Is the Race for PGH 2009 actually heating up?

Image via WikipediaIt was looking like a quiet, post holiday January evening.  But surprise surprise – some interesting information about the mayoral race – will Patrick Dowd challenge Luke Raventahl in the may primary election?

A story by Rich Lord showed up on Post-Gazette.com at 5:47 pm this afternoon and Matt. H reports that KDKA mentioned a Dowd run on the news.  (Thank Matt – you have been doing a great job on the political reporting lately.)

I think one of the interesting things to note is Dowd’s comments to the Post-Gazette about the murder rate in 2008 is significant.

He said last year’s highest-in-15-years murder count, and “stories [that] emerge monthly, sometimes weekly, that serve as distractions,” have led him toward a challenge to Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.

It seems like the Ravenstahl administration has done very little to discuss the increase in violence in Pittsburgh.

One of the lesson learned in 2008 is the importance of the campaign season for discussing problems and ideas for solutions.  The extended primary season allowed for a more extensive public discourse about major issues facing this country.  Pittsburgh deserves the same opportunity to have a discourse and exchange ideas about how to deal with some of the issues facing this city.