Republican mayoral candidate Mark DeSantis criticized incumbent Luke Ravenstahl for a flier engaging in "petty partisan politics" during the candidates' second live televised debate Sunday.
"It misses a few things," DeSantis said of the flier titled "Republican Insider: The DeSantis File," which juxtaposes photos of President George W. Bush and DeSantis. "Namely, the fact that I worked for the first President Bush, not the current president."
Ravenstahl said he "certainly signed off" on the ad, produced by the Pennsylvania Democratic Committee and mailed to city residents this weekend. The flier says DeSantis gave money to the Bush and Santorum campaigns.
"I think it's fair to let residents know that he has financially supported President Bush and (former U.S. Sen.) Rick Santorum," Ravenstahl said after the hourlong debate. "Their policies have been very troubling, to say the least, for urban America, specifically the city of Pittsburgh."
The exchanges -- nine days before the Nov. 6 general election, which will decide who will serve as mayor for the next two years -- came during a debate moderated by WPXI-TV anchor David Johnson and sponsored by the United Jewish Federation at the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill.
Johnson asked Ravenstahl whether he has made mistakes as mayor or whether the media have sensationalized the mayor's decision to travel on Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle's private jet to New York in March or to use a city-owned GMC Yukon SUV to attend an August concert by country musician Toby Keith.
Ravenstahl, 27, of Summer Hill, who took office Sept. 1, 2006, upon the death of Mayor Bob O'Connor, portrayed himself as a political target.
"I think these issues have been issues that have, in many ways, been blown out of proportion," Ravenstahl said.
DeSantis, 48, of Downtown scolded the mayor for his handling of the controversies.
"The bigger problem I have with his response here and in prior situations is I don't see any humility," DeSantis said. "I don't see any acceptance of responsibility for these mistakes."
The candidates clashed over public safety issues as well.
Ravenstahl said he is against abolishing the city's residency requirement and allowing police officers and other city employees to live outside the city.
DeSantis supports getting rid of the residency requirement, but he hopes to make the city prosperous enough to make city employees want to stay.
In the fire bureau, DeSantis said he would support closing fire stations if a yet-to-be-released TriData Corp. study ordered by Pittsburgh's state oversight board calls for it.
Ravenstahl said he would take other factors into account -- such as fire engine response times and Pittsburgh's high number of fire-prone condemned buildings -- before agreeing to close stations.
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