FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               January 29, 2001

CARY, NC – Cary Mayor Glen Lang will join with members of the newly formed North Carolina Metropolitan Coalition in meetings this week in Raleigh with legislative leaders to discuss issues important to Cary and the Coalition, including roadway improvements, mass transit, public safety, and smart growth, the environment, and local funding options.

"In working to improve our citizens’ quality of life, we run into a lot of the same challenges as other communities," said Lang, "so it makes sense to work together in approaching the Legislature with proposals for solutions."

The Coalition--which includes mayors from the state’s 22 largest cities and thereby represents more than 2.3 million citizens--will meet with Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight and the Senate Leadership on January 30^th and with House of Representatives Speaker Jim Black on January 31^st.

The Coalition will then hold a news conference at the end of their meetings on Wednesday, January 31^st at noon in the Legislative Building Press Room at which they will highlight conversations from their meetings with the Assembly leadership and answer questions from the media.

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