Residents mobilize to repeal San Diego trash and parking fees

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- San Diego is confronting a $146 million budget shortfall next fiscal year and is exploring ways to cut costs and raise revenue.

As some proposals hit community members, they're mobilizing to repeal paid parking at Balboa Park and the city's trash fees.

A petition-signing event was held Saturday to gather support for two initiatives aiming for the November ballot. Voices united at Liberty Station as part of the grassroots push.

There was a steady stream of signatures from fed-up San Diegans who want an end to the city's parking fees and new trash collection fees introduced under Measure B in 2022.

"We were already paying for trash tax," said Mark Powell, a candidate for San Diego City Council's District 6.

Before the new trash fees, trash collection was funded indirectly through the city's general fund, which is supported through property taxes and sales taxes.

Now, trash collection fees appear on property tax bills that go straight to homeowners, something Powell opposes. "They told us it was going to be between $23 and $29, only to find out it's going to be closer to $50 a month."

The city hopes to generate $140 million annually and believes the fees will modernize waste services while freeing up general fund money for other priorities.

Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer disagrees with current leadership's approach. "You have to focus on what's best for families and for making our city affordable, and unfortunately, what we've seen this past year is fee after fee, tax after tax, that is making our city unaffordable," said Faulconer.

To repeal the trash fee, organizers from San Diego United Communities and Repeal the Fees need about 24,000 signatures to put it on the November ballot. For the Balboa Park parking fee repeal, they need about 82,000 signatures.

"Also, for Balboa Park, if we collect about 24,000 signatures, that will force the city council to revisit this item and to take another vote again on whether or not to repeal the parking fees," said Richard Bailey, former Coronado mayor and Chairman of Repeal the Fees.

The city has said the parking fees will generate more than $15 million this year alone to help offset budget gaps and support park maintenance.

However, Bailey said the fees are also having broader effects. "We've seen a 30% reduction in attendance according to those museums. They're now projecting that they're going to lose about $10 million in revenue just this year."

The Repeal the Fees campaign has gathered about 10,000 signatures in the past month and plans to release updated totals next month ahead of the ballot deadline this summer.