Overview: La Mesa trash fees
Even with the rate increase, city staff found La Mesa had the second lowest residential rate for waste collection in San Diego County and the lowest commercial rate in the county.
LA MESA — La Mesa residents and businesses saw a bump in their trash pickup fees when they received their July bills.
Residents saw their bills go up 4.8% from $27.53 to $28.84 per month, while basic commercial bills increased 5.9% from $122.94 to $130.14 per month. In total, residents will pay $15.72 more per year and basic commercial customers will pay an additional $86.40 a year for the next two years.
The change came after the La Mesa City Council unanimously approved rate increases in effect until June 30, 2027 at a June 24 meeting.
But even with the rate increase, city staff found La Mesa had the second-lowest residential rate for waste collection in San Diego County and the lowest commercial rate in the county.
“I think the increase isn’t a lot at all, if you think about all the things they do,” said City Councilmember Genevieve Suzuki. With other council members, she praised EDCO Disposal Corporation for its dedicated service and community involvement.
EDCO, the city’s franchise waste hauler, sent a request to the city in March to increase the rate for its refuse, recycling and organic waste collection services.
The floundering international recycling market plus efforts to comply with stricter organic waste diversion regulations from the state both contributed to rising garbage costs in California as the state tries to mitigate the environmental and climate impact of waste disposal.
In comparison to the city of San Diego’s drama around adding trash pickup fees, the adoption of rate increases was relatively smooth.
Following a required notification sent to property owners 45 days in advance of the hearing, the city received 101 protest letters, far below the needed 7,512 letters constituting a majority of affected property owners that would invalidate the rate adjustment.
The awareness of San Diego’s formerly free trash pickup for homeowners spilled over into the protest letters.
“Why do other jurisdictions and areas in San Diego County pay nothing and I pay ($27 to $29 per month)?” wrote Michael Beckert in May.
In June, San Diego City Council instituted cost recovery disposal fees of $43.60 per month— the highest residential rate in the county.
Despite La Mesa having some of the lowest waste disposal costs in the region, locals still fear cost increases amid an uncertain economy and rising inflation.
Most protests were about affordability in general with complaints of high property taxes and increased power and water rates. “We are being smothered by higher costs,” wrote Nancy Burgess.
For low-income residents, an additional $1.31 per month might take away from food, power and water budgets.
“We are senior citizens living on fixed incomes and cannot afford any more rate increases,” wrote H. Patrick Stewart.
EDCO has two discount programs for financially challenged residents over the age of 62 which will remain in effect, although those costs rose too.
The low-income senior rate increased to $23.07. The Silver Bag Program, for those seniors who do not generate an entire bin of trash each week, will cost $4.01 per bag, an 18-cent increase from $3.83 per bag.