Since March, staffers working on the Democratic National Convention have been using the city of Denver's tax-free gas pumps to fill up their cars - and using its carwashes.

A dispute about this prompted city officials Tuesday to promise that the local host committee will reimburse the city at a market rate for gas - and pay state and federal taxes on the fuel.

It was never the intent of the city not to properly charge the Democrats for the fuel or its taxes, said Katherine Archuleta, mayoral liaison to the convention.

John Edwards, who has been a rumored vice-presidential pick for Barack Obama, said in Denver on Tuesday he expects his crusade to reduce poverty to play a prominent role during the Democratic National Convention, reports Chuck Plunkett.

The former North Carolina senator and Democratic presidential-primary candidate spoke to the issue while outlining a plan to reduce poverty in the United States by 50 percent in 10 years.

"I'm very hopeful and have good reason to believe that this issue will be heard loudly and clearly" at the convention, Edwards said. He also said he expected his war against poverty to play a prominent role in the political platform the party will adopt for the convention.