Pittsburgh Councilman Patrick Dowd failed again yesterday to get funding for an audit of a $414 million debt deal the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority entered into last year, as his council colleagues voted against spending $15,000 for the review.

Last month, he was unable to convince the authority's board -- of which he is a new member -- to fund an audit of the complex debt package. Yesterday he was joined by Council President Doug Shields and Councilman William Peduto in voting to have the city commission the independent review, but council members Darlene Harris, Jim Motznik, Tonya Payne and Theresa Smith voted no.

Ms. Harris noted that Mr. Dowd voted to extend the life of the authority to allow the debt deal, but then blasted it after he became a mayoral challenger. "To me, it's politics," she said.

A guarantor of some of the debt has said it will pull out of the deal, prompting a scramble for new guarantees.