A majority of Pittsburgh City Council members said yesterday that they'll vote for a tuition tax, but that won't stop the universities -- and maybe the students -- from trying to derail the effort.

A special council meeting on the proposed 1 percent tuition levy, set for 1:30 p.m. today, may become the first forum for expression of student discontent. Though it's not a hearing at which the public can speak -- that's set for Nov. 30 -- the students intend to be seen, if not heard.

"Maybe the City Council members don't think that the students care enough to organize around spare change that will be added to our tuition," said Rotimi M. Abimbola, student government president at Carnegie Mellon University and a prime mover behind the Web site www.stoptuitiontax.org. "We need to show that we can."

That may start with a rainbow of school colors in Council Chamber. But changing the hue of council may be tough.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl gathered five council members in his conference room yesterday to deliver a message: We don't want to tax students, but unless the universities pay voluntarily, we have no choice.

"We hate this tax. And yet we know we have to do something," said Mr. Ravenstahl, as he stood in front of council members Ricky Burgess, Darlene Harris, Jim Motznik, Tonya Payne and Theresa Smith.

"If this tax is implemented, it will not be the fault of Mayor Ravenstahl," said Mr. Burgess. "It will not be the fault of council. It will solely be on backs of the educational and medical communities who are unwilling to share their great wealth with the city in its time of need."

That need stems from decades of questionable management of the city's pension fund, which holds around one-third of the $899 million it should to cover future obligations. To replenish it, and avert state seizure of the fund, Mr. Ravenstahl has said he needs a quick infusion from a lease of parking garages, plus $15 million a year in new revenue. That amount, plus another $1 million a year for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, would come from the 1 percent tuition levy, which the mayor calls the Fair Share Tax.

"It's an unfair share," said Mary Hines, president of Carlow University and chair of the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education. Though it's been billed as a way to get revenue from a population that demands city services and pays little in taxes, that's not accurate, she said.

Out of 65,000 students at the city's 10 colleges and universities, an estimated 47,800 are city residents, she said, and thus directly or indirectly pay city property taxes. Thousands of students work, and pay the $52-a-year local services tax, plus wage taxes if they live in the city.

She said the schools estimate they pay $20 million in amusement and parking taxes, property taxes on non-educational buildings and leased space, permits and water bills. The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority charges health and educational institutions 31 percent more per gallon than residents pay.

"We're like little municipalities. We have our own police forces. We have our own contracts with city trash collectors," said Ms. Hines. "We do our own snow removal. We maintain our own fire systems and fire hydrants."

Mr. Ravenstahl said he can hold off on drastic cuts to city services, or property tax hikes, for one year while the tuition tax wends its way through the courts. The one expenditure that may be lost is the proposed payment to the Carnegie Library, which the mayor said was "in jeopardy" in a stopgap budget.

Without additional funds, the library has said it will close four neighborhood branches.

The amended five-year plan the mayor must submit to council and the state-picked Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority -- which rejected an earlier budget that relied on tuition tax collections in 2010 -- will show pain after the first year. Police, crossing guards, pools, paving, demolition and other services would be reduced starting in 2011 unless the tuition tax or a voluntary payment of $15 million are realized, he said.

Councilman William Peduto, a tuition tax foe, didn't like the threatening tone.

"We're going to put a gun to the head of the city of Pittsburgh, and say, if you don't support the tuition tax, we're going to pull the trigger," he said. The tax, he predicted, will fail -- either in court, or through state legislation to preempt the tax.

"As of right now, we are not aware of any members who have introduced legislation" to outlaw tuition taxes, said Colleen K. Greer, spokeswoman for state Sen. Jeff Piccola, R-Dauphin. "However, Sen. Piccola who is chairman of the Senate Education Committee, would be willing to consider doing so, if necessary."

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