SAN DIEGO - The fate of Measure B, which would end 'free' trash pickup for single-family homes in San Diego, is still a toss-up.
According to a SurveyUSA poll conducted for the San Diego Union-Tribune and reporting partner 10 News, 35 percent of likely San Diego voters support repealing the more than 100-year-old ordinance that gave homeowners free trash and recycling pickup, compared to just 21 percent who are opposed.
The bigger number here is those who remain undecided, which stands at 41 percent.
But the poll found that when likely voters were told single-family homes could face a monthly fee of $23 to $29 for trash service, 45 percent said they were less likely to support the measure.
Critics of the ballot measure have called the language misleading because it only asks if the city should be allowed to recover the cost of trash pickup so that all residents can receive comparable services. What the measure does not mention is any fees the city will likely impose.
The city spends about $42 Million each year on trash and recycling collection. If passed the measure could potentially pull in about $50 Million in revenue.