Onorato Gets Fired Up Over Drink Tax Critics

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.

Previous Stories: January 15, 2008: Onorato Blasts County Council Effort To Repeal Drink Tax January 15, 2008: Drink Tax Could Go Away December 28, 2007: Allegheny County Drink Tax Injunction Denied December 27, 2007: Local Restaurant, Bar Owners Fight Drink Tax December 14, 2007: Bar Owner Has Message For Onorato December 5, 2007: Dan Onorato Responds To Drink Tax Debate November 30, 2007: Opponents of Drink Tax Release Study on Impact October 2, 2007: Allegheny County Council Proposes Drink Tax