Allegheny County Council yesterday unanimously approved a bill to grant itself the authority to put referendum questions on the ballot.

The proposal, an amendment to the county's administrative code, was approved in a 14-0 vote after more than an hour of debate.

Council's action was seen as a bid to counter the effort by a group of restaurateurs and bar owners to reduce Allegheny County's 10 percent drink tax through a referendum in November.

"This is a complete circumvention of [council's] own policies and procedures. It is a countervailing measure designed to confuse people at the ballot," said John Graf, a member of the group Friends Against Counterproductive Taxation.

The group, which has opposed the levy since it was proposed as part of a dedicated funding stream for mass transit, is challenging the drink tax in court and with a drive to collect some 23,006 signatures to put the levy to a referendum vote. A majority of council members hope to frame their own question that would couple a property tax increase with any reduction or elimination of the drink tax. Their hope is that given such a choice, voters would preserve the drink tax.

Council President Rich Fitzgerald, D-Squirrel Hill, who called the special meeting because council started its summer break last week, received solid backing for the proposal from council's Democratic caucus as he sidestepped council's usual committee process for new legislation.

"I have always said that we need to let the voters decide on whether they want a drink tax or an increase in property taxes," he said.

Councilwoman Jan Rea, R-McCandless, wondered whether council has the authority to amend the county's administrative code to grant itself the authority to put a referendum question on the ballot.

"There is nothing in the charter that denies [council] the power, but there is also nothing in the charter that gives council the power," Allegheny County Solicitor Mike Wojcik told council.

The county charter currently allows citizens to place referendum questions on the ballot by gathering petition signatures.