- San Diego, the only city in California that offers free trash pickup, is now set to introduce monthly fees for the service, charging residents $53 per month in July before increasing to a monthly rate of $65 by 2027. This money will go towards funding expanded waste management offerings.
- These additional services are expected to more than double the city’s spending on trash collection from $82 million annually to $165 million, which will then be raised again to $180 million after two years.
- A public hearing in June will allow residents to voice their opinions on this matter and, under local laws, enough opposition could potentially block the fee from being implemented.
Full Story
For over a century, San Diego residents enjoyed free trash collection services, recently being the only city in California that offered trash management for free. However, that could change in 2025, angering some residents, as local officials are attempting to close a more than $250 million budget deficit.
Why is San Diego considering this trash pickup fee?
In 2022, San Diego voters repealed a law known as the People’s Ordinance, which, since 1919, had given residents no-cost waste removal. As a result, the city council is now considering a monthly charge of $53 for trash collection starting as early as July, with an expected increase to $65 per month by 2027. San Diego estimates that implementing the fee could save its general fund nearly $60 million in its first year.
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Before the 2022 vote, an analysis of the potential fee suggested that residents would pay between $23 and $29 per month for trash services, but acknowledged it could be higher. The increase is based on a recent “cost of service” study, which accounts for the expanded waste management services that will be offered, including free bin replacement, weekly recycling collection and occasional curbside bulk item pickup.
To assist low-income residents, the city has also allocated $3 million for financial aid, though details on how the subsidy will be distributed remain undecided.
How much will these services cost the city?
The additional services are expected to more than double San Diego’s waste management spending, rising from $82 million annually to $165 million, with a further increase to $180 million after two years.
If implemented, San Diego’s trash collection fees would be higher than those in neighboring cities like Los Angeles ($41), Chula Vista ($36) and Riverside ($37) but lower than those in Northern California cities such as San Francisco ($121), Oakland ($160) and San Jose ($160).
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What happens next?
San Diego ranked as the 10th most expensive metro area in the U.S. last year, and some residents have voiced concerns that an annual waste collection fee exceeding $600 could add financial strain to household budgets. Supporters of the new fee argue that it creates a fairer system by ensuring all residents contribute to the cost of trash collection rather than relying on city funds.
San Diego residents affected by the proposed fees will have an opportunity to express their opinions at a public hearing in June. Under California’s Proposition 218, enough public opposition could prevent the fee from taking effect.
[Jack Aylmer]
SAN DIEGO HAS BEEN THE ONLY CITY IN CALIFORNIA OFFERING FREE TRASH PICKUP SERVICES.
BUT THAT’S EXPECTED TO CHANGE THIS YEAR-
ANGERING SOME RESIDENTS, AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTS TO CLOSE A MORE THAN 250 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET DEFICIT.
IN 2022, SAN DIEGO VOTERS REPEALED A LAW KNOWN AS THE PEOPLE’S ORDINANCE-
WHICH HAD MADE WASTE REMOVAL FREE SINCE 1919.
THE CITY COUNCIL MAY NOW IMPLEMENT TRASH FEES OF 53 DOLLARS PER MONTH AS EARLY AS JULY-
WITH A POSSIBLE INCREASE TO 65 DOLLARS PER MONTH BY 2027.
SAN DIEGO ESTIMATES THIS MOVE COULD SAVE THE GENERAL FUND NEARLY $60 MILLION IN ITS FIRST YEAR.
HOWEVER, AN ANALYSIS OF THE POTENTIAL FEE BEFORE THE 2022 VOTE ESTIMATED RESIDENTS WOULD ONLY NEED TO BE CHARGED BETWEEN $23 TO $29 PER MONTH-
BUT ACKNOWLEDGED IT COULD BE HIGHER.
THAT JUMP IN COST IS BASED ON A RECENT “COST OF SERVICE” STUDY AND IS INTENDED TO HELP FUND EXPANDED TRASH RELATED OFFERINGS-
INCLUDING FREE BIN REPLACEMENT, WEEKLY RECYCLING COLLECTION, AND OCCASIONAL CURBSIDE BULK ITEM PICKUP BEGINNING.
3 MILLION DOLLARS HAVE ALSO BEEN ALLOCATED FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS-
THOUGH THE SUBSIDY’S DISTRIBUTION HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED.
THESE ADDITIONAL SERVICES ARE PROJECTED TO MORE THAN DOUBLE SAN DIEGO’S WASTE MANAGEMENT SPENDING-
INCREASING FROM 82 MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR TO 165 MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY-
WITH THAT TOTAL BEING RAISED AGAIN TO 180 MILLION DOLLARS AFTER TWO YEARS.
SAN DIEGO’S POTENTIAL NEW FEE WOULD EXCEED TRASH COLLECTION COSTS IN NEARBY CITIES-
LIKE LOS ANGELES, CHULA VISTA, AND RIVERSIDE.
BUT REMAIN BELOW THOSE OF MAJOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CITIES-
LIKE SAN FRANCISCO, OAKLAND, AND SAN JOSE.
SAN DIEGO RANKED AS THE 10TH MOST EXPENSIVE METRO AREA IN THE U.S. LAST YEAR-
AND SOME RESIDENTS WORRY THAT THE ADDED ANNUAL FEE OF MORE THAN 600 DOLLARS COULD PLACE FURTHER STRAIN ON HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS.
MEANWHILE, PROPONENTS ARGUE IT CREATES A FAIRER SYSTEM BY ENSURING ALL RESIDENTS CONTRIBUTE TO PAYING FOR TRASH COLLECTION.
AFFECTED SAN DIEGO RESIDENTS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPPOSE THE TRASH PICKUP FEE AT A JUNE HEARING-
WHERE PUBLIC INPUT COULD ULTIMATELY BLOCK ITS IMPLEMENTATION UNDER LOCAL LAWS.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M JACK AYLMER.
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