PGH comics fight drink tax

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on June 16th, 2008

An Associated Press article on an Allegheny County nitwit legislator who pushed a drink tax to subsidize public transportation in the Greater Pittsburgh area.

Even comedians have gotten into the act, complaining that rising drink tabs meant fewer people coming to see them perform and pouring wine and liquor into a river in a mock restaging of the Boston Tea Party.

The anti-business tax is meeting with some hard feelings and some push-back from the citizens and bar owners.

A petition drive is about to get under way to try to repeal the 10 percent levy. Friends Against Counterproductive Taxation plans to begin collecting signatures Tuesday to put the issue to a referendum in November.[…]

Allegheny County will respond to the new Whiskey Rebellion with its own referendum, asking voters to pick between a property tax increase or the drink tax to maintain a transit subsidy required by law.