A skirmish over Pittsburgh's vehicle policy could hit the checkbooks of City Council members today, thanks to dueling approaches to mileage reimbursements.

Councilman Ricky Burgess has authored legislation that, when amended, would raise caps on reimbursements so all city employees who use personal vehicles for public business could get the Internal Revenue Service rate of 50.5 cents per mile for up to 750 miles of business travel per month. That proposal comes up for a final vote today.

But Councilman Dan Deasy wants to amend it to bar elected officials from getting any mileage reimbursement, calling the lifting of caps "a pay raise, if you ask me."

"I'm willing to forego my mileage. I don't have a problem with that," he said.

Currently, council members can get $150 per month reimbursed for the use of their personal vehicles on public business and aren't required to submit detailed travel logs. Other city workers face different caps. Building inspectors, for instance, can get $220 each month but must detail their travel.

Mr. Burgess would boost the cap to $378.75 for all city employees, and require detailed logs. He said the aim is "just to be fair," since he has authored separate legislation to cut in half -- to 29 -- the number of city workers who take home taxpayer-funded cars. That could compel more city workers to use personal cars on after-hours call-outs.

Effectively doubling the cap "could be $2,000 more per council member," said Mr. Deasy.

Mr. Burgess said he hasn't requested mileage reimbursement since taking office in January, and doesn't plan to do so. He said he's "hoping this is not an attempt to punish other elected officials for supporting my stand on take-home vehicles -- and I'm sure it's not."

His take-home car legislation has been opposed by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's administration, which has argued that council does not have the power to regulate the assignment of vehicles.

Mr. Burgess called today's take-home car vote a chance to choose between "the residents of the city" and "the benefit of a select, privileged few."

Mr. Deasy is running for the state House seat currently held by Rep. Tom Petrone.