If San Diego's mayor has his way, about 14,000 homes which currently receive free trash pickup will soon start paying for it. They are located on private streets in communities that have reached a deal with the city. It's a deal the mayor has moved to terminate, which would save San Diego about $1.2 million.
The city council will consider whether to take away the mayor's power to end the deal. But councilman Todd Gloria said that would be the wrong move.
"When you're in a hole the first thing you stop doing is digging the hole deeper," he said. "And essentially by going against the mayor's recommendation we will be digging our hole over a million dollars deeper."
Under the law known as "The People's Ordinance," San Diego can't charge for trash pickup if you can get your garbage to a public street in a city bin. The city spends about $54 million a year on refuse collection.
