Have Questions About the Proposed Trash Fees? City Responds to Common Questions on Paying for Waste Collection | Inside San Diego

San Diego's Proposed Solid Waste Management Fee: A Century-Old System Faces Change

Introduction

The City of San Diego is currently considering implementing a new solid waste management fee for residential properties, marking a significant shift from a century-old tradition of free trash collection for many residents. If approved, this would be the first time since 1919 that San Diego charges residents for trash collection, making it the last city in California to implement such a fee. The proposal has sparked debate among residents, with proponents arguing for financial sustainability and equity, while opponents express concern about rising living costs.

The People's Ordinance: Historical Context

The origins of San Diego's free trash collection can be traced back to 1919 when voters approved the "People's Ordinance," which established free municipal collection of garbage throughout the entire city. At that time, a private company was charging residents for trash collection services and then selling the waste to hog farms in Los Angeles, which many residents felt was unfair "double-dipping."

This ordinance was initially proposed to end a drawn-out controversy between the city, a garbage contractor named Binney & Company, and restaurant owners. The People's Ordinance of 1919 mandated free residential trash collection in public rights-of-way (city-dedicated streets).

Over the years, the ordinance was amended several times. In 1981, voters declared that residential trash collection would remain free, though fees could be applied to industrial and commercial waste. In 1986, voters approved another amendment requiring fees for newly built condos and apartments.

Measure B: The 2022 Vote to Change the System

In November 2022, San Diego voters narrowly approved Measure B, which allowed the city to begin charging for waste collection services. The measure passed by a slim margin, with 203,223 voters (50.48%) supporting it and 199,384 voters (49.52%) opposing it.

Measure B was designed to allow San Diego to charge a fee for city-provided waste management services to eligible single-family residential properties and multi-family residential properties with up to four residences on a single lot. The measure itself did not establish a specific fee but rather gave the City Council the authority to implement one following a cost-of-service study.

Prior to the vote, the city estimated that a potential fee could range from $23 to $29 per month per customer, assuming the city only recovers costs for services it currently provides. However, as the proposal has developed, this estimate has increased significantly.

The Current Proposal

As of April 2025, the city has developed a more detailed fee proposal based on a cost-of-service study. The revised proposal announced in April 2025 suggests a monthly rate of $47.59 for full-service customers—more than $5 less than the initial proposal of $53 per month that the city announced in February 2025.

Under the proposed plan, the city would provide all customers with 95-gallon blue recycling and green organic waste recycling bins and a choice for garbage bins. Customers willing to use smaller trash bins—35 gallons, instead of the normal 95 gallons—would pay $36.72 per month instead of the previously proposed $42.

The fee would increase in coming years as the city adds new services like bulky trash pickup. Instead of rising to $65 in July 2027, as initially proposed, the fee would rise to $59.42 at that time.

Current System Costs vs. Proposed Fee System

Current System Costs

Currently, the City of San Diego spends approximately $71 million annually on solid waste management services from its general fund. According to a fiscal impact statement, as much as $79.2 million in costs in the adopted FY 2023 budget could be offset if a fee were implemented.

Under the current system, there is no specific line item in the city budget for trash service. Each year, the Environmental Services Department (ESD) must go through a budget process, with its requests weighed against those from other city departments such as Police, Fire-Rescue, Parks and Recreation, and others.

Proposed Fee System Costs

If approved, the new fee would create a dedicated Solid Waste Management Fund to cover trash collection costs. Any fee collected could only be used to fund the provided services and would not exceed the cost of service.

The proposed fees include increased service reliability, bin replacements and repairs at no additional charge, and a missed collections crew to address service issues on the same day beginning in the first year (FY2026). By the third year (FY2028), curbside bulky item pickup and increased recycling pickup frequency would be added as the fee increases.

Comparison to Other Cities

Most other cities in Southern California contract out trash service to private haulers like EDCO or Waste Management. The median monthly fee in 12 local cities surveyed by San Diego is $32, which includes monthly fees of $28 in El Cajon, $23 to $35 in Chula Vista, $28 to $31 in Carlsbad, and $29 to $33 in Oceanside.

San Diego's proposed fee for service at the 95-gallon service level (at $53 per month) is comparable to Sacramento at $57.79 per month, though this is higher than many neighboring cities in San Diego County.

Trash collection fees charged in other California cities vary dramatically—as high as $143 a month in San Jose to $24 a month in Long Beach, according to a city report.

Arguments For the Fee

Financial Sustainability

Proponents argue that charging a fee would enable the Environmental Services Department to recover costs for services and reduce its dependency on the General Fund. The General Fund could then have additional capacity to support capital needs (e.g., new fire stations, libraries, or parks) and/or new or higher levels of public services that would benefit all city residents.

City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, who spearheaded Measure B, stated that providing free trash pickup to single-family homes was crushing the city's finances, saying "It was having massive budgetary impacts and really putting us in a box."

Fairness and Equity

Kathleen Hallahan, president of the East Village Residents Group, supported the measure, stating: "Everyone should pay their fair share of what we need to collect to take care of all of our trash."

Proponents note that currently, single-family homes do not directly pay for trash and recycling collection, whereas residents in apartment complexes and those with homeowner associations do pay private waste collection companies for these services.

Environmental Benefits

Mikey Knab, co-director of policy at the Climate Action Campaign, argued that the change could encourage better recycling habits: "In a place where you never see your bill for trash removal, you don't care whether you put recyclable things into your landfill bins or compostable things into your landfill bin."

The open houses hosted by the Environmental Services Department also spotlight how a fee would help the environment by cutting down on illegal dumping.

Arguments Against the Fee

Financial Burden

Some residents have voiced concerns that an annual waste collection fee exceeding $600 could add financial strain to household budgets, especially in San Diego, which ranked as the 10th most expensive metro area in the U.S. last year.

Former San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio opposed the measure, stating: "Measure B is a massive tax increase at a time when inflation is already skyrocketing and working families are struggling."

Comparative Cost Concerns

Critics point out that the proposed fees are significantly higher than those in neighboring cities, where private companies provide the service, questioning why San Diego's city-run system cannot be more cost-competitive.

Implementation Concerns

Some residents express concern about the implementation details, arguing that the city should provide better services for the high fee, including bulk item pickup, convenient hazardous waste collection, and responsive customer service.

Next Steps and Public Input

The City Council will hear and consider oral testimony and written materials regarding the proposed fee at a public hearing scheduled for June 9, 2025, in Council Chambers. The City Council will have the authority to approve or deny the proposed fee based on public input.

Under California's Proposition 218, residents have the right to protest the fee. Protest cards will be mailed to all 233,000 affected households. If 117,000 residents (a majority) return those cards by June 9, 2025, the city cannot impose the fee.

Conclusion

San Diego stands at a crossroads regarding its waste management system. After more than a century of free trash collection for many residents, the city is poised to implement a fee-based system that aligns with practices in other California cities. The debate reflects broader tensions between fiscal responsibility, equity in service provision, and affordability for residents. As the June 2025 deadline approaches, residents and city officials will need to weigh these competing concerns and determine the future of waste management in San Diego.

Sources

  1. City of San Diego. (2025). "Proposed Solid Waste Management Fee." City of San Diego Official Website. https://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/trash-service-updates/proposed-solid-waste-management-fee

  2. Inside San Diego. (2025). "Have Questions About the Proposed Trash Fees? City Responds to Common Questions on Paying for Waste Collection." Inside San Diego. https://www.insidesandiego.org/have-questions-about-proposed-trash-fees-city-responds-common-questions-paying-waste-collection

  3. Ballotpedia. (2022). "San Diego, California, Measure B, Waste Management Measure (November 2022)." Ballotpedia. https://ballotpedia.org/San_Diego,_California,_Measure_B,Waste_Management_Measure(November_2022)

  4. Voice of San Diego. (2025, April 14). "New Fee Means San Diego's Trash Bins Are About to Get Smarter Too." Voice of San Diego. https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/04/14/new-fee-means-san-diegos-trash-bins-are-about-to-get-smarter-too/

  5. San Diego Union-Tribune. (2025, April 9). "San Diego cuts trash pickup price after residents balk. Here's what it could now cost." The San Diego Union-Tribune. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/04/09/san-diego-cuts-trash-pickup-price-after-residents-balk-heres-what-it-could-now-cost/

  6. OB Rag. (2025, April 9). "City of San Diego Just Knocked Off 10% of Proposed Trash Fee — Is That Enough to Placate Residents?" OB Rag. https://obrag.org/2025/04/city-of-san-diego-just-knocked-off-10-of-proposed-trash-fee-is-that-enough-to-placate-residents/

  7. KPBS. (2025, April 14). "San Diego City Council to consider setting date for trash fee discussion." KPBS Public Media. https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2025/04/14/san-diego-city-council-to-consider-setting-date-for-trash-fee-discussion

  8. Monteagudo, M. (2022, October 14). "From the Archives: Free trash collection approved in San Diego in 1919." The San Diego Union-Tribune. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/local-history/story/2022-10-14/from-the-archives-free-trash-collection-approved-in-san-diego-in-1919

  9. Voice of San Diego. (2022, November 7). "Talk About Pork: The Slop-py Origins of the People's Ordinance." Voice of San Diego. https://voiceofsandiego.org/2022/11/07/talk-about-pork-the-slop-py-origins-of-the-peoples-ordinance/

  10. Webster, R. (2017, January 25). "The People's Ordinance." Another Side of History. https://thewebsters.us/2017/01/25/hogs-and-the-peoples-ordinance/

  11. Voice of San Diego. (2007, April 23). "The People's Ordinance of 1919." Voice of San Diego. https://voiceofsandiego.org/2007/04/23/the-peoples-ordinance-of-1919/

  12. San Diego Union-Tribune. (2022, December 8). "It's official: San Diego voters passed Measure B to end no-fee trash pickup, final results show." The San Diego Union-Tribune. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2022/12/08/its-official-san-diego-voters-passed-measure-b-to-end-no-fee-trash-pickup-final-results-show-2/

  13. KPBS. (2022, October 24). "San Diego trash fees could exceed estimates if Measure B passes." KPBS Public Media. https://www.kpbs.org/news/local/2022/10/24/san-diego-trash-fees-could-exceed-estimates-if-measure-b-passes

  14. San.com. (2025, February 20). "San Diego may charge for trash collection for first time since 1919." San.com. https://san.com/cc/san-diego-may-charge-for-trash-collection-for-first-time-since-1919/

  15. Inside San Diego. (2025). "Residents Invited to Learn More About Proposed Trash and Recycling Service." Inside San Diego. https://www.insidesandiego.org/residents-invited-learn-more-about-proposed-trash-and-recycling-service

  16. Waste Dive. (2022, November 21). "San Diego's Measure B, which would allow waste collection fees, poised to pass." Waste Dive. https://www.wastedive.com/news/san-diego-measure-b-trash-fees/637016/

    Have Questions About the Proposed Trash Fees? City Responds to Common Questions on Paying for Waste Collection | Inside San Diego


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