San Diego: It’s Time to Take Out the Trash—And This Unfair Fee

I never thought I’d be writing about garbage—but here we are. As a San Diego native of over 50 years, I’m alarmed and, frankly, outraged by the City’s sudden move to slap us with a $47.59 monthly trash collection fee. This isn’t just a steep new cost—it’s potentially illegal, dangerous, and we have a narrow window to stop it. But only if we act now.

We Already Pay for Trash Collection

Homeowners in San Diego have funded trash pickup through property taxes for more than a century, under what was known as the People’s Ordinance. That’s how it’s always worked—until now.

In 2022, Measure B narrowly passed, giving the City authority to charge directly for trash collection. Many voters supported it under the impression the fee would be modest—somewhere between $23 and $29 a month. Now, just two years later, that number has ballooned to $47.59 per month for a single 95-gallon bin. That’s nearly double what we were promised.

The measure was approved in 2022 by a narrow margin, receiving 203,223 votes (50.48%) in favor and 199,384 votes (49.52%) against. Supporters of the measure included Councilmembers Sean Elo-Rivera and Joe LaCava, the Democratic Party of San Diego County, SEIU Local 221, the Climate Action Campaign, the League of Women Voters of San Diego, and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The original ballot title for Measure B was as follows:
“Shall the San Diego Municipal Code be amended so that all City residents receive comparable trash, recycling, and other solid waste management services, by allowing the City to recover its cost of providing these services to eligible residential properties, which could allow the City to provide additional services, such as weekly recycling, bulky item pickup, and curbside container replacement and delivery, at no extra charge?”

The proposed amendment to the San Diego Municipal Code, as outlined in Measure B, raises concerns due to its vague and potentially misleading language. The measure asks whether the City should amend the code so all residents receive “comparable” trash, recycling, and solid waste management services by allowing the City to recover its costs, which “could allow” for additional services like weekly recycling and bulky item pickup at no extra charge. However, terms such as “comparable services” and “eligible residential properties” are not clearly defined, leaving residents uncertain about what services they can expect and who qualifies. The phrase “could allow” introduces further ambiguity, offering no guarantee that the promised services will materialize. Moreover, the suggestion that added services will come “at no extra charge” could mask the introduction of hidden fees or taxes, making this appear to be a bait-and-switch. While the promise of expanded services may seem attractive, the lack of detail and clarity in the proposal could ultimately lead to confusion, disappointment, or unexpected costs for residents.

We Were Misled—And We’re Being Overcharged

This feels like a classic bait-and-switch. The City is padding the cost with extras like electric garbage trucks and bulky item pickup—services not everyone uses or needs. According to the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst, the core service could cost just $42.72 per month, if unnecessary add-ons were removed.

Even worse, this fee might violate California’s Constitution. Proposition 218 clearly states that local governments can’t impose fees unless they’re:

• Must be directly tied to the actual cost of service. Cities can’t charge more than it actually costs to provide a service—like picking up your trash.
  
• Must not be used to generate extra revenue. City governments can’t turn services like water, trash, or sewer into money-making businesses. They’re only allowed to break even.
  
• Must be implemented through a fair and transparent process. Before new fees are put in place, the city must give notice, hold public meetings, and allow property owners to protest or vote. If the city wants to start charging for trash pickup, they need to mail notices to all affected residents and hold a public hearing where you can voice your opinion.
  
• Proportionality: The fee charged must not exceed the proportional cost of the service attributable to each property. What you pay should match the amount of service you get—not more.
  
• Service Availability: The fee can only be imposed for services that are immediately available to the property owner. You can’t be charged for a service unless it’s available to your property right now.
  
• Exclusivity to Property Owners: Fees must not be charged for general government services that are available to the public at large in substantially the same manner.
  
• Use of Funds: Fee revenue must be used only for the specific service for which it was imposed—not for unrelated expenses.
  
• If the garbage collection fee is used—directly or indirectly—to cover past or ongoing lawsuits, this could violate Proposition 218, since it would constitute using the fee for a purpose other than trash collection. If the city uses trash collection fees to pay for unrelated legal battles—past or ongoing—that could break the law.

If this fee doesn’t meet those standards, it could be flat-out illegal.

Here’s How We Can Legally Stop It

There is a path to shut this down—but time is short.

Under Prop 218, the City must allow us to protest the fee. The week of April 21, protest cards will be mailed to all 233,000 affected households. If 117,000 of us return those cards by June 9, 2025, the City cannot impose the fee.

Let me repeat that: If a majority of us speak up, this fee dies. Legally. Permanently.

Act Now—Don’t Wait

I’m urging every San Diego homeowner: Fill out your protest card and send it back the moment it arrives. Don’t toss it. Don’t delay. This is your vote—your voice—on whether we’re forced to pay twice for a service we already fund through taxes.

I’ve talked to neighbors who didn’t even know this was happening. Others are confused or feel powerless. That’s exactly why I’m speaking out. We need to spread the word—and hold City Hall accountable.

This isn’t just about trash. It’s about trust, fairness, and standing up for what’s right.

Bigger Picture: A Fire Fee? A Green Bin Crisis?

If we allow this garbage fee to go through unchecked, what’s next? San Diego faces serious fire risks every year. Will homeowners be penalized for not using enough green bins for yard waste? Will more hidden fees be tacked on in the name of “safety” or “sustainability”? Will San Diego be at risk for a similar 2025 Los Angeles fire catastrophe?

Before we hand over more of our wallets, we need answers, transparency, and a system we can trust.

Our Leaders Must Step Up—Or Step Aside

Mayor Todd Gloria and City Councilmembers Joe LaCava, Jennifer Campbell, Stephen Whitburn, Henry Foster III, Marni von Wilpert, Kent Lee, Raul Campillo, Vivian Moreno, and Sean Elo-Rivera: if you can justify this cost, follow the law, and be honest with residents—great. But until then?

I’m sending in my protest card. And I hope you’ll join me.

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Why San Diego Needs a Department of Technology—With an Elected Leader

This trash fee debacle has revealed a deeper issue: San Diego’s government is operating in the dark ages. We lack transparency, digital tools, and meaningful oversight. Voters were promised one thing with Measure B. Now they’re getting another—with no clear way to track the decisions that led us here.

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This isn’t just about garbage—it’s about government trust. That’s why we must support the creation of our proposed local Department of Technology, led by an elected Chief Technology Officer, and supported by a Local Technology Advisory Councils(LTAC) to insure independence, transparency, and genuine accountability to voters and taxpayers.

What a Department of Technology Could Do:

• Real-Time Transparency: Imagine a public dashboard showing the real costs of trash collection, how estimates evolved, and every communication between City staff and contractors.
• Accountability: Instead of relying on press releases and PowerPoints, residents could get real-time updates, budget breakdowns, and hearing transcripts—all in one place.
• Oversight You Can Vote For: Right now, unelected staff control critical digital systems—including how protest cards are mailed, tracked, and verified. With an elected CTO, we’d finally have someone to hold accountable.

20th-Century Bureaucracy Can’t Handle 21st-Century Problems

This is 2025. Yet the City is asking residents to fight a $47 fee by mailing paper protest cards—with no online tracking, no digital verification, and no way to see if your voice was heard.

We deserve better. We deserve a digital infrastructure that empowers residents, not confuses them.

The Bottom Line

We can’t fix the future with the tools of the past. If we want a government that’s transparent, responsive, and worthy of our trust, we need more than vague promises—we need real systems, real leadership, and real accountability.

Let’s fight this garbage fee together—and then let’s build a local government that works for us, not against us.

San Diego deserves better. Let’s make it happen.

Absolutely—here’s a concise, compelling section you can add at the end of your post to encourage readers to share it:

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Spread the Word—Every Voice Matters

If this message resonated with you, don’t keep it to yourself. San Diego homeowners deserve to know the truth about this trash fee—and how we can stop it.

Share this post with your family, friends, neighbors, and local community groups. Forward it by email, text it to your group chat, post it on social media—however you spread the word, now is the time to do it.

The City is counting on confusion and silence. Let’s answer with clarity and action. The more people we reach, the stronger our protest—and the louder our collective voice becomes.

Together, we can take out this trash fee before it hits our wallets. Let’s make sure every San Diegan knows what’s at stake—and what they can do about it.