TO: Health Commissioners, Directors of Environmental Health and Other Interested Parties

FROM: Jamie Higley, Administrator, Food Safety Program, Bureau of Environmental Health and Radiation Protection

DATE: January 19, 2021

SUBJECT: Consumer Price Index Update

Ohio Revised Code 3717.07 (B)(7) states that a Vending Machine Food Service Operation license fee shall not be increased by more than the percentage of increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all urban consumers (United States City Average, all items) for the immediately preceding calendar year. Information on the CPI is prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

THE NEW CONSUMER PRICE INDEX IS 1.4 PERCENT.

The following example is provided to assist local health departments with applying the CPI towards any proposed vending machine food service operation license fee increases for 2021.

EXAMPLE:

Vending Machine Location                                            FSO License Fee
2020 Local Health Department License Fee                         $20.00
State Amount                                                                          $ 6.00
Total Fee                                                                                $26.00

The consumer price index for the year ending December 2020 is 1.4 percent. Therefore, in this example the maximum amount that the local health department vending machine food service operation license fee may be increased is $0.28 ($20.00 x 1.4% = 0.28):

2021 Local Health Department License Fee                                   $20.28
State Amount                                                                                    $ 6.00
Total Fee                                                                                          $26.28

For more information, please contact the ODH Food Safety Program at foodsafety@odh.ohio.gov.