City dishing restaurants smaller fines for violations

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Friday, March 21, 2014, 11:26 PM

Kendall Rodriguez/Kendall Rodriguez Tory Delany, owner of Half Pint says it’s unfair how sometimes a restaurant can lose a rating for non-food violations.

The Health Department is sticking with letter grades for city restaurants — but will dish out smaller fines to eateries with sanitary violations, officials said Friday.

In response to angry complaints from the industry, the Health Department and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito unveiled a plan to reduce the fines the city collects from restaurant owners by 25%, officials said.

The city will set a fixed rate for fine levels, ending the loathed current system that gives judges wide discretion to set penalties.

Restaurants would also be able to request a penalty-free inspection to spot problems ahead of time.

What won’t change is the city’s strict hygiene, safety and cleanliness standards, said Health Commissioner Mary Bassett.

Mark Bonifacio/New York Daily News Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito unveiled a plan to reduce the fines the city collects from restaurant owners by 25%, officials said Friday.

Since the system of giving eateries a letter grade was adopted in 2010, salmonella rates have dropped 14%, she said.

Beleaguered restaurant owners welcome the changes, but said more must be done.

“It’s a completely unfair system,” said Tory Delany, owner of the Half Pint in the West Village. “You might lose your A for something completely unrelated to food.”

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