Multnomah County health officials have laid out a plan to increase health inspection fees, trying to align with the "full cost recovery" policy intended to recover the complete costs of services provided. The proposed fee hike would affect a gamut of establishments, including restaurants, food trucks, and daycares, to name a few. After half a decade without a fee increase, the jump could be by an estimated 33%, as the Health Department reported to the Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, March 11. The exact increase is yet to be determined, awaiting the Board's budget vote, according to Multnomah County News.
As it stands, this second-largest Oregon food safety program is responsible for the well-being of over 5,000 facilities, backed by inspectors seven days a week. Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, in a briefing, emphasized the need for investment to maintain this diligent oversight, stating, "That level of service, to licensees and to the public, requires investment….I requested this briefing to support transparency around outreach and community engagement to ensure that licensees are informed about anticipated increases with adequate time to prepare and understand changes."
The past years have seen the program maintaining its services without increases in part due to subsidies from both the County General Funds and the American Rescue Plan Act funding, totaling over $13.3 million since Fiscal Year 2021 to assist businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, these efforts included an approved $1.1 million in General Fund dollars for 2025, forgoing a proposed 6% incremental fee rise.
Public Health Director Kirsten Aird conveyed the challenge of reverting to a pre-pandemic funding model, stating, "After several years of supporting our local businesses through the hardships of a global pandemic, we now have to grapple with a return to our pre-pandemic funding model for sustainability, and that’s hard," as reported by Multnomah County News. The Health Department has taken steps to involve the County’s Food Service Advisory Committee in the fee increase rollout, which is slated for January 1, 2026.
However, the increment has raised concerns among Commissioners about the impact on smaller ventures and the clarity on the upcoming fees. Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards questioned the level of engagement with restaurants and the current lack of detail in the proposed fee schedule. In response, Kirsten Aird promised the schedule's post-budget release, while Andrea Hamberg, Environmental Health Director, expounded on their decision for a one-time increase, citing this year's drastically different budget outlook compared to the previous one.
This ongoing dialogue between county officials and stakeholders strives to strike a careful balance, navigating the fiscal realities while supporting local business resilience. While the proposed increase isn't set in stone, more discussions are anticipated during the budgetary process. The briefing closed with Chair Vega Pederson's acknowledgment of the difficult task ahead, manifesting the county's commitment to equipping the Health Department to manage a quality inspections program without unduly burdening small business owners.
