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HOMEOWNERS in a US city will face having to pay more to have their garbage collected after a new law was passed.
Jacksonville City Council lawmakers voted to more than double the fees in a historic move that risks squeezing the wallets of residents.
Garbage collection fees have not risen in the Florida city, home to almost one million people, in 14 years.
Fees will skyrocket from $151.80 to $324 in 2025 but the increases will not stop there.
Garbage collection fees will continue to jump to $354 in 2026, before rising to $384 in 2027.
Residents will see a $12.65 per month hike in 2025 before the figure rises to $32 per month in 2027.
Mayor Donna Deegan said the “can had been kicked for years.”
“It gets more expensive to solve the longer we wait,” she warned.
Matthew Carlucci with the Jacksonville City Council told The U.S. Sun, “This has been a growing issue for the last 15 years.”
“The Council is not unaware of the effect this increase would have on those who could least afford it, so the City Council decided to take two actions to ease the burden.”
The bill was introduced against a backdrop where officials were scrambling to cut costs.
The cost of loans could hit $97 million this year and this figure was projected to rise to $500 million if no action was taken.
Rahman Johnson said the vote wasn’t easy.
“This was not an easy vote, but it was the right vote,” he said.
“We cannot afford to stand still while the costs of inaction continue to rise.”
“Action was needed”
“As for the reasoning: This has been a growing issue for the last 15 years since the last time the City raised our solid-waste fee, and in that time as costs began to far outweigh the fee, the City has been facing a mounting loan projected to reach $100m in debt this year if no action was taken.”
“This was the most reasonable solution, as the deficit between the fee we charge ($12.65) and the cost of service ($30.40) was too great to ignore.”
“The Council is not unaware of the effect this increase would have on those who could least afford it, so the City Council decided to take two actions to ease the burden.”
“First, the City Council voted to phase-in the increase over 3 years, starting at $27 this coming year, up to $29.50 the next year, and $32 the year after.”
“Second, the City Council approved a low-income discount for those under 150% the federal poverty level. This exemption will hold those who qualify, through an application process that requires proof of income, at the current fee of $12.65.”
Matt Carlucci, Jacksonville City Councilman
But, the motion has proved controversial.
It was not backed unanimously as seven lawmakers voted against the move to hike the fees.
Even Carlucci himself admitted hiking fees isn’t “fun.”
“But it had to be done. If I was gonna do it, I had to have something of a safety net for those who couldn’t afford it,” he said.
Randy White, the City Council president, warned: “I will never do anything that has the possibility of having a negative affect on public safety, period.”
Mike Gay vowed not to support the price hike.
“The last resort we should do is to go increase a fee or tax,” he warned.
DIVISIVE BILL
The current fee only covers part of Jacksonville’s residential garbage service.
To make up the difference, the city will shift about $40 million from its general fund this year, reported WJAX-TV.
Along with the fee hike, the City Council approved a “safety net” program to help low-income families.
Eligibility for this program, what lawmakers hope will be a helping hand, is based on household size.
A single-person household qualifies with an income up to $22,590, based on 150% of the current federal poverty level.
While a family of four can earn up to $46,800 to apply for a fee freeze on the garbage fee.
The trash fee hike won’t impact apartment or condo residents.
“It is only going to affect the people who got a property tax notice on their residents in past years,” Carlucci said.
The city will use the same criteria as its stormwater fee exemption for low-income residents.
Carlucci added that the trash fee increase will help repay the general fund loan.
He explained that the money raised can go into a pot for road repairs, and pay rises.
The U.S. Sun has approached Jacksonville City Council for comment.
