Allegheny County Council members yesterday debated legislation to eliminate the Port Authority and significantly reduce the drink and car rental levies through a referendum in November.

Councilman Chuck McCullough, R-Upper St. Clair and three other members of council's Republican caucus, sponsored the bills, which were unanimously approved in the Committee on Government Reform and will be considered by the full council in a special meeting on Tuesday.

Mr. McCullough proposed that the county ask voters to approve a referendum question on the ballot in November, in which the county would gain the authority to direct the transit agency to file Chapter 9 bankruptcy and sell off its assets.

"All we're asking to do now is to hear from the people, to wipe the slate clean and re-constitute public transit," Mr. McCullough said.

His proposal to reduce the two levies, which were implemented this year to fund the Port Authority would see the alcohol tax reduced from 10 percent to 0.5 percent and the car rental tax from $2 a day to 50 cents a day.

Council President Rich Fitzgerald said the proposals will be considered during a special meeting he has scheduled for Tuesday to propose a referendum question he is sponsoring, which will couple a property tax increase with any reduction or elimination of the drink tax.

Council, currently on its summer break, held a special meeting on Tuesday to grant itself the authority under the county's administrative code to put referendum questions on the ballot.