Moorpark : City Weighs Fee Hike for Trash Collection

The Moorpark City Council will consider a proposal tonight to increase garbage collection fees for residents and businesses to help pay for expanded recycling programs.

Under the proposal, the monthly trash collection fees for single-family houses would increase by $1 to $16.35. For multifamily housing complexes, the monthly bills would go up by 50 cents for each unit.

And local businesses would have to pay an 8% increase over their present garbage collection rates, which vary according to the size of the business, said Jill H. Rubin, management analyst for the city.

The proposed increases would raise about $130,000 during the fiscal year that begins July 1 and would be used for various recycling programs, Rubin said.

City officials plan to use $20,000 to launch a recycling program for yard waste. Another $20,000 would be used to help Simi Valley pay to start and operate a facility for recycling household hazardous wastes. Both Moorpark and Simi Valley plan to use the planned facility for recycling such items as motor oil, water-based paint and batteries.

Rubin said Tuesday that she had not received any opposition from residents or businesses to the proposed increases. So far, the city has operated its curbside pickup service and other recycling programs without increasing monthly garbage collection bills, Rubin said.