More than a dozen speakers took to the podium at a Pittsburgh City Council hearing tonight to oppose Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's plan to lease parking garages and meters.

Mr. Ravenstahl wants to lease the garages and meters to a private party for 50 years and use most of the proceeds to shore up the troubled pension fund.

Speakers said the lease proposal, which would include a sharp increase in parking rates, would damage neighborhood business districts and chase more residents out of the city.

"This will be the death knell for Downtown," Downtown resident Marshall Morgan said.

Tonight's is the first in a series of public hearings council is hosting on the lease proposal. Mr. Ravenstahl is holding is own series of public meetings. He wants council to vote on the deal by Sept. 15.

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