Readers weigh in on city trash fee measure

Re “Repealing free trash pickup in San Diego: Where do your City Council candidates stand?” (Sept. 19): Free trash pickup? We pay for it. Note renters pay for their trash pickup in the rent. If Measure B passes, the renters will most likely get a rent increase.

As a single-family homeowner, I know the trash pickup salaries and equipment expenses come out of our taxes. So if Measure B were to pass in November and we are then charged for trash, recycling and greenery pickup, will our taxes go down the same amount? I will not hold my breath.

As far as renters are concerned, the owners will pass the expense on to them.

Tom Fox Normal Heights

Unlike what City Council candidate Antonio Martinez believes, Measure B does not impose a fee. It amends the municipal code so the city can adopt a waste collection fee in the future. Public hearings and a thorough cost-of-service study will be key parts of this transition. Money generated by a future fee will not go to City Hall or the general fund. It can only be used to pay for waste collection services. It doesn’t “stay in the neighborhoods where it was collected,” because it’s a citywide fee; it’s for all neighborhoods.

Every property owner pays property taxes (which make up 60 percent of the general fund, which currently pays for waste collection), but only some pay extra for waste collection. Single-family homes get the service for no extra fee. If you pay a private hauler for waste collection, your property taxes are funding other people’s waste collection. Yes on B.

Bob Sly Allied Gardens

There are many advantages to owning a home in San Diego — high property taxes is not one of them. Now we are being asked to pay for the trash pickup service separately.

I have no problem with paying for services I use. I do object to homes that are used as vacation rentals and businesses in single-family homes that have four or five black cans picked up each week.

Other cities I have lived in charged according to the amount of trash generated. Large and multiple cans were charged more and the smallest can available was what I chose and was happy to pay for.

Mardine Davis Del Cerro