PITTSBURGH — Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato said 79 county workers will lose their jobs through layoff or attrition by the end of the year.

Onorato has pledged to cut 200 jobs as part of his 2008 budget and, so far, 121 workers have taken buyout offers.

Onorato said up to 120 other workers are considering buyouts, so it's unclear whether any layoffs will occur.

The county has nearly 5,500 employees. The cuts are the largest in the county work force since Onorato cut 500 workers in nearly a dozen departments in 2004.

By The Associated Press