I am confused about the article [Garbage Rates Set to Jump. Vol. 5, Issue 4] you posted on 2/23/23 regarding the proposed increase in garbage rates in Los Osos. The article states that the increase would be 41%.
The notice we received shows that our half can rate will go from $17.80 to $34.94. That is almost double.
Other media reports are noting the doubling of the rates, as well, such as KSBY and CalCoast News.
Thank you for a clarification.
Petra Clayton
Los Osos
Get the Facts
Please state facts correctly otherwise it is misleading.
Page 1. Los Osos customers are looking at 97.61% increase not 41%.
Page 2. Supervisors (as a plural ) did not turn down a raise. The headline is misleading and does not give credit where due The credit does not go to Gibson and Legg. The headline is what people are going to remember. The headline correctly is a majority of supervisors turn down raise.
James D’Albro
Los Osos resident
EBN Clarification
The short explanation: Should the Board of Supervisors not receive letters of opposition to the rate increase from more than 50% of Los Osos garbage customers by the March 21 hearing, there will be a temporary increase in trash rates of about 97% that will run from the end of April through December. That rate will then drop to the base rate increase of close to 42% plus inflation.
Mission County Disposal submitted a base year rate application for 2022 on October 18 of that year for an increase of 41.87% for all solid waste customers.
“The total proposed rate increase will be effective on April 1, 2023 and is based on the 2022 Base Year rate increase of 41.87%, the 2023 Interim Year rate increase for Consumer Price Index, and the temporary short-term rate increase that expires on December 31, 2023,” reads the Board of Supervisors report.
For customers within the LOCSD boundary,
• On April 1, 2023, the overall rate increase will be 97.61%
• On December 31, 2023, the temporary rate increase expires, and the overall rate increase will reduce to 49.57%
The base rate “inside the services line for the LOCSD” is going up 41+%; plus add in an inflation rate increase of 7.7%; and back charges for the delay in getting the rate application processed and the immediate overall rate hike is over 97% — nearly double.
At the end of December, the increase for the delay drops off and goes back to the base rate plus inflation.