What's at stake?
The city will host a series of meetings to discuss the proposed five year plan to increase trash rates starting March 27 and lasting throughout April.
The first of a series of meetings begin this week ahead of a proposal to raise garbage collection fees across Fresno.
The first meeting to discuss the Solid Waste Management Division’s five-year plan is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 27 in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Additional meetings on Fresno trash rates are planned to take place throughout April in every council district.
“The City’s residential solid waste rates have not been updated for 15 years and the Department of Public Utilities and its Solid Waste Management Division (SWMD) have had to use reserves to cover rising costs since 2015,” Brock Buche, Director of the Department of Public Utilities, said in a news release.
Notices of the proposed rate increase plan were mailed out to customers on March 18, with a public hearing scheduled for May 2, as outlined by the SWMD’s plan. The notices also included a protest card for customers to fill out and return to the city if they oppose the rate increase.
Why are rates increasing?
Fresno trash rates were last increased 15 years ago in 2009. Since then, the cost of landfill tipping fees, fuel, labor, vehicles, fleet maintenance and collection carts have increased.
According to the SWMD, annual operational costs rose by $7.5 million and fleet maintenance by $2.8 million annually. As it stands, 25% of collection trucks operated by the SWMD are beyond their expected service life of eight years. In the 2023 fiscal year, the SWMD did not have the funds to replace the vehicles.
With the proposed rate increase, the SWMD estimates it would be able to build up $1 million in reserves every year.
Can I vote against a rate increase?
Yes. Protest cards were included in the notices mailed out to customers on March 18 along with a prepaid reply envelope. The SWMD website also says customers can fill out a written protest themselves that will only be counted if it includes the following information:
- States the submitter’s intention to protest the residential solid waste rate update;
- Identifies the APN, street address, or utility account number(s) of the parcel with respect to which the protest is being made;
- Includes the name of the record owner or tenant ratepayer that is submitting the protest; and
- Includes the original signature of the record owner or tenant ratepayer that is submitting the protest.
Protest cards or alternate written protests must be turned in no later than 5 p.m. May 2 at the City Clerk’s Office at 2600 Fresno St. In order for the protest to be valid and the rate increase denied, a simple majority of 50% plus one is required.
If the customers do not vote to deny the rate increase, the SWMD will request the Fresno City Council to adopt the proposed rate increase. If adopted, the new rates would go into effect July 1, with an increase of about $20 being implemented over the next 5 years.
