PITTSBURGH -- Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato weighed in on the possibility of repealing the county's 10 percent drink tax and an ensuing hike in property taxes on Monday.
Onorato said any referendum presented to the voters must keep the budget in balance,according to the county charter.
“If you’re going to bring an amendment forward it’s got to be balanced on the revenue side or the expenditure side, or a combination of both, so that we still have a balanced budget," Onorato said.
In order to do so, property taxes would have to increase to counter the loss of the drink tax.
“We have a $30 million hole in the budget if the drink tax gets repealed. At a minimum, it would be a $30 million property tax increase,” Onorato said.
Onorato said the referendum question being circulated by petition would be illegal because it doesn’t offer a way to account for the lost revenue.
However, a county council version of the referendum would be legal if it asks voters to choose between the drink tax and higher property taxes.
County council will hold a meeting on Tuesday to further discuss the drink tax referendum.
Previous Stories: - July 15, 2008: Allegheny Ballot May Have Two Drink Tax Referenda
- June 18, 2008: Drink Tax: Vote And Tell Channel 4 Action News What You Think
- June 18, 2008: Petition Would Force Allegheny County Drink Tax To Ballot
- May 20, 2008: Drink Tax Helping Allegheny County Get On Right Track
- May 2, 2008: Allegheny Councilman Says Reduce, Then Repeal Drink Tax
- April 30, 2008: Drink Tax Lawsuit Grows
- April 14, 2008: Group Targets Lawmakers Who Voted For Allegheny County Drink Tax
- March 5, 2008: County Drink Tax Affecting Liquor Suppliers, Bars, Restaurants
- March 1, 2008: County Tallies Drink Tax Totals
- February 26, 2008: New Plan Could Nix Drink Tax
- February 26, 2008: Bars Pay Up: Allegheny County Drink Tax Nets Big Bucks
- February 23, 2008: Bar Owners Must Pay Tax By Monday
- February 20, 2008: Onorato May Look For Allegheny County Drink Tax Alternatives
- February 12, 2008: Pittsburgh Restaurants, Bars Still Trying To Beat Drink Tax
- February 2, 2008: Liquor Tax Protesters Dump Alcohol
- February 1, 2008: Onorato Tends Bar, Pours Shots Instead Of Take Them Over Drink Tax
- January 15, 2008: Onorato's County Address Focuses On Property Taxes
- January 14, 2008: Allegheny Council Republicans Want To Nix Drink Tax
- January 3, 2008: Drink Tax May Drive Some Borderline Bars Across Allegheny County Lines
- January 1, 2008: Allegheny County Rings In 10 Percent Drink Tax
- December 28, 2007: Judge Denies Request To Delay Allegheny County Drink Tax
- December 5, 2007: Allegheny County OK's Drink Tax, Nixes Property Tax Hike
- December 3, 2007: Port Authority Spending Slammed Again Before Vote On Drink Tax
- November 20, 2007: Drink Tax A Possibility In Allegheny County
- November 1, 2007: Drink-Tax Debate Continues
- October 10, 2007: Allegheny County To Lay Off 200; Tax On Poured Drinks Supported
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