PITTSBURGH -- The son of a former running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers is running for mayor of the city.

Franco "Dok" Harris announced his candidacy as an independent on Monday. He joins a pair of Democrats -- City Councilman Patrick Dowd and Carmen Robinson, a Hill District judicial clerk and former police officer -- as challengers to Democratic Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.

On his Web site, Harris cites budget and pension concerns as some of the reasons he's seeking office. He told WTAE Channel 4 Action News that he's running as an independent because the city's problems will only be fixed with universal support.

"We can't solve these with a one-sided approach. We can't solve this by saying we can do this all by ourselves," Harris said. "Instead, I'm running as a Pittsburgher. I am asking everybody -- Democrats, Republicans, independents, Green Party, Libertarians, Socialists -- that we have to do this together as Pittsburghers to improve our lives in the city and to give us the chance to succeed in the future."

Harris works for his family's bakery business. He holds degrees in politics, business and law from Pitt and Carnegie Mellon.

He said he wants to give tax breaks to small businesses in order to keep young entrepreneurs and college graduates in the city, and he would promote safe communities by supporting safety forces and giving them the latest in tools and technology.

Though Harris is the least-known of the four announced mayoral candidates, he pointed to Andrew Carnegie as a source of inspiration.

"We had a Scottish immigrant who came by penniless and built up an empire of steel," Harris said. "I mean, this is a city of underdogs, and I think Pittsburghers understand that, and it's not about getting my name out there. This is really my dedication to civic duty and the need for Pittsburgh to have wise stewardship through the crisis we will be facing."

Franco Harris Sr. has been an active supporter of Democrats in Pittsburgh in recent years. He was an invited guest at local campaign events for President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, and for presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry in 2004.