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The Redwood City Council approved an increase in solid waste rates during their meeting on Feb. 26 in response to rising operational costs and a projected shortfall in the waste management budget.
The new rates, which affect all cart sizes, are set to take effect on March 1.
Public Works officials Terence Kyaw and Adrian Lee presented the proposal, citing the necessity of the rate adjustment to cover the increasing costs of solid waste services. With the approval, residents will see their rates for solid waste collection rise by $7 per month. The rate for a 20-gallon cart will now be $30.87, a 32-gallon cart will cost $45.86, a 64-gallon cart will be $74.20, and a 96-gallon cart will reach $102.31.
The motion to increase solid waste rates passed with a majority vote, with Council member Alicia Aguirre absent, marking a significant advance in the city’s efforts to address rising financial pressures in waste management
Posed as a question to Lee, council member Chris Sturken emphasized the decision to give residents more time to adjust and encourage enrollment in the city’s Utilities Rate Assistance Program (URAP), which offers financial aid to qualifying residents for water, sewer, and solid waste services.
“By buying down and cap and carry this forward, we’re just giving residents more time to prepare and to enroll (in URAP),” Sturken said, adding that he just wanted residents to understand that rate increases will likely be pretty significant next year.
The council discussed the potential for significant rate increases in 2025 as well, acknowledging that the use of one-time funds to mitigate this year’s increase would necessitate a catch-up in rates next year.
“We either pay now or pay later. But unfortunately, we all have to pay because if we want trash, compost, and recycling picked up, someone’s got to do it,” Mayor Jeff Gee said.
The approval came after a robust dialogue among council members about the impact of the rate increases on residents, the challenges of managing solid waste services in the face of inflationary pressures, and the strategic importance of long-term financial planning.
Council member Diane Howard commended the outreach efforts and transparency in communicating the need for the rate hike to the public.
The decision to increase rates was made against the backdrop of a projected $3 million shortfall in the solid waste management budget for 2024, with officials warning that without the adjustment, the city would struggle to cover the costs of collection, processing, and disposal services provided to residents.
In addition to the immediate rate increase, the council is bracing for another rate adjustment next year, with discussions on how to best inform and prepare residents for future financial impacts. The solid waste rate increase is a move to ensure the sustainability of essential services in Redwood City, with a focus on transparency, fiscal responsibility, and support for those in need through programs like URAP.
