ON THE SAME WEEKEND that Philadelphia celebrated its 100th homicide of the year the presumed front runners in the May 15 Democratic mayoral primary election are still arguing over financial disclosure. "What's he got to hide," said Tom Knox, the millionaire Democratic candidate, referring to Congressman Chaka Fattah. In a story in Friday's Inquirer Fattah responded, "If the choice is between making my wife happy or Tom Knox happy, he's going to be disappointed, as he will be on May 15."

At issue is the disclosure of the salary of Fattah's wife, WCAU-TV news anchor, Renee Chenault-Fattah. On that same day New York reported a total of 80 homicides and Los Angeles 84 for the year 2007. Based on population, if New York had Philadelphia's murder rate there'd be closer to 600 homicides this year in the Big Apple. With New York's murder rate, there'd be only 14 dead this year in Philadelphia.

Clearly, something has got to give in this mayoral campaign. But it won't be Renee Chenault-Fattah's TV anchor salary. In one of the more remarkable statements I've ever read by a political operative, the candidate's campaign spokesman, Solomon Jones, e-mailed the Inquirer this statement, "Chaka Fattah stands by his wife's wishes today, tomorrow and forever,"

My guess is "forever" means less than a week. If Fattah allows his wife's salary to become a continuing campign issue in the midst of a city homicide crisis that has become a national disgrace, he can kiss the top job in City Hall goodbye.

Does Renee Chenault-Fattah's salary have anything to do with Chaka Fattah's fitness to be mayor? Of course not. Does his refusal to disclose her salary mean anything? Possibly. Do his stated reasons for refusing to reveal his wife's salary matter? You bet. On Wednesday, Fattah told reporters he could not release the information because of a confidentiality agreement his wife had signed with WCAU-TV, even though Chenault-Fattah had been released from that nondisclosure clause by her employers the day before.

Chenault-Fattah still refused, telling the Inquirer that revealing her salary would undercut her bargaining power with any future employers -- she just signed a five year renewal contract with Channel 10 in January -- and that she was "unwilling to put my family or the future of our family's income at risk."

In a city filled with thousands of families at risk every day, in a city on a pace to reach 400 murders this election year, that statement makes Renee Chenault at risk of sounding like Marie Antoinette. And becoming mayor of Philadelphia has never been a piece of cake.