Voters tune out skirmish for mayor

For this to happen, Nutter replied, other business taxes would have to rise. He talked about how much Fattah would have to raise one particular tax and challenged his rival to dispute the calculation.

But Fattah - widely viewed as the front-runner before polls last week, from SurveyUSA and Susquehanna Polling, put him in a statistical tie with Knox or slightly behind - refused to engage, saying this was not the time to discuss such differences.

Much about the shape of the campaign remains in the courts' hands.

On Tuesday, a judge from Luzerne County will hear the argument that Brady should be knocked off the ballot for failing to list his $8,500-a-year city pension on a financial-disclosure form. Knox is underwriting the effort; Evans supports it.

The case and its appeals could drag on for as much as a month.

Still pending is a court decision that might wipe out the contribution limits under which several campaigns seem to be struggling. A legal challenge also may be forthcoming against the casino referendum, which, if held, might boost voter turnout.

Eventually, the courts will make all of their rulings, the candidates' debates will begin, lots more ads will appear, and the battle will be fully joined.

"Events will move quickly at the end when the candidates start spending real money," said Smukler. "It may be dull now, but it'll be a wild last four weeks."

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