The city’s one-year extension of its garbage contract with Richard’s Disposal means the sanitation rate Jackson residents pay remains the same.
“I don’t foresee another increase at this time because Richard’s Disposal agreed to continue collecting garbage at the same rate,” said Virgi Lindsay, who represents Ward 7.
Jackson residents pay $37 a month per household for garbage collection and disposal. That’s been the rate since the city council voted on July 5, 2022 to up the fee from $20.80 a month per household to $37 a month per household. The new fee went into effect on Aug. 5, 2022.
The fee pays for garbage collection twice a week and disposal of what is collected plus for the operation of the city’s Solid Waste Division of the Department of Public Works.
The last time the city increased the sanitation fee was in 2008 and that’s when the fee became $20.80 a month per household. The council increased the residential rate in October 2006 from $15.39 per household to $20, then raised it to $20.40 a month in October 2007 and upped it to $20.80 per month in 2008.
The additional dollars are needed to cover rising costs and a budget shortfall, said Ashby Foote of Ward 1 after the council voted to increase the fee.
The rate increase was necessary because garbage collection has grown more costly and the city has a budget deficit, said Lindsay in July 2022.
Without the new fee, the city would have to use the general fund to supplement the solid waste enterprise fund.
City council members who voted in favor of the increase were Lindsay, Angelique Lee of Ward 2, Brian Grizzell of Ward 4 and Foote. Opposed were Kenneth Stokes of Ward 3, Vernon Hartley of Ward 5 and Aaron Banks of Ward 6.
Jackson residents pay more for residential garbage collection than what residents of Ridgeland and Madison do.
Ridgeland residents pay $13.75 a month for garbage collection twice a week and $5.85 a month for once-a-week curbside recycling, which comes to $19.60 for both. Waste Management has the contract.
Madison households pay $20.25 a month for residential garbage collection twice a week and once-a-week curbside recycling. Waste Management has the contract.
