Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's plan to lease the city's parking garages and meters took a pounding Monday from speakers who called it a sure way to drive businesses, shoppers and residents from the city.

"This is a bad plan. We want you to stop the plan," Oakland resident Jack Offenbach said at the City Council hearing, one of four to be held in the next week.

In all, the meeting drew about 40 people. None of the 15 speakers supported Mr. Ravenstahl's plan to lease the garages and meters and use proceeds to shore up a city pension fund that's at risk of state takeover at year's end.

"Our vote is no," said Robert Wholey, of Wholey Fish Market in the Strip District.

At minimum, Mr. Ravenstahl has said, the deal would generate about $100 million to cover parking authority debt and about $200 million to boost the pension fund and stave off a takeover.

Under a takeover, he has said, the city would have to make dramatically higher pension contributions that could be funded only with big tax hikes or service cuts.

To make the deal attractive to bidders, Mr. Ravenstahl has proposed sharp increases in parking rates, something speakers found troubling.

"I can tell you, in business, when you raise prices, it's not good," Beechview resident and deli owner Jeffrey Cohen said.

Mr. Cohen said the plan would scare shoppers from city business districts. "They'll go to the Waterfront. They'll go to South Hills. They'll go anywhere they can park for free."

Downtown resident Marshall Morgan said Downtown already is empty at times.

"This will be the death knell for Downtown," he said.

Denise deStefino-Cohen, owner of Salon deStefino in Shadyside, said her customers already complain about parking rates there. She said still-higher rates would be "another nail in the coffin for my business."

Some council members took the opportunity to reiterate their opposition to the plan, including Doug Shields, who said the proposal is "fraught with problems."

Council has commissioned a study of Mr. Ravenstahl's plan and possible alternatives in anticipation of a mid-September vote on the lease proposal. Some residents urged council to continue studying alternatives, and council President Darlene Harris said she's still seeking ideas.

"If you have any other thoughts, our doors are always open," she said.

Councilwoman Theresa Smith cautioned that alternative plans also could include parking rate increases, and she criticized her colleagues for taking a stand against Mr. Ravenstahl's plan already.

Council's other public hearings will be at 6:30 p.m. today at Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers headquarters, South Side; Thursday at Pittsburgh Public Schools headquarters, Oakland; and Monday at Pittsburgh King PreK-8, North Side. Mr. Ravenstahl has been host of two public meetings and will hold a third at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Greenfield Senior Center.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.