LA trash fees increasing for 1st time in 17 years
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles City Council has given preliminary approval to an ordinance to increase trash collection fees for the first time in 17 years.
The new rates are expected to take effect by mid-November after a second council vote and mayoral approval.
What we know:
The proposed ordinance, which was approved with a 12-2 council vote, will significantly increase trash fees.
For single-family homes and duplex buildings, the rate will increase by 54%, from $36.32 to $55.95 a month.
Apartments with three to four units will see a 130% increase, going from $24.33 to $55.95.
Low-income customers may still be eligible for reduced rates.
City officials say the increase is necessary to cover costs related to organic waste disposal, inflation, staff salaries, and vehicle maintenance. The rate hike is also intended to close a gap in the city budget.
The new rates will bring Los Angeles in line with other nearby cities like Burbank and Santa Monica.
By the numbers:
The fee adjustments will impact approximately 743,000 households and another 474,000 residences that receive bulky item collection services.
The new rates will also increase another 18% over the next four fiscal years, reaching $65.93 a month by the 2029-30 fiscal year for single-family homes and small apartment buildings.
The delay in the rate increase, which was originally expected to go into effect on October 1, has reportedly cost the city at least $22 million.
What they're saying:
The fee increase has been criticized by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which attributes the higher costs to a state mandate.
According to a statement from the association, "The increase in trash fees for residents of Los Angeles and other cities in California is the direct result of a reckless law signed in 2016 by Gov. Jerry Brown, Senate Bill 1383. It mandated a 75% reduction in `organic waste' from the 2014 level starting in 2025, supposedly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfills."
The association also stated, "The date has arrived, and compliance with the law has significantly increased the cost of trash processing. It's very effectively reducing the disposable income of Californians. The state government should reconsider ill- advised mandates that are raising costs for cities and their overtaxed residents."
The Source: The information in this story is a result of covering the Los Angeles City Council's official vote on Tuesday and analyzing the proposed ordinance. The details on the cost to the city and the quote from a critic were directly attributed to reporting by the Los Angeles Times and a statement from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, respectively.