Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy announced today he will not seek a fourth term in next year's election.

	Steve Mellon, Post-Gazette Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy, with his wife Mona at his side, announced today that he would not seek a fourth term in next year's election. Click photo for larger image. Mayor Murphy's announcement letter

"This was a personal decision. I'm 60 years old and there are lots of things I want to do with my life," Murphy said at a news conference this morning, with wife Mona by his side.

The event was originally supposed to be a bill-signing ceremony for the 2005 budget package City Council approved last week, which included the new payroll and occupation taxes the state Legislature approved in November. It was fitting for Murphy to bow out of city politics while signing the bills -- the long years of fights over the city's budget and other issues, such as the North Shore stadiums, made him wonder if he was still fit for the job.

"I questioned whether I could still be effective" after all the fights, Murphy said.

Murphy said he also wanted to give other possible candidates more time to decide whether to enter the race without worrying whether he would run. After making his final decision last week, he decided to go public rather than keeping it private through Christmas.

He said he was not ready to endorse any candidate for mayor yet. The Democratic primary -- which usually decides the race in a city with a 5 to 1 Democratic registration edge -- is in May.

"I'm not sure . . . that my endorsement would be helpful to anybody," Murphy joked.

Possible contenders could include: former Council President Bob O'Connor, who lost to Murphy in the 1997 and 2001 primaries; Allegheny County Prothonotary Michael Lamb; City Councilman William Peduto; and City Controller Tom Flaherty.

The mayor said he would serve out the remaining year on his term. He did not have another job lined up but said he would like to stay in public service, possibly returning to the Peace Corps, in which he and Mona served in the early 1970s in Paraguay.

During 2005, Murphy said he would focus on implementing the city's new taxes and spending cuts and continue working on economic development matters, especially in the Downtown retail corridor.

---

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.