Proposal To Increase Garbage Bill Heads To Sacramento City Council

UPDATE: Feb. 26 7 a.m. -- If you live in the City of Sacramento your garbage bill may go up by about a dollar a month starting in July. 

Last night, the Utility Rates Advisory Commission approved a proposal to increase rates each of the next three years.

Steve Harriman with the Department of General Services says there's a $4 million deficit for garbage collection, recycling, and leaf collection services. 

"We are required by law to match revenue and expense. And -given that we have not increased rates since July1 of 2010- we have seen increases in a number of areas," says Harriman.

Harriman says fuel, labor and disposal costs account for much of the deficit.

The proposal to increase rates will go before the Sacramento City Council March 10th.

ORIGINAL STORY Feb. 25 -- People in the City of Sacramento may soon see their garbage bills go up. The City has proposed increases of 3 percent this year, and 2 percent each of the next two years.

Steve Harriman is the Integrated Waste General Manager for the city. He says the department has a four-million dollar deficit for garbage collection, recycling, and leaf collection services.

"The cost to dispose of waste at the landfill has gone up. Fuel prices have gone up. Our labor costs which are tied to the labor agreement have gone up. And then finally, the maintenance of our closed landfill at 28th Street -we've had some repair and maintenance projects out there."

If the rate increases are approved, they would start July 1. The first increase would be 95 cents, $1.09 or $1.16 a month depending on the size of the garbage can.

The Utilities Rate Advisory Commission is scheduled to vote on the rate increases at this evening's meeting. If approved, the proposal will go before the Sacramento City Council March 10.

If the rates are approved, bills in 2017 would be higher by $0.77 for recycling, $0.40 for yard waste and $0.95, $1.24, or $1.51 for garbage depending on the size -32 gallons, 64 gallons, or 96 gallons- of the garbage container.