Meeker, Coble face off

Raleigh — Mayor Paul Coble and challenger Charles Meeker clashed over taxes, clear-cutting and roads during a debate Monday evening that drew the largest live crowd of the campaign.

But the candidates broke little new ground as each argued that he had better ideas and each took swipes at the other’s record.

A standing-room-only crowd of about 160 people filled a classroom at the McKimmon Center for the forum. The forum’s host was N.C. Citizens for a Sound Economy, a think tank that promotes lower taxes, less government and less regulation. The debate was the third of four scheduled before the Nov. 6 runoff and the only one before a live audience.

In the last week before the runoff, both candidates are seeking to squeeze out more votes from what appears to be a divided electorate. Coble grabbed 587 more votes than Meeker on Oct. 9, but he fell 335 short of winning outright.

Jerry Agar, a talk show host on WPTF (680 AM), asked the questions, which focused primarily on the candidates’ records. Coble, a 48-year-old insurance broker, has been on the City Council since 1993 and has been mayor since 1999. Meeker, a 51-year-old lawyer, served on the council from 1985 to 1989 and again from 1991 to 1995.

The first two questions focused on public education, a subject not broached so far in most of this year’s political ads and rhetoric. It is also an area where the City Council does not have direct influence.

Coble said that under his watch the city has helped the Wake County school district locate new sites, hired crossing guards and assigned police officers to traffic duty near schools. He also said he has worked to keep city taxes low to ensure that when there is a request for more schools money, the city is better able to respond.

But Meeker said the mayor needs to be a better advocate for the public schools. He said it is important for the city to have a mayor who gets along with people and is willing to make compromises.

“You’ve got to have the right attitude,” Meeker said.

Coble also brought up an idea he raised two years ago: to use money generated from the countywide taxes on hotels and restaurant meals to help pay for new schools.

Meeker pointed out that that plan would require the state to change the law allowing the county to levy the taxes, which were approved to pay for economic development projects and tourism programs. Meeker said that change isn’t likely.

But Coble said the state will agree to the change if the city pushes for it. Last year, Cary became the first municipality in the state to give money to schools –$ 3.5 million that went to 45 schools to encourage economic development by supporting Cary students.

“We need the schools more than we need an arena or a baseball stadium,” Coble said more than once.

Other questions during the 90-minute debate targeted familiar issues, including the candidates’ records on taxes, the clear-cutting of trees on undeveloped sites, public safety and growth.

– Taxes: Coble said he would sign a pledge not to raise taxes and pointed out that Meeker voted for property tax increases in 1986, 1988 and 1989.

Meeker, who also voted for tax cuts in 1994 and 1995, refused to make that pledge. Meeker said several times that he will not raise property taxes, but that he could not make that promise because he supports higher impact fees on developers. Coble said impact fees will only pass higher costs on to homebuyers.

– Roads: Coble railed at Meeker’s 1993 vote while on the council against a proposal that included the Edwards Mill Road connector in northwest Raleigh and the Duraleigh Road connector. Meeker opposed the Duraleigh connector so he says he couldn’t vote for the package. Both Meeker and Coble voted for the Edwards Mill proposal to build the road in 1995.

Coble said he supports building new and expanded roads to ease traffic, but Meeker said the city needs to pursue a regional rail system as well as new roads.

– Clear-cutting: Meeker criticized Coble’s efforts to reduce clear cutting in the city. Meeker asked Coble why he didn’t support a recommendation made by the city’s Planning Commission and approved by the council this year to ask the state for broader authority to protect trees on undeveloped tracts. The broader rules, approved for five other towns in Wake County, protects more areas around undeveloped land. Raleigh’s rules apply to about 10 to 15 percent of the city’s land.

But Coble told the audience that the city’s current rules, which he helped create, are effective. Any more stringent regulations, he said, would infringe on property rights. Coble also said Meeker, while on the council, voted for dozens of developments that required the clear-cutting of sites.

The debate came during a regular monthly meeting of N.C. Citizens for a Sound Economy, but many in the crowd sported Meeker pins, and Meeker received the louder applause when he finished his closing statement. But Coble drew applause when he pledged not to raise taxes.

Bill and Millie Sullivan, retirees who live in the North Hills neighborhood, are Coble supporters and said they thought their candidate did well.

“I like his sincerity,” said Bill Sullivan, 75.

“Strength came through,” Millie Sullivan, 73, added.

But Pete Andrews, a 65-year-old retiree from Oakwood, didn’t like Coble’s answers on clear-cutting.

“Meeker was straightforward,” Andrews said.

GRAPHIC: photo Charles Meeker, left, and Paul Coble chat before their debate at Raleigh’s McKimmon Center. A standing-room-only crowd turned out Monday to hear the two state their cases. Staff Photo By Corey Lowenstein