The True Cost of San Diego's Trash Fee Program

From "Cost Recovery" to "Service Expansion": The Evolution of San Diego's Trash Fee

The Original Promise: A Simple Cost Transfer

When San Diego voters narrowly approved Measure B in 2022, they were presented with a straightforward proposal: shift the cost of trash collection from the general fund to a fee-based system. The Independent Budget Analyst (IBA) estimated that if the city only recovered costs for services it was already providing, residents would pay between $23 and $29 per month.

"The analysis says the range of $23 to $29 is based on the city's expectation of spending $79.2 million on trash services in the fiscal year that began July 1, which would mean annual bills of $278 for each of the 285,000 single-family homes that receive the free service," according to the San Diego Union-Tribune's reporting on the IBA's analysis.

What Happened? From $29 to $47.59

The fee proposed in April 2025 is $47.59 per month for standard 95-gallon bin service—nearly double the original estimate. This represents an annual cost of $571.08 per household versus the originally estimated $278-348 annually.

A Point Loma resident expressed what many are feeling: "I'm taken aback that it's now twice as much as we voted for."

Why the Dramatic Increase?

City officials attribute the higher-than-estimated fees to several factors:

  1. New Service Enhancements: The proposed fee includes services not previously provided, such as:

    • Replacement of all 500,000 existing bins with new RFID-equipped containers
    • Increased service reliability with improved fleet management
    • Free replacement bins (currently costing residents up to $70 plus $25 delivery)
    • A dedicated crew for missed collections
    • Future services beginning in 2027: bulky item pickup and increased recycling frequency

  2. State Mandates: New California requirements for recycling organic waste (SB 1383) have added costs that weren't factored into the original estimate.

  3. Administrative Costs: Creating a new billing system and customer service operation adds expenses not previously needed.

Cost Comparison: Basic vs. Enhanced Service

Service Level Monthly Fee Annual Cost What's Included
Basic (Original IBA Estimate) $23-29 $276-348 Only services provided as of 2022
Standard (Current Proposal) $47.59 $571.08 Enhanced services + new bins
Economy Option (Current Proposal) $36.72 $440.64 Smaller 35-gallon bins
Median Cost in Local Cities $32 $384 Varies by city

General Fund Impact

While the original promise was to simply transfer costs from the general fund to residents, the current proposal would save the city between $80-90 million annually from its general fund—significantly more than the $79.2 million that was being spent on waste management in 2022.

As the city faces a $258 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2025-26, critics question whether the expanded trash fee has become a revenue-generating tool rather than the simple cost-recovery measure that voters approved.

Sources

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

  2. Garrick, D. (2022, August 24). "Monthly bills would be $23 to $29 if San Diego voters end free trash pickup, new analysis says." San Diego Union-Tribune. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2022/08/24/monthly-bills-would-be-23-to-29-if-san-diego-voters-end-free-trash-pickup-new-analysis-says/

  3. Garrick, D. (2025, April 9). "San Diego cuts trash pickup price after residents balk. Here's what it could now cost." 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/

  4. City of San Diego. (2025). "Updated Trash Fee and Cost-of-Service Study for Collection Services." Inside San Diego. https://www.insidesandiego.org/updated-trash-fee-and-cost-service-study-collection-services

  5. City of San Diego. (2022). "Fiscal Impact Statement for City Measure on November 8, 2022 Ballot: Measure B." Independent Budget Analyst Report 22-23. https://www.sandiego.gov/department-document/iba-report-22-23

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