First of all, they taxed a PRODUCT that is sold by a business. Using your logic, one could make the argument that any establishment that prepares and sells food or drink outside of the home is a “luxury”
It DID hurt business. Here are some facts.
Sales of wine and spirits to Allegheny county establishments decreased 4.3% in 2008 Vs 2007. In the meantime, sales to the 5 contiguous counties to Allegheny increased by 4% 2008 Vs 2007. Using that decrease, the number can be extrapolated to a multi million dollar loss of food and beverage sales in Allegheny county. There is a LOT more to the hospitality industry than the southside.
The mentality of “just get over it and enjoy your drinks” is what enables these politicians to keep piling more and higher taxes on us year after year. If that’s OK with you, then that’s your choice, but it’s not OK with me.
i don’t usually get involved in these political discussions so much any more, but this Onorato guy is just bad news. I don’t care so much about what happens in Pittsburgh, because they will just keep electing democrats and will stay in bankruptcy and nothing will really change, but Onorato as governor would be bad for the state.