Franco Dok Harris, the son of Steelers Hall of Famer Franco Harris, kicked off his campaign for mayor last night by declaring he wanted to make Pittsburgh "the city of yes."

If elected mayor, he promised to say "yes" to enhancing economic opportunities, fighting crime, investing in education and fixing the city's infrastructure.

"We have a lot of things that need to be fixed, and I plan to hit the ground running," he said.

Mr. Harris, who turns 30 on Thursday, spoke to a crowd of about 200 people gathered in the parking lot of Vento's Pizza in East Liberty. COL, a jazz band, and KRUNK, a hip-hop band, performed prior to his speech, as Mr. Harris mingled with attendees and passed out slices of pizza.

He is running as an independent, against Democratic incumbent Luke Ravenstahl and independent candidate Kevin Acklin, a Squirrel Hill attorney. Prior to his speech, Mr. Harris described himself as a progressive, campaigning outside the Democratic machine.

The Shadyside resident graduated from Sewickley Academy in 1997 and Princeton University in 2001 with a degree in politics. He returned to Pittsburgh after working in banking in Washington, D.C., to enter the joint law-business degree program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business. He graduated last year and works for his family's business, Super Bakery Inc.

"A plan for a city is only as strong as the leader behind it," Mr. Harris said, expressing his goal to make Pittsburgh a "green city" and the "Silicon Valley of the East."

Much of Mr. Harris' speech was devoted to emphasizing his plan to avoid big money donors.

"Mine is the only campaign that is not for sale," he said.

His father, Franco Harris, introduced his son to the crowd, and said the younger Harris would not embrace "the machine" or "the same old politics" of the current mayoral administration.

With the inaugural campaign event, "the game is on," Franco Harris announced. He assured the crowd that his son would create his own legacy in Pittsburgh.

"Franco Dok Harris will not be defined by me," he said. "He will make his own history. He will define himself by being a great mayor for the city of champions, the city of Pittsburgh."

Candidate Harris said he will be going around the city, making his positions known, from now until the Nov. 3 election. His father said he'd lend his help to the campaign.

"I'm going to be having fun, while he's working hard, and trying to get the message out so people get to know his name, and so they know that Pittsburgh does have a choice," the elder Harris said.