New Mandate Rates
Feb 02, 2022 12:00AM ● By Story by Shaunna Boyd
Republic Services, which provides garbage, green waste, and recycling services to Citrus Heights, will be expanding its service to provide organic food waste recycling. The updated service agreement, with associated rate increases, was approved by Citrus Heights City Council in order to comply with the state's unfunded organics recycling mandate. Photo provided by Republic Services.
Services Added to Comply with Food Waste Recycling
CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - The Citrus Heights City Council held a Public Hearing on January 27, regarding proposed rate increases for residential garbage, recycling, and organic waste collection through Republic Services. The increases are due to the City’s efforts to comply with the unfunded organics recycling mandate required under California’s Senate Bill (SB) 1383 to reduce methane gas production.
Under the new service agreement, weekly garbage collection and bi-weekly recycling collection will continue, but green waste will increase to weekly collection that will now include organic food waste. The city will be split into two recycling zones for the bi-weekly collection, with the zones alternating weeks for pick up. The six bags of leaf collection allowed from November through January will be increased from bi-weekly to weekly pickups. All other services currently available are still included in the agreement, such as battery recycling, holiday tree collection, scheduled neighborhood cleanups, etc.
With the costs of the additional trucks, processing services, public outreach and education, and administrative services to monitor the program, the total cost for organics recycling is approximately $2 million per year. Mary Poole of the General Services Department said staff worked hard to negotiate rates with Republic Services that would add the mandated program while maintaining all current services.
But Poole acknowledged that the rate increase will be “significant.” Most residents in Citrus Heights subscribe to the 64-gallon carts, which currently cost $23.61 per month. When the organics recycling program is implemented in July 2022, the monthly cost will increase to $29.80—a 26% increase. But Poole explained that Citrus Heights has enjoyed extremely low rates for many years, with rates even decreasing in certain years. So even with the increase, Citrus Heights will still have the lowest rate in the region.
All Citrus Heights residents were mailed a postcard notifying them of the scheduled Public Hearing and explaining their right to submit written protests to the rate increase. Under Prop. 218, if a majority of affected property owners protested, the increase could not be imposed. However, the City would then need to find some other way to fund the organics recycling program or risk a significant penalty—a fine of $10,000 per day for noncompliance.
During the Public Hearing, three public comments were given against the rate increase. Roger Johnson wrote that those on fixed incomes, such as seniors and veterans, would have a hard time paying the increased cost. John Cane said he was against such a high increase and said that he didn’t think most residents even knew about the proposed rate increase or the Public Hearing. Bridget Duffy called it an “outrage,” and she agreed that the City’s effort to notify the public wasn’t successful.
Glenda Green said she is in favor of composting and was excited to hear about this municipal composting opportunity. She said that the rate seemed reasonable with the increase in service, and she pointed out that people with large garbage bins could maintain rates close to what they currently pay by switching to smaller bins, since the food waste will now also be picked up weekly in the green bin. She suggested the City could do a better job educating people about the way their service will increase and how to adjust their subscription so that the increased cost is less impactful. She also suggested the possibility of reduced rates for low-income families.
In total, the City received 108 written protests, which was not a majority and could not block the rate increase.
Councilmember Steve Miller acknowledged the work of staff and Republic Services to reach an agreement that kept Citrus Heights’ rates comparatively low, but he stated that he strongly objects to the unfunded mandate. But despite his objections, he explained, “We don’t have a choice in this fee increase. And I certainly wouldn’t be foolish enough to vote no and risk a $10,000 a day fine”.
Councilmember Jeannie Bruins said it’s the citizens who bear the brunt of the state’s unfunded mandate, and unfortunately the City doesn’t have $2 million in the budget to reallocate to cover the cost. She pointed out that the extra money going to Republic Services will not be an increase in profit because the money will only offset the cost of the additional services they must now provide. “Nobody is happy about this,” said Bruins. “We need to change things at the state level.”
Vice Mayor Tim Schaefer called the legislation “misguided,” stating that if the state’s going to pass a law, they should be funding it. He also said he personally encouraged many people to submit protests and was disappointed at the low number: “If people aren’t going to make their voices heard, I don’t know what else we can do.”
Councilmember Bret Daniels said that the Council is elected to be the voice of the people, and despite the low number of protests submitted, he said he was certain the community didn’t support this. He said the state should pay for the program, and he asked, “Are we going to push back or are we going to continue to let ourselves be pushed around?”
The City Council reluctantly voted to affirm the rate increase, with Daniels and Schaefer dissenting.
Councilmember Miller asked for support in drafting a resolution objecting to the unfunded mandate, to be forwarded to the California governor and legislature. Bruins, Daniels, and Schaefer all gave their support.