For some Councilmembers, the choice was obvious: pass a trash fee or face deeper budget cuts in the weeks ahead.
San Diego’s City Council voted Monday 6-3 to charge single-family homeowners for trash collection. Councilmembers Raul Campillo, Marni von Wilpert and Henry Foster voted no.
“If we do not pass a trash fee … we will blow at least an $80 million hole in that budget,” Council President Joe LaCava said during the meeting. “Does anybody want to come up with $80 million more in cuts? I know I certainly don’t.”
Catch up: City officials reduced the proposed monthly rate for full-service customers by about $4 — from $47.59 to $43.60. The initial proposal back in February was to charge customers $53 per month.
The fee San Diego ended up with is still much higher than the estimate officials put forward when they asked voters in 2022 to support a measure that would let the city charge for trash collection.
Before Monday’s vote, San Diego was the only city that did not charge a special fee for trash collection for single-family homes. The city also doesn’t collect the trash of residents living in apartments or condos who must pay private haulers.
How other cities compare: A survey of 12 San Diego County cities conducted last year revealed that the median monthly trash free is $32, according to the Union-Tribune. This includes fees of $28 in El Cajon, $23 to $35 in Chula Vista, $28 to $31 in Carlsbad and $29 to $33 in Oceanside.
What does this mean for today’s budget discussion? City Councilmembers will go into today’s discussion in less of a bind.
If the city hadn’t passed the trash fee, its $258 million budget deficit would have increased by roughly $80 million, LaCava said at a previous budget committee meeting. Steep cuts to libraries, parks and other services would have quickly followed.
Coastal Commission Warns Against Closing Fire Rings and Beach Bathrooms
The California Coastal Commission is weighing in on San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposal to remove fire rings and close public restrooms at San Diego’s beaches, warning that these actions would limit public access.
The commission sent a letter to Gloria this week, urging him to consider other options that don’t involve taking away some of the city’s most popular public amenities, the Union-Tribune reported. Plus, the commission said, beach restrooms and fire rings are protected under the California Coastal Act, so removing them would require a permit from the commission.
Some background: Closing restrooms and fire rings are part of Gloria’s proposed budget cuts as the city grapples with a $258 million budget deficit. But the idea isn’t so popular with residents and some public officials.
Last week, County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and City Council President Joe LaCava proposed a solution to use county grant money to keep the fire pits funded through summer 2026. As for proposed restroom closures, some city leaders have warned about the potential health and safety impacts of reducing public access to restrooms.
Also: The commission’s letter to Gloria included suggestions for further funding fire rings and beach restrooms, like using the city’s proposed plan to charge visitors to park at the beach to pay for maintenance of its facilities.
In Other News
- A small plane crashed off the coast of Point Loma while heading back to Arizona on Sunday. All six passengers on board died, officials confirmed. (NBC 7)
- A La Jolla nonprofit has pulled together a list of suggestions that will protect sea lions and visitors of La Jolla’s coastline. (NBC 7)
- California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced his intent to sue the Trump administration for deploying the state’s National Guard to Los Angeles in response to protests over immigration raids. (Times of San Diego)
- A former El Cajon City Councilmember and his wife could face more legal consequences after failing to show for an eight-day jail sentence as a result of 2023 contempt-of-court findings. (Union-Tribune)
- An app that connects homeless outreach providers with the latest information on shelter bed availability has been expanded county-wide after beginning with a pilot program in North County. (KPBS)
The Morning Report was written by Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña, Tigist Layne and Tessa Balc. It was edited by Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña.
If a commercial company had sold a product or service the way the City Council sold the Trash Fee, their officers would be in jail. Time to start petitions to repeal Measure B!