The two independents in the Pittsburgh mayoral race took their final swings at incumbent Mayor Luke Ravenstahl this afternoon in a debate to be broadcast Sunday on WPXI-TV.

The session went over well-worn ground, with Squirrel Hill attorney Kevin Acklin hitting Mr. Ravenstahl for his ties to a Cranberry political consultant, and Shadyside businessman Franco "Dok" Harris criticizing the mayor's handling of neighborhood small businesses and crime. Mr. Ravenstahl touted the city's successes in his three years on the job and asked voters for a full four-year term to rescue the city's ailing pension fund and get Pittsburgh out of distressed fiscal status.

Mr. Acklin made no surprise announcements about leaked e-mails today, as he did during last week's debate on WTAE-TV, but he did repeat his criticisms that consultant John Verbanac had too much influence in the Ravenstahl administration. "What it shows, I believe, is this mayor has big corporate interests pulling some of the strings in his office," Mr. Acklin said.

Mr. Ravenstahl dismissed those claims as "irrelevant" and said "there's nothing improper there and never has been."

Mr. Harris tried to place himself above the fray, calling the argument "political fluff." Mr. Harris did criticize the mayor for his response to the fatal Sept. 26 shooting of a 5-year-old boy in Northview Heights, saying he should have visited the boy's family. If Mr. Harris is elected mayor, he said, "I will be there, I will hold your hand, I will show up at anti-violence rallies."

Mr. Acklin too criticized the mayor on neighborhood issues, saying residents have told him they "never see the mayor out here except for when the cameras are rolling."

Mr. Ravenstahl responded that, as mayor, cameras follow him everywhere, and he he hosted 10 citywide meetings on neighborhood issues, which led to programs such as Green Up Pittsburgh and the city's Taking Care of Business cleanup drives. Members of his staff attend an estimated 50 neighborhood meetings every month, he said.

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