No sooner was the ink dry on the 10 percent drink tax than Allegheny County's elected officials began to back away from it.

Initially, County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and most of the Democrats on County Council said the alcoholic drink tax was a necessary alternative to raising property taxes. They said the drink tax was an alternative to an underfunded public transit system.

Now the tax's creators say they need an alternative to the alternative -- like legalized gambling on video poker in neighborhood bars.

It's time to stop and take a deep breath.

Seven weeks after the tax took effect, elected county officials are cowering under criticism from restaurant and tavern owners. What did they expect -- bouquets from bartenders? Now Mr. Onorato and various council members have offered to seek alternatives, probably through state legislation, that would replace the $30 million expected from the drink tax and $2-a-day car rental tax. They've even got two Democrats, Rep. Paul Costa of Wilkins and Sen. Sean Logan of Monroeville, willing to offer a bill for an alternative.

Legalized gambling on video poker would give tavern owners who have claimed harm from the 10 percent drink tax another source of income. It would give the county another enterprise to tax instead of poured drinks.

But what would befall Allegheny County or Pennsylvania if the Legislature let every corner bar become a sanctioned gambling den is unknown. We don't even know the ultimate impact on gambling addiction of the 14 slots casinos that are opening, one by one, around the state.

That's why this is a risky "alternative" and, therefore, no alternative worth considering.

The best alternative is a little backbone on Grant Street. Dan Onorato and a majority on County Council created two new taxes to balance the budget. They should have the foresight and fortitude to live with a difficult, imperfect and necessary action.