Shields Questions Mayor's Motivation

Pittsburgh City Council President Doug Shields wonders why Pittsburgh Mayor Ravenstahl vetoed the campaign finance reform bill passed by council last year but is now introducing his own bill. He says he wonders what is motivating the mayor. He speculates that it may have something to do with “a run of pay to play stories” that painted the mayor in a bad light. Shields says he does not have a big problem with the proposed legislation but he wonders why the limits need to be higher than the limits set by the council. He says as he understands it the bill would allow incumbents to raise $18,000 from an individual over a single 4-year term. He says he also wonders why there needs to be the millionaire exemption. He says history shows millionaires do not run for city office. He says they would rather just buy a candidate and expect them to do what he or she wants.