POCATELLO - Idaho's public health districts are asking the Legislature to allow them to increase fees charged to restaurants for annual health inspections.

In a press release Wednesday, Ed Marugg, Southeastern Public Health District director, said Idaho code requires the Health Department to provide food inspection, but does not allow the agencies to collect fees sufficient to cover the cost of the service.

Currently, there are more than 9,000 licensed food establishments in the state. The annual $65 inspection fee covers less than one-quarter of the cost of doing the inspections.

Health districts subsidize the food program with taxpayer dollars from the state and counties. Although fees for other services offered by the health department are designed to pay for themselves and are adjusted annually for inflation, fees collected for the food inspection program, child care and swimming pool inspections are set by the Legislature.

The health districts are asking for a three-tiered fee structure, with food establishments that pose the greatest risk to public paying the highest fees. Most Idaho restaurants are in the medium risk category. The fee change would not be fully implemented for two years.

Industry lobbyists are working to defeat the bill, arguing that the fee increase is too much and comes at a time when economic downturns are already forcing many eateries to close their doors.