Portland businesses will soon pay more to have trash collected and hauled away. The extra $1 million the city will take in annually will be used to clean up debris left on public property by homeless people.

The City Council on Thursday raised the per-ton fee businesses pay to have their garbage hauled from $9.60 to $12.60. Increased costs take effect July 1.

City crews pick up tons of garbage left on public property by litterers, revelers or homeless people each year, and labor and disposal costs are rising, said Carmen Merlo, the city's deputy chief administrative officer. Workers have removed more than 2.3 million pounds of waste this fiscal year alone, she said.

Mayor Ted Wheeler said the increasing the garbage fee is a good move because it will help "maintain and expand clean-up of our city."

"When I first became mayor, the amount of trash on our streets, business districts and open space shocked me," Wheeler added during a hearing Wednesday.

Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve the ordinance, with Commissioner Nick Fish absent.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

503-221-8209