JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan issued the first veto of her administration Monday, denouncing a bill passed by city council in December that would increase the cost of trash pickup for taxpayers by 29% while services remain the same.

Deegan detailed issues she had with the “Cash for Trash” bill, which was passed during a city council meeting on Dec. 10, in the veto issued Monday.

The bill gives the city’s trash hauler, Meridian Waste, an increase amounting to an extra $4 million per year for the next three years. This would be in addition to the increases built into the existing contract with the city, the release states.

The mayor’s office and city council auditors supported a 5% increase per household per month, which would amount to $18.29. This increase would be within the rates agreed on by Meridian Waste in its contract with the city.

“The City Council superseded the work of the committee, ignored the Council Auditor’s advice and substantially increased the rate to $22.39 rather than the aforementioned rate recommended by the rate committee,” the mayor’s veto states.

The mayor says the legislation highlights a “separation of powers” issue and was passed against the advice of the council auditors and the administration.

“To award more money to a trash hauler than they were awarded in their contract, a contract they agreed to, frankly it infringes upon the powers of this administration,” Deegan said. “There are executive powers and there are Legislative Branch powers and, this is a power that belongs to the Executive Branch in terms of negotiating a contract.”

The mayor’s office says Meridian Waste told city council it would continue to provide service whether the company received additional money or not.

The mayor added taxpayers will not see any additional services despite the rate increase.

“This increase pays for non-operating expenses, including lobbyist fees, employee appreciation cookouts and gift cards, local sponsorships and donations,” the mayor’s office release states. 

“In vetoing this bill, I am holding true to my commitment to be fiscally responsible and always seek return on investment for our citizens,” Deegan said. “The dramatic increase passed by the City Council – with $4 million coming from reserves – is fiscally irresponsible and comes at the expense of city priorities like affordable housing and homelessness.”

Deegan’s budget included funding for the countywide issues of affordable housing and homelessness, allocating $20 million for two programs to address concerns. The funding for homelessness was ultimately cut down from $10 million to $1 million, and funding for affordable housing was stripped from the budget by the Finance Committee, who argued that the money would have come from the city’s abundant operating reserves.

“Less than three months later, the Council is recommending spending those same reserve dollars to subsidize the profit margin of a well-connected private company,” the mayor’s office release states.

In a separate bill, a Jacksonville city council member proposed a plan to more than double the garbage collection fee.

First Coast News spoke with City Councilmember Matt Carlucci on Saturday about a bill he proposed to increase the trash pickup fees. Carlucci’s proposal would cost homeowners about $200 more per year.

He says an increase is overdue, and the city’s current arrangement is unsustainable. The last time the trash collection rate was increased was in 2010, meaning homeowners have been paying $12.50 per month for the last 15 years. 

Carlucci says to cover how much it actually costs today, it’d be $30 per month, so that’s exactly what his bill would rise to. He says each year, millions of dollars from the general fund have to go to trash to cover the deficit.

Carlucci says a $200 increase is a lot, so he filed a partner bill that would allow households within 150% of the federal poverty line to apply for a garbage fee exemption.

“I didn’t want to introduce a bill to raise the garbage fee, but not have a safety net for those who just financially cannot afford it. You’ve got to balance it out, and I’m balancing it out the best I can,” said Carlucci.

The mayor’s office said if city council decides to override Deegan’s veto, the administration will not agree to pay the “super-sized” trash rate increase and will seek to remedy the trash hauler rate review process moving forward.

“In making this decision, I recognize the work being done by the vendor in this field and look forward to their continued service provided to our community under the terms of the existing contract with the City,” the mayor wrote.