Mission Country Disposal customers in Los Osos could soon see a 13 percent increase in their garbage bills.
Pam Ouelette of Los Osos says after learning garbage rates could potentially increase, she may make at least one change.
“We’ve thought about going to the smaller bin because we don’t generate a lot of trash and that might be something that we’ll do," she said.
If you have a 20-gallon bin, you could see more than a $3 increase per month. For a 32-gallon bin, a more than $5 increase and for a 64-gallon bin, nearly an $8 increase. The Los Osos Community Services District is meeting on Thursday to discuss approving the rate increases.
“If they tentatively approve the rates, then we go into a Proposition 218 process, which requires us to notify our customers and property owners of the rate increase,” said Ron Munds, Los Osos Community Services District general manager.
If that tentativie approval goes through, people in the community would then receive a mailed notification. Under Prop 218, customers do have the ability to protest any increase in fees such as garbage and water.
“Per Prop 218, it has to be a 50% plus one majority protest for the rates not to move forward if approved by the board,” Munds said.
The CSD will consider adopting the new rates in January.
According to the CSD agenda, it states the increased rates by Mission Country Disposal are needed due to increases in organic processing costs, landfill disposal costs and collections costs like labor, vehicles and operating expenses.
Just three years ago, Munds says garbage customers in Los Osos saw a 42 percent rate increase put in place by San Luis Obispo County.
“That’s why we’re very sensitive now to this proposed rate increase in particular,” Munds said.
“Given the increase that we experienced just a few years ago, it doesn’t sit well with me,” said Carol Lowell of Los Osos.
That increase had some customers switching to smaller bins.
“I traded in my regular trash can for one of those tiny cans that my tenant and I carefully manage our trash output,” Lowell said.
She says another increase would have a big impact on not only her but also her sister.
“I manage my sister’s affairs and she’s on disability and her trash rate went up from $50 to $60 to more than $100 and that’s 10% of her Social Security check, so to imagine it going up again, it’s very disheartening,” Lowell said.
After the CSD’s January hearing, if there is no successful protest and the new rates are approved, Munds says customers billed after Jan. 1 will start seeing the increase at that time.
