A Tale of Two Trash Cans:
Garbage Rates Called Into Question in Stockton 🗑️
Residents are wondering why there’s such a difference in garbage rates between different homes in the same neighborhoods. In some areas within Stockton where there are “County pockets”, residential garbage rates in San Joaquin County are substantially higher than for homes right across the street. The rates for residents in Stockton who live in the unincorporated neighborhoods of San Joaquin County not only higher, but also for less services than are being provided to residents in the incorporated City of Stockton despite sharing the same proximity.
If you want to try to get comparable service levels to what’s happening in the city of Stockton then your rate is 73 to 84% higher and even with these astronomical rates, the service levels are still not parallel with the basic service levels in the City of Stockton. How could this be when both service areas are serviced by the same company? The system is apparently broken and needs to be fixed. In doing our research, we discovered that the County government contract for garbage collection services has not seen any competition since 1982. That is the last time the County received proposals for competitive services and rates for collection services.
Competition is needed to provide best quality services and better price rates for residents of San Joaquin County.
On Tuesday, February 27 at the upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisors are set to discuss an extension to the “foothill landfill operation” agreement. This is one piece of the puzzle that directly affects residential garbage collection rates. Supervisors have an opportunity to start here with a competitive bid process. That agreement should only be extended out for 10 more months while County leaders prepare for such contracts to go out Request For Proposals (RFP). That will begin to fix this unequal rates, promote transparency and ensure residents of this County are getting the best rates and services they can.
Residents can speak up at the Board of Supervisors meeting on February 27 at 9am at 44 N San Joaquin St on the 6th Floor in downtown Stockton.
Below find a chart comparing the rates in Stockton (keep in mind some of the service areas are literally across the street from one another):
