Mayors Meet with Governor Easley RALEIGH, NC – The mayors and city managers for the 20 member cities of the NC Metropolitan Coalition were in Raleigh Thursday and Friday for a long-established organizational meeting. On Thursday Governor Mike Easley invited the mayors to a 40-minute meeting at the Executive Mansion to discuss the state's budget crisis. While there are no conclusive results to report, the meeting was a frank and productive discussion. Both parties, the mayors and the Governor, have a better understanding of the challenges that the state government and cities each face. Coalition Vice- Chairman, Greensboro Mayor Keith Holliday said afterward, "I believe that yesterday's discussion with Governor Easley was an important step. While we still have serious differences with the Governor over his withholding of our local revenue, I am hopeful that we can work together." As discussions continue, the Coalition will join with the NC League of Municipalities and work with the Governor and state legislators to prevent the kind of circumstances that have lead to the state withholding critical local revenues. The Coalition's Treasurer, Cary's Mayor Glenn Lang, said, "Our position about local revenues was heard loud and clear. We need our money back – our cities need reliable and secure funding sources. The Governor and his staff appear to understand that, and we look forward to continuing our dialogue." In February, the Governor ordered a series of steps to balance the state budget. He held local revenue payments for the rest of this year along with reductions in spending by state agencies and other cuts. These local revenues come from taxes and fees on utility franchises and alcohol sales, and are collected by the State on behalf of cities and counties to then be returned to each local government on a regular schedule. He also held the state reimbursement payment to cities and counties for the repeal of local inventory taxes. Established in 2001 and comprised of 20 of the largest cities in North Carolina, the North Carolina Metropolitan Coalition was formed by the municipal mayors to encourage the continued development of the urban areas in North Carolina as livable, environmentally sound, and economically viable centers. Members of the NC Metropolitan Coalition were in the Triangle Thursday and today for a previously scheduled session to continue work on priorities for the state's coalition of cities. See www.ncmetros.org. For more information, please contact : Beau Mills, Director NC Metropolitan Coalition www.ncmetros.org