High inflation is now leading to utility rate hikes on the Central Coast.
Customers in the Templeton Community Services District can expect to see their trash bills go up between $2 and $4 per month, starting in April.
That accounts for a 6.6 percent cost of living adjustment caused by inflation in 2021.
"We were dealing with some pretty high inflationary times which is why we wanted to let residents know that this rate adjustment was more substantial than what we might have seen in the past several years," said Jeff Briltz, General Manager for the Templeton Community Services District.
Yearly rate hikes were holding steady at around 2 percent. This year, it's around three times higher and the cost is being passed onto both residents and businesses.
"Businesses [are] much more dependent because they can have services as small as a one or two-yard dumpster that's picked up once a week or a much larger one that's picked up daily," Briltz said. "They're impacted by the same percentage, the same 6.6 percent but in terms of dollars and cents per month, the cost could be higher."
The Templeton Community Services District contracts with Midstate Solid Waste and Recycling which sets the trash rate hikes.
"As they have said in the news, it's been a long, long time since this much inflation has been in play," said Ron Krall, Chief Executive Officer for Midstate Solid Waste and Recycling. "Have I seen it over the course of my lifetime? Sure, but it's been probably 20, 25 plus years before we've seen anything quite as high as this."
District officials say that the garbage rate increase impacts approximately 3,000 customers.
More garbage rate hikes are expected this summer as part of a California law that requires broader food waste recycling.
Those bill increases will be felt across the state.
