Voters this fall will decide whether to change a San Diego law requiring the city to pick up trash for free at local homes. In a 7-2 vote by San Diego City Council, the ordinance will now head to the ballots in November and voters themselves will vote yes or no to changing the law.
What the city of San Diego is talking about is a 100-year-old ordinance that prohibits the city from charging most single-family residences for trash collection services while those living in apartments and condos must pay a private hauler. If you’re a single-family home owner in the city of San Diego, you probably haven’t had to worry about paying for trash services, but come this November you could be dealing with another bill on your plate. “It sucks, I don’t want it,” said Josh Vargas, a Kearny Mesa local who is struggling to pay his bills.
The reason is because the city of San Diego voted to put a ballot measure that amends the people’s ordinance—a law that was created in 1919 and prohibits the city from recovering costs it incurs from trash collection.