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newsobserver.com Page 2 of 2 <br />. 15 <br />Mayor Charles Meeker said many of the city projects covered by the resolution won t be <br />completed for several years..By then, he said, there's a likelihood that the economy will have <br />improved. <br />He said finding ahalf-cent for public art is easier now because many city projects are coming in <br />under budget because of declining construction costs. <br />"They will be under budget just not by as much," he said. <br />The resolution is intended to be an interim measure that will eventually be replaced by a <br />permanent program. The budget for staffing and operating a permanent program is expected to <br />be discussed as part of the city's coming budget deliberations. <br />The interim resolution will likely cover the city's new public safety center, which is expected to <br />cost about $140 million to build. That would mean setting aside $700,000 for public art. <br />The program is designed so that any money not used on a specific project would be pooled and <br />could be used to pay for art projects in existing public spaces around the city. <br />david.bracken@newsobserver.com or 919-829-4548 <br />Comics, crosswords and coupons... only in The N&O print edition. Subscribe Now! <br />© Copyright 2009, The News & Observer Publishing Company <br />A subsidiary of The McClatchy Company <br />http://www.newsobserver.com/news/v-print/story/1409614.htm1 2/24/2009 <br />