Their pursuit and spending of Other People's Money has blown away all previous records for a Philadelphia mayoral campaign. Sam Katz and John Street have raised about $14 million so far and are still going strong.

They are also among the dwindling number of American taxpayers supporting public financing of presidential races.

The 1998 tax returns released late last week by both men show that they and their spouses checked the boxes that divert $6 per couple to the Federal Election Commission to help provide matching funds for presidential campaigns. Previous returns show that Katz and Street habitually use the check-off.

There aren't many who do. When public financing began in 1978 as a Watergate-era reform, 29 percent of taxpayers contributed. The total is now less than 13 percent, the Election Commission said yesterday.

In previous years, that has meant the feds have been unable to pay parties and candidates on time, forcing campaigns into debt. The fund helps pay for both major political conventions, the general-election expenses of the candidates, and the expenses of losing primary candidates.

Mum's the word

 Friday evening was the deadline for City Council candidates to file campaign fund-raising reports with the Philadelphia Board of Elections.

Each candidate had to file a personal report showing personal spending, if any, and a report for the candidate's fund-raising committee.

Timothy Dowling, an election-finance and documents specialist for the board, said seven candidates had failed to file one or both of the reports required by deadline.

Dowling said Darrell Clarke, the Democratic candidate in the Fifth District, had filed neither report. W. Wilson Goode Jr., a Democratic candidate for an at-large seat, had not filed a personal report, Dowling said. Brian O'Neill, the incumbent Republican in the 10th District seat, hadn't done so, either. Nor had O'Neill's Democratic opponent, Harry Citrino.

Three other candidates has filed neither required report, Dowling said: Thomas Lynch, a Republican running in the Sixth District; Bert Lancaster, a Republican running in the Eighth District, and D. Dexter Watson, an independent seeking an at-large seat.

Fines for not filing are $20 a day for the first six days, then $10 a day up to a maximum of $250.

But there's more than money at stake. A winning candidate cannot take the oath of office, or a Council seat, until the fund-raising reports have been filed and any fines paid, Dowling said.

This one's for Hillary

As a tribute of sorts, the Bala Cynwyd lyricist couple Henry and Bobby Shaffner have volunteered a song.

The Shaffners have previously tackled such rhyme-defying topics as the writing of the U.S. Constitution and the 1996 presidential candidacy of Republican Steven Forbes. (Voters were advised to "open up your orbs.")

Their Clinton ditty is set to the tune of Groucho Marx's comedy classic, "Lydia, the Tattooed Lady."

"Hillary, O! Hillary. Say have you met Hillary?

Hillary, a first-class lady!"

Regrettably, it goes on from there.

A brief encounter

Candidate Katz stopped by the 80th anniversary celebration of the Original I. Goldberg's store on Chestnut Street in Center City last week to shake hands and work the room.

He also bought a package of Fruit of the Loom - briefs, not boxers.