For nearly 100 years, many people in San Diego have enjoyed free garbage pickup. Some city officials are now asking whether it's such a good idea, given the financial crunch.
This is a service almost every other major city in California pays for. But here in San Diego, it's free.
Crews pick up your garbage every week, and every second week, they take away your recyclables too.
Ben Hueso, San Diego City Council: It's good for those people who don't pay for trash collection, but its just bad policy.
Hueso knows he's questioning what has become so sacred in San Diego, it is law. The so-called People's Ordinance of 1919 made it illegal to charge single family homeowners for trash pick-up.
Nearly 100 years later, here's what its costing: $38 million to pick up trash at 318,000 homes.
Hueso says the $38 million is money that could be spent on streets and other infrastructure.
Elmer Heap is the head of the city's environmental services department. He says the $38 million would also go a long way toward paying for recycling programs.
Heap : There are some great things this city could accomplish if the citizens of San Diego were willing to amend the 1919 peoples' ordinance that would give the city of San Diego the opportunity to charge a fair and reasonable price for its collection services.
Changing that ordinance would require a public vote.
A spokesperson for Mayor Jerry Sanders' says the mayor opposes charging for garbage collection.
(The city is holding public meetings on its proposed budget; a schedule can be found [ here ].)
