VENTURA : Council Raises City Business Trash Rate

The Ventura City Council on Monday night voted to increase the average garbage rate for city businesses by 14.7%.

According to the council resolution, some businesses can expect to pay up to $133.51 to have two large bins picked up each week.

Officials said the increase was necessary because businesses have paid the same rate for two years, and trash hauler E. J. Harrison & Sons could lose up to $648,000 if the rates are not adjusted.

Several business owners urged the council to grant the increase, saying they’d rather have an increase than risk a decline in quality. “I don’t like to see any rate increase,” said Robert Hewson, who owns apartment and office buildings in Ventura. “But everything goes up, and a 14% increase sounds reasonable to me.”

Jim Harrison, part owner of the trash-hauling company, said, “We’ve done everything we can to keep rates down. We’re going to reduce profits.”

The action does not affect residential trash rates.

The rate increase for the businesses, which goes into effect July 1, will result in a projected 1993 surplus of $367,000. The extra money, officials said, could be used to offset future rate increases or pay for new waste-reduction programs.