Written by Lev Finzi
This past Tuesday, San Diego has started its first step in a long line of steps to end its “People’s Ordinance,” which stops the city from charging residents for trash removal services. The process to do this will be extremely lengthy and tedious due to the act being 103 years old.
The San Diego City Council had voted 8-1 in favor of proposing putting the repeal of it on the ballot for November. If this is done, then the San Diego City Management team would then confer to come up with a reasonable bargain to change the code in San Diego’s plan. The only Council Member that voted no on this particular decision was Republican Chris Cate.
The Councilmembers who originally proposed the bill were Council President Sean Elo-Rivera and Councilman Joe LaCava. If the ballot is passed this November, It would allow the city to charge a fee for trash services. More specifically, solid waste collection, transport, disposal, recycling, and the inclusion of the cost of bins and short-term vacation rentals, accessory units such as back houses or dorms to pay for the services.
For years now the Ordinance received heavy backlash from social activists and local politicians that felt that it was no longer relevant to the 21st century. It did not recommend a lifestyle of “reduce, reuse, recycle,” but instead a lifestyle that is the complete opposite of one that is being looked at to help us in the future. The city will be charged roughly 43.2 million dollars in its 2022 fiscal year, and this repeal is expected to cost another 234.7 million dollars between the fiscal years of 2023-2027.
Elo-Rivera has made sure to explain that the reason he has voted yes for this proposition is because he has plans for different situations that would help the city and residents at the same time. He would want to not completely demolish the Ordinance, but instead fix and amend it so it does in fact benefit everyone.
Photo Cred: KPBS
