Gloucester City Council Approves Trash Bag Fee Hike in 7-2 Vote

GLOUCESTER — March 11, 2025 — Gloucester City Council raises trash bag prices 78 percent in 7-2 vote. The council voted March 11 to increase pay-as-you-throw bag fees from $2.25 to $4.00 for large bags and from $1.25 to $2.00 for small bags, effective July 1, the first increase since 2016. Chief Administrative Officer Jill Cahill told the council the city currently subsidizes its trash contract by more than $1 million per fiscal year, a figure projected to reach $2.5 million by fiscal year 2027 as the 10-year contract expires in August 2026. DPW Director Mike Hale warned that recycling tipping fees — currently zero — could reach $119 per ton under the next contract. An amendment by Councilor Sean Worthley to cap the large bag at $3.00 failed 3-6. Councilors Dylan Benson and Worthley voted no on the main motion. The council also unanimously approved a sweeping DPW fee package covering engineering, water, sewer, and public services — some fees unchanged since 2000 — and accepted a $400,000 Housing Choice Grant and a $500,000 MassWorks grant, both contingent on the city's continued compliance with the state's Chapter 40A Section 3A multifamily zoning law ahead of an April 24 special election.