Onorato Weighs In On County Drink Tax ReferendumAllegheny Co. Residents To Vote Between Drink Tax Or Higher Property TaxesPOSTED: 1:08 pm EDT July 30,
2008 PITTSBURGH -- Allegheny County residents will have a big decision ahead of them come November.On Tuesday, the Allegheny County Council voted to put the county’s 10 percent drink tax to a referendum on the November ballot.Now residents will have to choose between keeping the drink tax or an increase in property taxes.Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, a strong supporter of the drink tax, said he plans to do everything he can to avoid a hike in property taxes.“We're required by the federal government to give a match of $30 million every year, and the state says we can use a property tax or a drink tax,” Onorato said. “I believe that the people of this county, if you have to pick between the two, will want the drink tax instead of having property tax increasing.”However, Onorato said he's still pleased with the actions taken by the County Council on Tuesday night.The current 10 percent tax on poured alcoholic drinks helps fund the Port Authority.Republicans on the County Council argued that there has not been enough attention directed toward finding another funding option.Conversely, the majority of Democrats on the council maintained there are no other choices.The County Council's vote comes in response to a petition driven by local bar and restaurant owners who want their own referendum on the ballot for voters to decide whether to reduce the 10 percent drink tax to one-half of 1 percent.Bar owners have until August 5 to collect enough signatures to put their issue on the ballot.“I think it would be outrageous if we shift this back to property taxes,” Onorato said. “The petition is misleading because it doesn't even mention property taxes. I think the public has the right to make this decision and not be tricked.”Residents remain split on the issue.Jim Border favors an increase in property taxes. “That way everyone is paying taxes, not just the ones who like to go out and have a drink here or there. “We’re the ones paying for everybody,” Border said.Jim McNulty wants to keep things the way there are. “It's pretty difficult to downsize your house -- it's relatively easy to downsize your drinking. I'd rather see a high drink tax because I can control that more easily,” McNulty said.
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