Dana Point : Trash Fee Increase Gets Council’s OK

For the second time in 12 months, homeowners and business owners can expect higher trash bills.

The City Council this week voted to allow Solag Disposal Inc., a private firm contracted to collect trash by the city, to increase home fees by 29 cents to $9.99 per month, or about 3% since the last rate hike in July. Commercial fees based on a 3-cubic-yard trash bin increased by $2.29 to $67.36 monthly, or 3.5%.

By comparison, home trash collection fees in Laguna Niguel and San Juan Capistrano, two neighboring cities also serviced by Solag, are $9.85 and $9.41 per month, respectively. In San Clemente, home trash collection fees are $7.46 monthly.

Recent increases in costs of diesel fuel were the most significant factors prompting Solag to ask for an increase, Councilwoman Karen Lloreda said. She said she voted for the proposal reluctantly.

“I voted for it with the understanding that (Solag) doesn’t do this on a regular basis,” Lloreda said. “If the diesel prices went down, it would be nice to see us would get a decreased fee, which doesn’t happen. These fees always seem to go up and never come back down.”

Mayor Bill Bamattre was the only member of the five-person council to vote against the increases.

“We just had a rate hike in July and I think it would be more appropriate to consider it again next July,” Bamattre said.