Legislators - Food Inspection Costs Letter
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City Manager's Office
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
(563) 589-4110 phone
(563) 589-4149 fax
ctymgr@cityofdubuque.org
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March 10, 2005
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VIA E-mail and
1 st Class Mail
<<Email>>
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<<CompleteLOCALName _Add ress>>
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Re: SSB 1214 - Food Inspection Cost Reimbursements
Dear <<Title>> <<Last>>:
I am writing to encourage you to support SSB 1214, which provides for an increase in
license fees to conduct food inspections.
The city of Dubuque has an agreement with the State of Iowa that provides for food
inspections and licensing to be handled locally. As part of this agreement, the city is
then allowed to keep the license fees associated with these inspections. Unfortunately
the cost to undertake these inspections is greater than the revenue received. In FY
2004 the cost to the city of Dubuque to provide inspections was $72,027 and the
revenue received was $65,368. In FY 06 our costs will increase to $77,612. While we
believe it is important for us to continue to provide inspections at the local level, we
would support efforts to increase the license fee to cover the true cost of these
inspections.
In addition, Dubuque would support efforts to transfer this activity at the State level from
the Iowa Department of Inspection and Appeals to the Iowa Department of Health.
Under this change, the Iowa Department of Health would have the staff necessary to
investigate food borne outbreaks and food related diseases. This would provide for
greater consistency in the enforcement of such incidences as well as help to identify
these situations early on and thereby reduce the risk of exposure to citizens.
Service
People
Integrity
Responsibility
Innovation
Teamwork
I encourage you to support efforts to increase the food inspection license fees and to
move this activity to the Iowa Department of Health. Thank you for your continued
support.
Sincerely,
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
MCVM:cms
cc: Mayor Terry Duggan
Dubuque City Council
Susan Judkins, Director of Governmental Affairs, Iowa League of Cities
Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Specialist
The Honorable Mike Connolly
Iowa State Senator
2600 Renaissance Dr #3
Dubuque, IA 52001
The Honorable Pam Jochum
Iowa State Representative
2368 Jackson
Dubuque, IA 52001
The Honorable Steven Lukan
Iowa State Representative
7365 Columbus Street
New Vienna IA 52065
The Honorable Tom Hancock
Iowa State Senator
310 E Main Street
Epworth, lA, 52045
The Honorable Pat Murphy
Iowa State Representative
155 N. Grandview Avenue
Dubuque, IA 52001
The Honorable Ray Zirkelbach
Iowa State Representative
637 W. First Street
Monticello, IA 52310
The Honorable Roger Stewart
Iowa State Senator
3936317 Avenue
Preston, IA 52069
The Honorable Thomas
Schueller
Iowa State Representative
503 W. Platt Street
Maquoketa, IA 52060