Pittsburgh Drink Tax

Originally Posted on January 8, 2008 Last Updated on March 31, 2008

So the drink tax went through in Pittsburgh. It’s 10% added to every poured beverage of an alcoholic nature, and the funds are to be used, at least in part, to help fund the Port Authority.

First, let it be known to the record and otherwise that the Pittsburgh Port Authority is a sad state of a company. It is widely held that they are poorly managed and as a very regular bus rider I can attest that to a holy host of things wrong with the mass transit system. A few small changes could save the Port Authority a ton of cash, such as getting an automated system to deal with route questions, which are currently handled by live operators. That’s right, want to know when your bus is coming? Call the Port Authority (only during 9 to 5 business hours of course) and wait on hold until an operator is free. During rush hour you typically just get a busy signal and after hours you’re out of luck. An automated system would cost money up front, but save money in the long run and provide better service. Also, eliminate the dozens of nearly identical routes in exchange for a wider, more flexible route system. Allegedly, the Port Authority hasn’t really done rider surveys in a long while, though one can’t imagine they have a complete lack of data on this.

Regardless, the drink tax is here and it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. Good for it. The tax is expected to raise $30 million for the Port Authority. So come next January 1st there better be a serious improvement in the Port Authority. If they can’t run the place with this extra cash, I believe we have no recourse other than to condem Mr. Onorato and the higher ups at the Port Authority to using their own transit system as their sole means of transportation. Maybe then they’d get around to sorting out the real issues, a fat cat system, instead of relying on restaurants and drinkers who may or may not even ride the bus to fund their blunders.

Up Next: Pittsburgh Bedouins

Discussion

julie 8 Jan 2008

That’s a really good point. I haven’t read much about the drink tax, but I would like to know if there is some sort of means of measuring the success at the end of the year. I wonder if this is already planned, and if not, how it can be recommended.

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shawn 8 Jan 2008

wow.. that’s great. that will pay for 1/13 of the underwater north shore connector that we’ve all been needing..

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nathan 8 Jan 2008

Agreed completely, Julie. These types of taxes are notorious for being started for a specific purpose and over time the money gets reallocated to other areas of government, until 100 years later we’re still paying a “horse stablers tax” or some bs like that.

Case in point, the US cigarette taxes which Clinton’s administration levied in order to offset a national health care program of some sort.

You’ll still pay 2.5x what cigarettes cost 8 years ago but do you see any sort of health care plan out there?

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Brent 11 Jan 2008

Just so you know, the Port Authority is testing an automated system for information on buses. The system currently focuses on East End buses. I recently posted on my blog about the system, but you can try it out at 412-268-3526.

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nathan 13 Jan 2008

I am aware of the system that CMU is developing and I’ve used it a few times. It works relatively well, I typically use it for the 64A as I take that bus to the Squirrel Hill movie theaters or Waterfront and I’m usually there after Port Authority hours.

While a system like that would definitely be great, if it worked pretty well, a simpler system such as that implimented in Portland, where each stop has an ID (which is listed at the stop itself along with on the web and print schedules) that you can call Trimet (Portland’s transit co.) and use to find out when your next bus will be coming, etc.

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