White Way.’ It’s a mystery why Charlie Meeker loves downtown so much but if anyone wants to build something in Raleigh the Mayor is almost certain to urge them to put it downtown.
 
And it’s made him popular – Charles Meeker’s such a shoo-in for reelection it seems we ought to save the money, call off the election and announce the inaugural.
 
So Champ Claris saying ‘Don’t build it downtown’ – talking about the new basketball arena – took some old-fashioned courage.
 
The Mayor – who’s all for the new arena – says it only makes sense to go on and buy the land now, to be ready for the future when it’s time to start building; but does anyone really doubt once the City has its hands on the land that Charles Meeker will be able to resist the temptation to go on and start pouring the pilings?
 
Electing Champ Claris may also turn out to be doing the Mayor a favor – having someone on the Council who doesn’t agree with him may keep Charles Meeker from getting bored the next two years.
 
Champ Claris has bucked the political establishment, which doesn’t happen often in politics, and it would be good to have a maverick on the City Council.

 

The Raleigh City Election 10/2/2009

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Carter Wrenn

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