Trash rates - Foster City style

Two issues:  1) apparently Foster City does consider trash pick-up a Proposition 218 issue; and 2) cost is less, probably in conjunction with the city contract (lower franchise fees), the land is flat, the city economy is good (and sustainable).   

"Sweet deal" Cookie Monster!

From The Daily Journal, 11/29/11. "The Foster City Council approved a 6.4 percent increase to garbage rates last night in a special Proposition 218 public hearing. The hearing allowed residents to officially protest the increase and if a majority did, the council would have had to figure out another way to pay Recology the money it lost this year and expects to lose next year based on residents migrating to smaller 32- and 20-gallon cans.

Only 10 residents sent in protests but more than 3,600 were needed to prevent the rate hike in accordance with Proposition 218 which allows residents who are assessed a fee a chance to protest it. The approval means residents will see the increase in their next bill, which will be mailed out next Wednesday for the months of December, January and February.  The increase will be reflected for the months of January and February.  The monthly cost for a 20-gallon can will rise from the current rate of $11.11 to $11.82 next year and from $17.78 to $18.92 for the 32-gallon can. Foster City Manager Jim Hardy called the increase “modest” compared to other cities who contract with Recology through the South Bayside Waste Management Authority, which represents most cities in the county.

The increase did not get unanimous approval, however, as Councilman Rick Wykoff voted against it. “I have a real problem with the rate increase so soon after joining the service,” Wykoff said. In February, the council approved a 29.5 rate hike to cover the cost for Recology’s expanded service, improvements to the Shoreway Environmental Center and expected migration to smaller cans.

Wykoff is not thrilled with state mandates that call for 75 diversion rates by 2020. He called Assembly Bill 341, which set the diversion rate, a “baseless law.” The law calls for cities to divert garbage out of landfills by 75 percent through recycling or composting efforts or face stiff penalties. Wykoff said that even though the city only received 10 protests does not mean that more are against the hike. “I don’t want staff to assume there is no objection to this. There’s more than 10 that object to this,” he said." Read more...."

Posted by Kathy Meeh