Pittsburgh Councilman Bill Peduto today said he would ask the state Legislature to require the city Parking Authority to reduce its rates as the parking tax goes down.

He also wants to cancel the reduction scheduled for 2009 and dedicate the $2 million it raises to help fund Allegheny County's share of funding for Port Authority of Allegheny County.

At a news conference in Shadyside, Mr. Peduto said it is wrong that parking lot operators didn't reduce their rates this year when the tax was reduced from 50 percent to 45 percent. Another 5 percent reduction is scheduled for 2008.

Mr. Peduto said he will ask the state Legislature to pass a bill mandating the city parking authority to reduce its rates. He believes that would put pressure on private operators to reduce their rates, too.

He criticized the city authority for not reducing rates on its own.

"It's not their money," he said. "To simply balance your books on the reductions is bad management."

He claimed high parking rates are one reason for lagging office rentals in the city.

Mr. Peduto wants to get state permission to cancel the 2009 scheduled tax reduction and use the money to support mass transit. That would provide another funding option for Allegheny County, which next week will consider a poured alcoholic drink tax and an increase in the car rental tax to fund its $25 million share of Port Authority costs.

Mr. Peduto said he has discussed his proposal with state legislators for both parties and believes it would win support.

Earlier this week, Councilman Jim Motznik called for freezing the tax at 45 percent and using the money that would have been lost through a reduction to pay down city debt and pension obligations. State Republican leaders, who control the Senate, were cool to that proposal, which Mr. Peduto said he doesn't favor, either.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.