PITTSBURGH -- Allegheny County's 10 percent tax on poured alcoholic drinks has only been around for seven weeks, and already county Chief Executive Dan Onorato may be pursuing alternatives.

Onorato sat down last week with a group of state legislators, county officials and representatives of some Pittsburgh bars and restaurants, and said he might be looking for another way to fill the funding gap at the Port Authority, as long as it doesn't involve raising property tax.

Onorato said that while he will not drop the drink tax until an alternative is in place, he is looking into options such as legalizing electronic poker machines and other gambling games in bars.

"Thank God," said Ugly Bar owner Bubba Snider. "We need an alternative to the drink tax. I have one location. This bar and restaurant feeds my children."

"All of these options are contingent on state approval," said Onorato. "We don't know what they're willing to do."

Electronic poker machines and similar games are currently legal when used for amusement purposes, but are illegal when used for gambling.

Bar and restaurant owners are scheduled to make their first payment of the drink tax on Monday.