New year will bring lowered drink tax

‘ ‘ ‘ Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato announced in a press conference yesterday… ‘ ‘ ‘ Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato announced in a press conference yesterday that he and other officials are now recommending that the drink tax be reduced from 10 percent to 7 percent effective Jan. 1. ‘ ‘ ‘ According to Onorato spokesman Kevin Evanto, the reduction is being suggested after the tax brought in more money than expected. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Our projections are showing that we will likely bring in about $8 million more in the drink tax than originally estimated,’ said Evanto. ‘ ‘ ‘ The tax, along with a $2-a-day levy on car rentals, began in January of this year. The taxes were implemented in an attempt to help gain revenue for Pittsburgh public transit. ‘ ‘ ‘ Evanto said both taxes were originally estimated to bring in a combined $32 million, with $28 million coming from the drink tax itself. ‘ ‘ ‘ Yet, he said the drink tax is now estimated to bring in about $36 million on its own. ‘ ‘ ‘ According to Evanto, the tax cannot be reduced until county council approves the suggested reduction. If approved, the county executive will then have to sign the legislation in order for it to come into effect.