Jacksonville councilman unveils proposal to repeal $18 cap and raise residential trash fee; low-income exemption proposed

Councilman Matt Carlucci, an at-large member, introduced an ordinance to repeal the city’s $18 cap on the residential solid-waste assessment and to increase the monthly residential trash fee from the current $12.65 to a proposed $30.40 or to phase in smaller increases over multiple years.

Why it matters: Carlucci said the change aims to reduce a growing general-fund loan that the city has used to cover solid-waste operating shortfalls. “This is literally a kind of a $40,000,000 vote right here,” Councilman Matt Carlucci said during the workshop, framing the increase as a choice between raising the fee or continuing to carry rising loan balances.

City auditors and legal staff outlined the financial and procedural implications. Kim Taylor, council auditor, said if the fee remains at the current $12.65 “we have about a $40,000,000 loan from the general fund that grows to about $48,000,000 next year.” Taylor told the council the proposed $30.40 figure is intended to reach a cost-neutral level for the year and that phased…