Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl will travel to Harrisburg tomorrow for a two-day trip aimed at continuing his predecessor's policy of building bridges between the city and the state.

Mr. Ravenstahl said yesterday that he plans to meet with Gov. Ed Rendell and legislative leaders.

"I'm just taking the opportunity to meet with the influential folks in Harrisburg," he said. "I'm just introducing myself, and obviously there will be a business side -- talking about what we've done so far and where we are financially."

Mayor Bob O'Connor, whose Sept. 1 death led to Mr. Ravenstahl's ascent to the office, made it a priority to improve relations with state and federal elected officials.

Relations with Harrisburg had become frayed in the last years of Mayor Tom Murphy's tenure, which ended last year.

Mr. Ravenstahl has already hosted legislators from Allegheny County in his office, and visited Washington, D.C., on Sept. 20 to meet members of Congress.

He has submitted to state overseers a 2007 budget that depends in part on gambling revenue, which he can collect only if a slots casino opens in the city. The timing of the casino's opening depends in part on the actions of the state Gaming Control Board.

The mayor's long-term financial plan counts on $10 million annually in new state aid in future years. He said he will not make specific requests for help this week.

The Legislature approved a tax boost for the city in late 2004, but city leaders have said it isn't enough to cover rising costs expected a few years from now.

The consensus in political circles is that no new help for the city will be coming this year, since most state officials are fighting for re-election.