HUNTINGTON BEACH : Trash-Collection Fee to Rise Again

The cost for curbside trash collection will jump to $12 a month for the city’s 44,000 households on July 1, a 10.2% increase over last year and the fifth time in five years that the trash fees have been jacked up.

City officials said increases are required to keep up with an advance in the consumer price index and higher diesel fuel bills incurred by Rainbow Disposal Co., which has exclusively handled the city’s trash for about 35 years.

Also contributing to the $1.11 monthly increase were required educational materials about recycling that have been sent to the public, and the city’s overhead in collecting the bimonthly bills, officials said.

A number of residents spoke against the trash fee increases as well as several proposed cutbacks and fee increases in other programs financed by the city, as officials scramble to meet a $4.1-million budget shortfall.

Dave Sullivan, president of the Huntington Beach Tomorrow citizens advocacy group, blamed the hikes and cuts on employees who received pay increases 2 1/2 times higher than surrounding cities in the past two years, he said.

“Make no mistake about it,” Sullivan said, “the reason for these tax and fee increases and hurtful program cuts is to finance employee raises.

“This is a budget by bureaucrats for bureaucrats and let the public be damned.”

Sullivan said all tax and fee increases could be avoided if employees “would do the right thing and give up raises for 12 months.”

City Administrator Michael T. Uberuaga recommends a 6% pay and benefit increase for all permanent employees in the coming budget. City workers have received pay increases totaling 19.5% over the last three years.

Only Mayor Jim Silva voted against the trash fee increase. “We’re in the middle of a recession and shouldn’t continue raising taxes and fees,” he said.

City officials first imposed a residential trash fee at $5 a month in July of 1988. It was bumped up to $7.50, $9.85, $10.89 and $12 in succeeding years. Household trash fees previously were paid by the city out of utility taxes tacked on to residents’ bills in the early 1970s.

While protesting tax increases, residents also spoke out against a series of other measures being planned to meet the budget shortfall, which include:

* Eliminating lifeguard service at three of the four public beaches in Huntington Harbour from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

* Reducing community center operating hours, such as by closing on Sundays and earlier during the week at Edison, Murdy and Oak View community centers and at the City Gym and Pool.

* Eliminating receptionists and other part-time employees on Fridays at the Michael E. Rodgers Senior Center.

Counsel on Aging President Mary Jo Jeffes said trained employees are needed to staff the telephones and counters at the senior center.

“It would be like going to the gas station and not get gas,” she said.

Jim Townsend, another senior citizen advocate, said it will be “a great loss” if there is no staff on hand “to provide help for seniors with problems.”

City officials have scheduled a budget workshop for Monday and are scheduled to vote June 15 on the final budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.