Onorato's County Address Focuses On Property Taxes

POSTED: 2:48 pm EST January 15, 2008
UPDATED: 11:20 pm EST January 15, 2008

PITTSBURGH -- Allegheny County's controversial new tax on poured alcoholic drinks was in the political spotlight again on Tuesday afternoon, hours before Democratic Chief Executive Dan Onorato -- who backed the drink tax and a rental car tax -- delivered his annual State of the County address at the county courthouse Tuesday evening.

Onorato highlighted that in his four years in office, he has cut 626 people from the county payroll. The Port Authority also cut 377 jobs, helping the county save $50 million. That, along with a cut in city row officers and 911 call centers, Onorato said there has been no need to raise property taxes.

"In fact, Allegheny County has not seen a property tax increase in six years, while all the counties around us have," said Onorato.

Before Onorato's address, some Republican members of the county council held a news conference about their efforts to stop the new taxes -- and to deny Onorato's new phone campaign that specifically names them.

Council members Jan Rea, Matt Drozd and Vince Gastgeb are proposing legislation to reopen Onorato's 2008 budget and repeal the 10 percent drink tax and the $2-a-day car rental tax.

"I made a vote and I didn't have all the information I really needed," said Rea. "For that vote and that $19.9 million is part of that puzzle that I needed I think to make a vote. I do believe there are gaming revenues that this county will realize that we are not counting in this year's budget."

Neighbors in Rea's, Drozd's and Gastgeb's council districts have gotten telephone messages paid for by Onorato's campaign, saying that if those three council members want to end the drink tax, it must mean they're in favor of higher property tax.

"I'll make a public plea right now to ask him (Onorato), as well as us, to be as civil as possible," Gastgeb said Tuesday. "I can't understand for the life of me how this got out of control. But the bottom line is, property taxes are not an issue. It's not on the agenda for tonight."

Onorato has said that the new taxes are a way to fund the Port Authority's $30 million subsidy. It's not his first choice, but the only other solution would be to increase the property tax, he said.

"We cut taxes my first year and every year since. In fact we're the only county not to raise taxes the last six years -- all the other counties around us have," said Onorato.

Onorato also said he's cut the county payroll, and that job cuts at the Port Authority have saved the county $50 million.

The Republicans countered by saying that the county received more than $19 million from gambling revenues last week, and if the council had known about that money, it wouldn't have voted for Onorato's budget with the new taxes.

"What should be on the agenda is why he didn't come in and fill council in and report to council where we got $20 million worth of gaming," Gastgeb said.

The gambling money is earmarked toward airport debt, Onorato said.

Ex-Allegheny County Chief Executive Jim Roddey Weighs In On Onorato

Jim Roddey was Allegheny County's first chief executive and he is taking aim at what he sees as problems with the current administration and current Chief Executive Dan Onorato.

VIDEO: Watch Bob Mayo's Report

Roddey, a Republican Party leader now, said he's complemented Democratic Onorato in the past for doing good things. But he charges that Onorato's budget is becoming unraveled, and that it's making Onorato scramble.

Roddey is blunt in his analysis of the state of Onorato, saying he fears a "triumph of ambition over honest and open government."

"Well, Dan (Onorato) wants to be governor, and he doesn't want to get blamed for anything," said Roddey. "He doesn't want to get blamed for having a deficit in the county. He doesn't want to get blamed for having a shortfall."

Roddey accuses Onorato of hijacking state slots funds meant to make the Pittsburgh International Airport more competitive, using it instead to balance his county budget.

"Modified this legislation to allow them to take $42 million, which they've already taken the first $20 million," said Roddey. "That's hijacking in anybody's language."

Roddey also claims that the controversial drink tax Onorato describes as necessary to fund transit isn't what the current county executive claims.

"Why did we get a drink tax and a car rental tax, and the answer will be, 'Well we need that for the Port Authority,'" said Roddey. "Everybody believes that's what we needed it for. That's not true. They needed it to cover the county's budget shortfall for 2008."

Four years ago, Onorato beat Roddey , taking the office of county executive from him after Roddey's single term.

But Roddey said he has no ambition to run for the post again.

"I've had my time as county executive," he said. "I've done that. I had a wonderful four years. I think we accomplished a lot."

Roddey is currently the Republican Party's Allegheny County chairman. He denies that's behind his criticism of the Democrat he regards as a potential candidate for governor.

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