Councilmember Calhoun to Propose Public Restaurant Rating System
10/27/2003
RESNO, CA (October 27, 2003) Northwest District 2 Councilmember Brian Calhoun will present a proposal to Fresno City Council on Tuesday October 28, 2003 to introduce plans for a publicly posted restaurant rating system. Although the County Community Health Department oversees the restaurant inspection process, Calhoun feels that requesting the County to consider adopting a system that would include a visible posting requirement to inform the public of a restaurant's performance would be in the best interest of the public.
"I would like Fresno to benefit from what San Diego, Palm Springs, and Los Angeles have already done, which may include the A-B-C rating system, or another program which accomplishes the same goals. We just learned that Merced County will implement a program early next year which also could be considered by our County," Calhoun said.
One of the rating systems researched by Calhoun would rate restaurants with an "A", "B", or "C" rating based on a 100-point scale. Inspectors would grade each facility on this scale and those numbers would then translated into a letter grade that would be displayed on a placard in the restaurant's front window.
"My belief is that by openly informing the public where a restaurant rates, it will boost consumer confidence, make restaurants even more health conscience and may also help reduce the number of food-related illnesses in the City of Fresno," said Calhoun.
Calhoun cited a Wall Street Journal report that showed a 20% drop in food-related hospital admissions in Los Angeles, and a 5% increase in "A" grade restaurant revenues after their ABC rating system was put in place.
Councilmember Calhoun has invited the Fresno Chapter of the California Restaurant Association to attend and participate in this process. Calhoun hopes to gain support from the Council on Tuesday to request that the County evaluate and consider one of the three options outlined in his Council Resolution.
Contact : Ann Kloose Phone : (559) 621-8000
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