PITTSBURGH -- Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato's State of the County address was overshadowed Tuesday night by the drink tax debate.

In his speech, Onorato said his office is saving taxpayers more than $50 million every year without raising property taxes. Those savings come from the merger of city and county offices, and the elimination of row offices.

The budget also cut county payroll by more than 600 employees and laid off about 400 Port Authority workers.

But it was the drink tax that took center stage. Republican council members said the more than $22 million the county received in state gaming revenues should mean a break for taxpayers.

They introduced a bill on Tuesday to repeal the drink and car rental taxes. The Post Gazette reported the effort to repeal the drink tax was voted down 10-4.