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The city received an “F” on its restaurant-inspection system yesterday from City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who announced plans to revamp it while dramatically cutting the dough it produces from fines.
Quinn said the council would introduce bills this summer to reduce and waive certain fines and fees — three years after the Bloomberg administration introduced a letter-grading system it has described as a runaway success.
Quinn — who is trying to seize the pro-small-business mantle in her race for mayor — said the new bills would lower the fines paid by restaurant owners to $30 million from a high of more than $52 million in fiscal year 2012.
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and for many restaurants in New York City, owning a restaurant has now become a hellish experience,” charged Councilman David Greenfield (D-Brooklyn) at a news conference with Quinn yesterday.
The Health Department estimated its haul from fines and fees this year will come in at $45 million.
The legislation Quinn put forward would waive all violations for restaurant owners who receive an “A” grade after contesting an inspector’s initial findings at a city administrative tribunal.
As of today, owners still have to pay summonses even if they succeed in their appeals.
Quinn also called for a system of no-fine inspections where inspectors would review restaurants without penalties or letter grades several weeks before a formal examination to give the eateries a chance to improve.
“The [letter-grading] system has brought information to New Yorkers, but it has also brought increased regulatory and financial burdens on restaurants,” Quinn said. “It also hasn’t been consistent in its implementation.”
Leonard de Knegt, owner of Jerry’s on Chambers Street, where the press conference was held, said he’s afraid whenever an inspector walks through his door.
“I’m not here to dig on the Department of Health or anything like that — because I fear them coming after me,” he joked. “Every time [an inspector] walks in the door, we just don’t know what’s going to happen. Our main deal is to give good service, to give good food and not to have to fear that maybe tomorrow we’ll be closed.”
Quinn vowed that those days would soon come to an end.
“The reason you have fines is to make sure people are following those rules,” she added. “The perception is the reality that this grading system has been used to generate fines. It should not be about revenue generation. We will put that to an end.”
Quinn promised that the bills will be passed in the fall.
Bloomberg’s office said it is reviewing the proposal, even though it has vigorously defended the system in the past.
Robert Bookman, attorney for the New York City Hospitality Alliance, hailed the proposals.
“Fines will be reduced; inspections will be fairer; due process will be improved and a system will be created for further changes in the future. All of this helps the small businesses without reducing one iota of the health and safety of restaurants,” he said.