[Muleteam1]

>>I suggest that the US Customs Department charge a $1,000-per-container inspection fee on every container entering the United States. This fee would be used to completely fund the cost of inspections.<<

Unless things have changed since I worked in port inspections, much of the U.S. Custom container inspection work is already paid by the importer. This comes in the way of inspectors' salaries, overtime wages, and inspector travel fees. I can not even begin to imagine that four inspectors would be needed to inspect a single container, especially at a rate of only two containers per day. Typically only one inspector at a pay grade of GS-9 or GS-11 has been used to inspect many containers in a given day. I also seriously doubt that the skills or expertise needed to inspect a container has increased so much that it would be necessary for inspectors to be paid at a payrate of $30.00/hour. This salary would be in line with the salary of a upper-level GS-12. To increase the cost of container inspection to the extent you suggest, either to the taxpayer or the importer, without justification is simply protectionism at its worst.

Muleteam1

[harpseal]

Please understand what I am proposing is getting enough inspectors to inspect every container in detail and to have importers pay the cost of it. If it is less than 1K per container fine lower the cost accordingly if it more raise the cost accordingly.

[Cronos]

ping Muleteam:

Unless things have changed since I worked in port inspections, much of the U.S. Custom container inspection work is already paid by the importer. This comes in the way of inspectors' salaries, overtime wages, and inspector travel fees. I can not even begin to imagine that four inspectors would be needed to inspect a single container, especially at a rate of only two containers per day. Typically only one inspector at a pay grade of GS-9 or GS-11 has been used to inspect many containers in a given day. I also seriously doubt that the skills or expertise needed to inspect a container has increased so much that it would be necessary for inspectors to be paid at a payrate of $30.00/hour. This salary would be in line with the salary of a upper-level GS-12. To increase the cost of container inspection to the extent you suggest, either to the taxpayer or the importer, without justification is simply protectionism at its worst. Muleteam1