Salem city councilors on Monday unanimously approved an increase in the city’s garbage rates for 2023.
A motion from councilor Linda Nishioka also passed asking city staff to review the city’s solid waste service policy considering equity, Salem’s climate action plan, and other Oregon jurisdictions’ policies.
Nishioka said she was hopeful the review would lead toward practices helping reduce Salem’s solid waste.
Original story below:
Salemites would pay about $33 more per year for home garbage and recycling if the Salem City Council adopts a proposed rate increase Monday.
The proposal would raise garbage rates 8.48% for city residents living in Marion County, and 10.54% for those in Polk County, where rates are cheaper.
The request to raise rates comes from the Mid-Valley Garbage and Recycling Association, a group of six waste hauling companies serving the city of Salem. If approved, the increases would take effect Jan. 1, 2023.
Under the new rates, a household with a 20-gallon garbage cart would pay $30.95 per month in Marion County, or $25.75 per month in Polk County, according to a proposed fee schedule. A household with a 35-gallon cart would pay $34.75 monthly in Marion and $29.05 in Polk.
Salem residents, especially those in Marion County, pay higher garbage rates than many other Oregon cities, according to that analysis. In 2023, 35-gallon cart service will cost $24.65 per month in Eugene, $27.95 in Wilsonville, $28.15 in Hillsboro, and $29.76 in Keizer, according to a report to the council.
The proposal would also add an option for households to have a 20-gallon container of garbage collected only every other week, at a cost of $22.10 monthly for Marion County and $17.35 monthly for Polk County residents. Currently, garbage service offers only a weekly pickup option.
To offset the increase, haulers would raise the discount offered to low-income seniors and disabled customers from the current 10% to 20%.
The raise is intended to offset rising fuel costs and bring garbage companies closer to a target of 10% profit. Local garbage haulers are expecting 8.1% profit in 2022, and without rate increases, would see 4.5% profit in 2023, according to an analysis submitted to the council.
The council will also consider reallocating $750,000 of state money that had been earmarked for a safe parking site on Southeast Front Street to instead support establishing a 40-bed micro shelter site at Church at the Park-owned property on Southeast Turner Road. The request comes after city employees analyzed the safe parking site and determined the start-up costs for the safe parking program were too high to be feasible.
Councilors will vote on authorizing the city to spend a $540,388 grant from the state intended for purchasing ground equipment at the Salem Municipal Airport. The purchase is one of several steps that would be needed to resume commercial air service at the airport, in addition to significant renovations of the terminal.
How to participate: View the meeting on YouTube in English or Spanish, or watch on CC:Media Channel 21. Submit comments on agenda items by 5 p.m. on the day of the meeting at [email protected]. Public comment and testimony may also be provided during the meeting via Zoom. Pre-register between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the day of the meeting at the following link: https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/city-council-mayor/how-to-give-public-comment-at-salem-city-council-and-budget-committee-meetings
Correction: This article originally listed the price for Polk County garbage service incorrectly. The cost is per month, not per week. Salem Reporter apologizes for the error.
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.
