Fed up: California restaurants seek booze, health fee refund

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California's financially battered restaurants filed government claims Monday to recover more than $100 million in fees for liquor and health permits and tourism charges that they say were assessed even though their businesses were shuttered or only partially operating under long-running coronavirus orders.

Few industries have been hit as hard during the pandemic as restaurants, which in California were ordered closed, reopened, closed for a second time and then allowed to welcome customers again, though with restrictions.

Those rules vary in the state's 58 counties and have limited some eateries to takeout and delivery service or outdoor-only dining. Thousands of restaurants have closed permanently.

Owners say one thing has remained constant amid the turmoil. State and county governments have continued to charge fees for liquor licenses, health permits and tourism assessments — even though the restaurants were closed down by government orders or permitted to operate with limited capacity and dining.

The owners contend they have been being unjustly punished for following the law and are being charged for permits they can't use.

“The irony is, they did what they were told and the very entity that told them to close is keeping these fees,” said attorney Brian Kabateck, who is representing restaurants that filed claims against the state and against Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento, San Diego and Monterey counties,.

Additional claims will be filed in coming days for restaurants in San Francisco and in Fresno and Placer counties. The move is supported by the California Restaurant Association.

“Somebody has to tell them this is wrong and to return the money,” Kabateck said.

Kabateck estimated the fees could exceed $100 million statewide.

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