STATEMENT BY CARLO A. SCISSURA, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE BROOKLYN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON CITY’S PLANS TO REVAMP RESTAURANT GRADING SYSTEM

“Brooklyn’s marvelous restaurant community is dedicated to the health and well-being of their customers, but punitive fines levied by the City drive up costs and make it incredibly difficult to stay in business.  As a result, many restaurants are forced to decide between raising prices on their customers, letting go of hard-working employees or shutting their doors for good.  We have long called for a reduction in both restaurant fines. We applaud Mayor DeBlasio and City Council Speaker Mark-Viverito for taking these bold measures to ensure clear rules and a fair process that protects consumers without balancing the budget on the backs of our businesses. We continue to call for better coordination between the Department of Health and restaurant owners in order to reduce the window of time in which inspectors conduct visits.”