Zack Stalberg, president of Committee of Seventy, has been making the rounds to media outlets across the city, talking up the ethics ballot question that he fears could get lost in an election with no hotly contested races. The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce launched a letter-writing campaign touting the reforms as a first step toward ending pay-to-play. And Daniel Urevick-Ackelsberg, founder of YoungPhillyPolitics.com, wrote about it under the headline "I am voting YES to the Charter Change."

All these efforts are directly aimed at changing the way the city awards contracts. Indirectly, they target the city's "corrupted and content" culture that was highlighted during the FBI probe that ended with former City Treasurer Corey Kemp's conviction for funneling work to Democratic fund-raiser Ronald A. White in exchange for a new deck on his house, a trip to the 2003 Super Bowl and other gifts. Also drawing attention to the ethics debate is City Councilman Rick Mariano's recent indictment on charges that he let a metal-processing business in his district pay his credit card debt while he pushed to exempt the company from certain taxes and fees.

The reform measures were introduced by Councilman Michael Nutter more than a year ago, voted down, amended, backed by City Council 16-1 in May and finally signed by Mayor Street in June. (Only Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell dissented, saying the bills gave an unfair advantage to wealthy candidates who could fund their own campaigns.) Enacting the new laws would change the Home Rule Charter, the set of rules that governs the city, so it must go before the voters.

Experts say the ballot question is likely to pass;

not since a new charter was proposed in 1994 has a ballot question failed. Before that, Rizzo famously lost a ballot initiative to eradicate term limits. So why all the fuss? A large turnout would send a message to Council that more reforms are needed. That's why the Committee of Seventy brought together dozens of grassroots organizations, including Neighborhood Networks, Philadelphia Forward and the Pennsylvania Economy League, under the "Vote Yes" campaign.

Observers have noted Nutter's behind-the-scenes approach to pushing the ballot question, a tactic that keeps the potential mayoral hopeful, and the ethics question, from becoming a target of his political opposition. Nutter rejected that argument, saying, "I've been as vocal as I possibly can be. … This is not a political issue." Another possible candidate, electricians' union boss John Dougherty, has said he won't support the reforms because they are too weak.

The question prompting all these efforts -- it has been criticized as wordy and complicated -- is located on the bottom, right-hand side of the ballot. It would change the process for awarding no-bid and professional services contracts in the following ways:

· Individuals who give a city official, candidate or political action committee more than $2,500 in one year would be banned from receiving a contract worth more than $10,000.

· Companies that give an official or candidate more than $10,000 in one year would be banned from receiving a contract worth more than $25,000.

· A city agency intending to award a contract would have to say so on the city's Web site 14 days before the contract is awarded; all job applicants must also be published.

· Anyone applying must post on the city's Web site contributions to an elected official or candidate in the state in the past two years as well as other contract details.

Other items on Nutter's ethics reform agenda include establishing a code of ethics and an independent Board of Ethics, and controlling nepotism and outside employment by council members. This fall, Nutter says he will also introduce a bill calling for limits on competitively bid contracts. These reforms were previously stalled in the Law and Government committee by the late Councilman David Cohen, but the new head of the committee, Councilman Jim Kenney, says he plans to hold hearings as soon as Nutter and others' schedules allow.

Kenney said people should vote for the ballot question "because we're spending your money. And we need to spend your money in the most honest and economical way possible." Anticipating meager turnout, he says, "I don't think the turnout is going to be indicative of what people feel."

When asked why the ballot question should matter to residents who don't follow politics, Brett Mandel, executive director of the tax-reform nonprofit Philadelphia Forward, said that according to a spring IssuesPA.com poll, 76 percent of Philadelphians trust the local government to do what's right only some of the time or never.

"It matters because if we are not sure our government is working for us," Mandel says, "you can be absolutely sure it's working for somebody."