SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — For more than a century, most San Diegans have had their trash collected with no additional fees. Now, the city is considering charging for trash and recycle services.
The community has been encouraged to share their opinions and suggestions through a series of workshops that began late summer. The latest was held Monday evening in Clairemont, kicking off phase two of the process.
The comments gathered so far from about 6,000 residents are now being narrowed down.
Things like new bins, bulk item pick up and community collection events for items harder to dispose of were among some of the possible upgrades to service.
Since 1919, an ordinance has been in place calling for city provided trash services. A plan for a tax to help generate revenue never came through.
Fast forward more than a century, San Diego voters passed Measure B in 2022 which now allows the city to assess a dedicated fee for trash and recycling collection services.
Michael Dwyer believes he voted no on Measure B, but he remains open to the idea.
“For example, people may want recycle pick up every week. Unfortunately all of those enhancements come with the cost so in the next couple months when we see the cost, then we can decide if the enhancements are worth the additional cost,” Dwyer said.
Others are still worried about the potential cost, which is still being studied.
“We are on fixed incomes, so whatever fee is added to us not sure where it will come from or what we have to exclude out of our budgets to pay for it,” Susan Kelley said.
Currently residents in apartment complexes or those with homeowner associations pay for private waste collection. Nearly 300,000 single-family homes or complexes of four or fewer units rely on the city’s services.
“Services are primarily funded from the city’s general fund which draws revenue sources from various places, but primarily also from property taxes,” explained Andrea Deleon, deputy director of the San Diego Environmental Services Department.
In San Diego, Deleon says there’s not a dedicated line item in property taxes for trash and recycling collection services.
These open houses are going to continue through Dec. 10 in different neighborhoods.
For a full schedule and access to an online survey, the city wants residents to visit
The plan is for a final proposal to go before city council for a vote next June. If passed, new services and charges could begin July 2025.
