PAtownhall.com
Pennsylvania's Marketplace of Ideas
Pennsylvania's Marketplace of Ideas
PAtownhall.com
Pennsylvania's Marketplace of Ideas
Pennsylvania's Marketplace of Ideas
by Cynthia Clark
I moved to Pittsburgh in the fall of 1995, excited for the new excitement in what I thought was the "Big City." However, from the first day that I moved here, all I ever heard about was the mass exodus of people moving away from the City. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why this was occurring.
Unfortunately, the answer to this question hit me like a ton of bricks this past week when the Allegheny County Council voted to implement yet another new tax - a 10% additional tax on all alcoholic drinks and a separate car rental tax. This measure was passed by a 10-4 vote, causing dissension amongst the Republican and Democratic council members.
When I first found out about the tax, I thought "So what?" After all, drinking alcohol is a luxury and choice made by each individual person. Quite frankly, no one needs alcohol to survive.
However, my sentiments changed dramatically after I realized why this tax was created - to fund the $ 30 million deficit of Allegheny County's 2008 budget, a portion of which will go to fund the Allegheny County Port Authority.
What a joke! There has been mismanagement of the Port Authority for years. If anything, the Port Authority should be abolished or privatized, not funded by taxes! To make matters worse, it is highly likely that the drink and car rental tax will only be the first of many created to fund the financial woes of the Port Authority.
In its infinite wisdom, our government decided to accept a federal grant in order to build an underground rail system connecting Downtown Pittsburgh to the North Shore, where the Pirates and Steelers play. While the majority of the population of Pittsburgh bleeds "black and gold," I am sure that most could care less about this new tunnel. It take all of five minutes to walk across one of the many bridges that already exist between these two points.
You may say that the tunnel should be built because it is funded by federal dollars. Not only could those dollars be better spent elsewhere, but the project (which recently began digging the tunnel) is already projected to be $ 130 million dollars over-budget.
How will this deficit be paid? You guessed it - another new tax.
I am not sure the people in this region can afford to pay any new taxes. The property taxes have been reassessed several years in a row, causing many Pittsburgh natives to abandon their homes to move to neighboring states and counties. I myself received a bill in the mail in the past month, indicating that my property tax will likely increase substantially next year.
The sales tax in Allegheny County is already 7%. We are already paying taxes on our alcohol due to the Johnstown Flood Tax. And now, beginning in January 2008, we will pay another 10% tax on our alcoholic drinks and an increased tax on car rentals.
Another problem which recently reared it ugly head is whether the newly passed tax will apply to complimentary drinks given to anyone who may frequent the soon-to-be-built casino. Restaurant and bar owners are already attempting to see if they can circumvent the tax by giving complimentary drinks to their own patrons. Couldn't the Council Members have anticipated this problem, or were they too busy shaking in the boots at the thought of crossing Allegheny County Chief Executive, Dan Onorato? (For those who don't know, it appears that Mr. Onorato was the mastermind behind this tax. Keep this in mind during his run for Governor!)
I truly am afraid that Pittsburgh will become a ghost town in the very near future - something I am sure our founders never envisioned.
So to all of you fellow Allegheny County residents, go to your local bar or restaurant and raise a toast to the infinite wisdom of Allegheny County Council. Just make sure you do it in the next two weeks to avoid the tax!
Posted by Cynthia Clark at 12/12/2007
