Unlike many political campaigns, in which candidates have to be coaxed into one or two face-to-face debates, the 1999 mayor's race has been full of debates.

Republican Sam Katz and Democrat John F. Street have been on the same stage so often, they seem to have perfected their routines. Like a cranky vaudeville act or a bickering but stable married couple, they can be entertaining to watch.

At a Chamber of Commerce forum yesterday morning at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue, Daily News Editor Zachary Stalberg, the moderator, asked Street: "What do you think your weakness is as a leader?"

When Street paused for a moment before beginning his reply, Katz cut in: "Everybody relax. We're going to be here for a while."

When the laughter died down, Street allowed a few seconds of silence and then, as if that was his reply, sweetly asked Stalberg: "You want me to repeat that?"

Later, Stalberg asked Street to imagine that, as mayor, he was meeting Microsoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates at a cocktail reception. Katz had to play Gates, and Street was supposed to earnestly sell him on the idea of moving Microsoft's headquarters from Redmond, Wash., to Philadelphia.

Street kneaded Katz's shoulder ("I've got to keep my hand on my wallet," Katz cracked) and pumped him full of useful and encouraging information about the city.

Then Stalberg asked Katz to tackle the same hypothetical situation. The Republican said his years in business had convinced him that a reception wasn't the proper place to try to clinch a major deal.

"What happens at cocktail parties is you do what Ed Rendell does," Katz said. "You eat shrimp."

Another poll shows it's too close to call

As with every recent poll, the Daily News/Fox Philadelphia Keystone Poll released yesterday found the mayoral race still much too close to call.

The poll of 606 likely voters found 39 percent for Street, 38 percent for Katz and a relatively high 23 percent still undecided.

The poll was conducted Oct. 22 to 24 and has a margin of error of 4 percent. The poll's director, G. Terry Madonna, said that 64 percent of the undecideds were female and 47 percent were African American.

Sudden charge against charter change

A group that included City Councilman David Cohen and the League of Women Voters asked for an injunction that would prevent votes on the ballot question from being counted. A hearing on the request is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today.

The proposed City Charter change, which will appear on Tuesday's general election ballot, asks voters to decide whether the mayor should be able to appoint the whole school board at once upon taking office and should have the power to fire members at will. Currently, board members can be removed only for wrongdoing, and they serve staggered terms, so the mayor is often working with board members appointed by a previous mayor.

Cohen, who opposed the measure when it was approved by City Council in April, said he asked for the injunction because he thinks the proposed charter change is a bad idea.

"We've concluded that it would destroy the independence of the school board and the educational process," said Cohen.

The measure is supported by Katz and by Mayor Rendell, who is scheduled to hold a news conference today to voice his support. Street has said he does not oppose the ballot measure but does not believe it will significantly improve the schools.

Proponents of the ballot question, who say the change would help fix the schools by making the mayor more accountable for them, yesterday questioned the petitioners' tactics, noting that the petition was filed only days before the election.

"I believe the voters should be outraged that anyone would attempt to try to deny the voters of the city the opportunity to express their views on such an important issue as public education," said Councilman Michael Nutter, author of the ballot question.

The petition filed yesterday contends that the ballot measure was not properly publicized and that its wording is misleading because it does not say that the mayor would be able to remove school board members at will.

Frederick L. Voigt, executive director of the nonpartisan Committee of Seventy, called the contentions "silly."

"I think it is quite irresponsible to wait until so late in the day to seek to get by litigation what they lost through the democratic process," Voigt said.

- Clea Benson