Legislation for Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's proposed parking lease was introduced Tuesday in Pittsburgh City Council, where members remained intent on examining other options for helping the troubled pension fund and decided not to speed up official debate on the mayor's plan.

Mr. Ravenstahl sent council four bills that would authorize a 50-year lease of parking garages and meters, raise parking rates and extend the life of the city parking authority, among other provisions.

The legislation was introduced eight days after a consortium led by J.P. Morgan Asset Management offered nearly $452 million for the lease. Mr. Ravenstahl, who wants to pump at least $200 million of the money into the pension fund, has asked council to approve the lease by Nov. 1.

Councilman Patrick Dowd proposed suspending council's rules so that he and his colleagues could discuss aspects of the legislation -- such as a timeline for voting on the lease -- at today's standing committee meeting. Usually, council discusses a bill at standing committee eight days after it's introduced.

Mr. Dowd suggested developing a timeline that would take into account Mr. Ravenstahl's visit to China next month, saying members might want another sit-down with the mayor. But other council members said the bills should follow the regular legislative process.

"I think it's best to just leave well enough alone and just let the bills flow in the natural order of things," Councilman Bruce Kraus said.

Mr. Ravenstahl has said he must add $200 million to the pension fund by the end of the year to keep the state from taking it over. His trip to China is unrelated to the pension fund.

Mr. Ravenstahl will travel to Shanghai on Oct. 6 to address a business conference and then go on to Seoul, South Korea, for more business meetings and a conversation with officials planning the G-20 summit there in November. He will return home Oct. 15 or 16.

Council members seemed in no mood to rush discussion of the mayor's plan, especially when city Controller Michael Lamb hasn't yet divulged an alternative proposal he has been working on.

"I think we've heard from the mayor," Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith said. "I want to hear from everyone else now."

Mr. Lamb and Mr. Dowd previously proposed turning over certain parking garages to the pension fund as an ongoing revenue stream, the idea the mayor's lawyers called unworkable.

The controller now is working on another plan. In addition, council President Darlene Harris is still working on plans for a pension bond, another idea the mayor's office rejected.

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