Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor started his job with a pledge to fix the city's finances, and yesterday, on his 99th day, his budget won approval.

		Online graphic Mayor Bob O'Connor: The first 100 days (Warning: Large file -- 2.7 MB)

In between there have been get-it-fixed walks through neighborhoods, public safety plans galore and many meetings called by the mayor, a guru of get-'em-in-the-same-room diplomacy.

There's also been a lightning strike of fortuitous timing that galvanized his efforts to boost city morale.

"I don't think anything can beat driving down Fifth Avenue after a Super Bowl win as mayor," he said.

Pittsburgh City Council's 7-2 vote puts in place a $427.5 million spending plan, which leaves taxes unchanged but spends the money squirreled away last year. It replaces a $418 million plan that did not adequately fund the Fire Bureau or pension funds.

"We're not out of the woods yet, but it's a budget that gives us a little more tools than we had last year," the mayor said.

It also eliminates one department, General Services.

The end of the budget process frees the mayor, on this hundredth day, to chase some tough deadlines, mostly self-imposed, that fall in the next 100 days.

"We want to create a sense of urgency in this city," he said. "I like to be focused on a deadline."

A big one is the July 11 baseball All-Star Game. He's said he'll upgrade river rescue capabilities, link video cameras into a unified evacuation planning system, have wireless Internet service Downtown, and, famously, "redd up" the city.

"Once you clean up, you keep it clean," he said. Pride takes root. "It's like waxing your car."

He has said a new Downtown revamp plan will be in place around mid-year.

A contract extension granted to the paramedics union runs out June 30, and the refuse workers want a new labor agreement, too.

He's talked about getting private sponsors for city recreation facilities, including some or all of the 18 pools that sat empty last year. Pools open in June.

The state-picked Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority has set a July 1 deadline for a five-year fiscal plan. ICA board member Barbara McNees said the oversight panel will take that deadline "very seriously."

How does the mayor feel about the deadline pressure?

"That's our opportunity," he said.

Another opportunity is the backlog of city road, bridge and wall repairs that, he said, will likely mandate around $48 million in borrowing for two years.

Much of the mayor's time has gone to changing the habits of city managers. He and staff "go into a division anywhere, Monday morning, and ask the division leader what his goals are, not only for the day, but for the week."

Since money is still tight, there has been some push-back from the city rank and file.

"Some city workers have brought to me concerns that they are short-staffed or don't have the necessary equipment, and are being asked to do things that they don't have the resources to do," said Councilman William Peduto.

He said the mayor could make "major impacts" on city needs, depending on how he spends a $1.7 million hiring contingency fund in the new budget.

If many hands make light work, the mayor may have a chance.

He's sought help from Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt, federal and county prosecutors, state lawmakers and City Council members.

"He's a very positive, upbeat guy," said state Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Squirrel Hill. "I think he's created an atmosphere where people will be willing to work with him.

"There hasn't been any heavy lifting requested yet," he added. That could come next year, when the city may ask the state for financial help, he said.

The mayor has challenged residents and neighborhood leaders to expect more, and do more.

"He initiated cleanup of all of our alleys, which hasn't been done since 2002," said Mary Ann Flaherty-Bennett, president of the Upper Knoxville Block Watch, whose neighborhood hosted a mayoral fix-a-thon last month. "I hope it continues, and I'm sure that it will."

Mr. O'Connor and staff "have really been, in my opinion, very accessible, not only to myself as a councilman, but to the residents at large," said City Council President Luke Ravenstahl.

The work has just started, he added.

"There are a wide range of issues. ... Nobody's going to solve them in 100 days."