San Carlos Residents Face Higher Garbage Rates.

February 14, 2011

Recology-Carts

How Much Higher is the Question.

One of the topics at tonight's San Carlos City Council Meeting is to discuss how to address the proposed rate increase for garbage and recycle collection in San Carlos.  When the South Bayside Waste Management Authority (aka Rethink Waste) switched collection companies from Allied Waste to Recology at the beginning of this year, it ushered in a higher cost structure to go along with those newfangled collection bins.

According to this article in today's Daily Journal, the rate hike in San Carlos may range between 11 and 13.2% this year alone.  The increase in cost is attributed to a variety of factors, ranging from Recology's higher cost for providing waste collection services to paying off carry-over debt from the previous contract with Allied Waste.   While a potential 13.2% increase is not trivial, it's not the highest rate increase being proposed by Rethink Waste — other cities on the Peninsula face increases ranging from 9% all the way up to 39%.

At tonight's City Council Meeting, which starts at 7 PM in the Council Chambers at the San Carlos City Hall, the Council will likely set a hearing for April 11 to solicit public input on the increase.

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2 Comments

  1. pat b on February 15, 2011 at 12:25 am

    This is not news. It has been discussed repeatedly over the past several years. The council could have increased the rates gradually so they wouldn’t have to raise it so much all at once. They chose to put off the costs of the change as long as possible, so here we are.

    Instead of planning ahead, our government has once again chosen to wait until it is backed into a corner. Meanwhile, they want to spend half a million dollars they don’t have, and may never have, in RDA funds to figure out how to beautify the “gateways” to the city. Trying to beautify Holly at 101 is hopeless. They’ve already decided to put in a 65 foot In-n-Out sign there. There isn’t enough lipstick on the planet to beautify that pig.

    They want to sign a contract to spend anticipated RDA money while the Governor is talking about abolishing all RDAs. Brilliant planning!

    And the ruling three have blown the whole fire deal, so we have no idea who will be providing our fire service on October 13, 2011. They’re set to appear before the county again tomorrow to whine and stamp their feet. That didn’t get them far last time.



  2. bill on February 19, 2011 at 4:42 pm

    Outrageous. What happened to idea of the fully automated collection process that was supposed to SAVE money?? One driver vs. two workers?? Instead, we citizens do more of THEIR work (sorting trash, pulling carts to the curb just right), suffer from smaller cans, inconsistent service and pay MORE now?? How did our elected leaders get hoodwinked into this deal?? Where’s the accountability in our local government??



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