U.S. House: Health Care DebateAllegheny Ballot May Have Two Drink Tax ReferendaCounty Lawmakers To Voters: Choose Your TaxPOSTED: 9:12 am EDT July 15,
2008 PITTSBURGH -- Allegheny County voters could decide between two drink tax referenda come November.The County Council agreed Tuesday night to, if necessary, establish its own referendum protecting the county's 10 percent tax on poured alcohol."We're changing the Charter of Allegheny County to say that council can put a referendum on ballot that basically counters what citizens -- the referendum they are putting on ballot," said Councilman Jan Rea, R-District 2.The council wants to give voters a choice to keep the 10 percent drink tax or choose to increase property taxes instead.Local restaurant and bar owners continue to push an anti-tax referendum."You continue to run this campaign of smear and fear ... putting the restaurant owners against customers even though our businesses are suffering," said Kevin Joyce, owner of The Carlton Restaurant in downtown Pittsburgh and chairman of the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association.The council is planning two more special meetings before Aug. 15 to decide how it will phrase its version of the drink tax referendum.County Executive Dan Onorato insists the drink tax is necessary to fund county transit without raising property taxes. Previous Stories:
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