Santa Clara County supervisor proposes new restaurant safety rating system

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Santa Clara County lawmakers are set to take up an ordinance that would make it easier to find out if your favorite restaurant has a history of safety violations. If this resolution passes today, when you go to a restaurant you will be able to see if it's had trouble passing health inspections.

Alameda County recently passed a similar measure, putting up green, yellow and red placards indicating whether the restaurant has passed, had a conditional pass or failed its health inspection. The detailed inspection results would also be made available on the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health's website giving the restaurants a score. The Department of Environmental Health estimates up to 18,000 restaurant inspection reports would be manually entered over a one year interim period, costing the county about $35,000.

The Daily News reports the Silicon Valley Chamber Coalition has raised concerns about the proposal -- including the $100 fee that would be charged to every restaurant to pay for the new system. The coalition's president and CEO said the new system would confuse diners and suggested returning to an earlier proposal of a pass-fail system.

A vote on the proposal is expected this morning at the board of supervisors meeting.