King County and the Board of Health have more than doubled the fees charged local service clubs for charitable fundraising events. Community service clubs (Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, etc.) that strive to improve the welfare of their communities by selling breakfasts or other food offerings are severely penalized by these fees.

For example, today’s fee for selling what is considered “high hazard” food such as eggs and various meats etc. is $255. The old fees were prohibitive enough at $121. The discount formerly given to 501 C-3 charitable entities no longer applies.

The new fee schedule surely throws cold water on any incentive for club members to go through all the effort of setting up, organizing and operating a fundraiser, which sometimes is for only a few hours, and then hand a large part of the profits to the county.

– Dennis Swanson