Monday, December 20, 2010

As Onorato Administration Approaches Closing Time, Let's Have Final Round Of Drink Tax On The Rocks

If, as seems increasingly likely, Dan Onorato is approaching his finish line as county executive, one last drink tax debate on his watch seems a good call. Especially if overtaxation at seven percent -- remember when Mr. Onorato insisted on ten percent, despite forecasts of overcollection? -- is causing surplus drink tax receipts to idle in a bank account.

Mr. Onorato and council president Rich Fitzgerald are likely to oppose any reduction -- for spite, mostly, because drink tax opponents were responsible for Onorato's humiliating Allegheny County loss in the gubernatorial race -- but council's vote could be close, for several reasons, some related to the prospective vacancy in the county executive's office, others related to fairness and sound public policy.

Infinonytune: Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers, ZZ Top
Infinonytune: Champagne And Reefer, Muddy Waters (with the Rolling Stones)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Commenting here because you don't seem to be taking comments on the Jordan Miles thing you wrote....
what does that car wash deal have to do with officers int he Jordan Miles case other than trying to make people look bad? and what is happening in court today?

Why exactly is it your business?

Infinonymous said...

No idea why the recent Jordan Miles/car wash entry seems impervious to comments. It happened once before, and resolved itself as inexplicably as it arrived.

The car wash case is likely to become a major story soon. The evidence that reportedly will emerge could (and perhaps should) cause the public to become strongly skeptical concerning the testimony and other accounts of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers in general, particularly in circumstances lacking evidence to corroborate the self-serving police story.

That could be extremely bad news for any officers who beat the bloody hell out of an innocent honor student for no apparent reason, then provided a story based on physical evidence they can not produce (and a story with a few other irregularities), then must face a jury or two.

Whose business is it when armed government agents beat an innocent citizen beyond recognition?

By the way, anyone proposing to defend the three men who turned innocent teenager Jordan Miles' face into a bloated bruise should probably avoid the phrase "make people look bad."

MH said...

They should use the stupid drink tax surplus to keep the stupid property tax valuation dodge.

Anonymous said...

To bring it back to the drink tax:

Alcohol beverages are relatively inelastic in that a change in price has a small effect on the quantity of the good demanded. Thus, even though there was a small uptick in price (due to the tax) there was not a correlating decrease in consumption. Profit for bars and restaurants in the county have remained stable and the county was able to painlessly generate funds.

All in all good policy.

Infinonymous said...

Anonymous 10:17's argument would be more persuasive if it contained at least one accurate assertion.

MH said...

I still think they should have raised the money by selling beer from a cooler on the bus. That would make things better for everybody with the possible exception of the bus driver.