Jacksonville residents will see an increase in trash collection costs following the City Council's decision yesterday to raise garbage fees, which will affect homeowners throughout the city. The Council passed two bills, one addressing the fee hike and another focused on assisting low-income residents in managing the financial impact. As reported by News4JAX, the vote ended with a 12-7 split, marking the first change in trash fees for Jacksonville in 15 years.
According to details obtained by First Coast News, starting in 2025, residents will need to pay $27.00 per month, which will to steadily increase to $29.50 in 2026, and eventually reach $32.00 by the year 2027. This change more than doubles the current monthly rate of $12.65. The accompanying affordability bill aims to help those most affected by the fee increase by allowing them to re-apply annually and maintain their fees at the current rate of $120 per year, if they qualify.
The driving force behind the decision stems from the escalating debt associated with the city's solid waste loan, which is utilized to finance garbage collection. City Councilman Matt Carlucci explained in a statement obtained by News4JAX, the urgency of the situation, saying "the increase would help pay for a growing debt for a solid waste loan that helps pay for garbage collection." Estimates have projected this debt could burgeon to $500 million by the fiscal year 2031-2032 if no action was taken.
In justification of this decision, Council member Rahman Johnson was quoted by Action News Jax, declaring "For more than 10 years, while the cost of nearly everything else has risen—housing, groceries, gas—the garbage fee has remained unchanged." He added, "This was not an easy vote, but it was the right vote. We cannot afford to stand still while the costs of inaction continue to rise." Homeowners will be notified of the rate increase by mail and will have an opportunity to weigh in during a public hearing, before the new legislation is formally set in place.
