1 Adoption of a Resolution
Setting Rates for Overall
Solid Waste Services
and Annual Clean-up
Campaign in the
Exclusive Franchise
Area
(Continued from May
19, 2026)
Public Hearing
Item #5, RTC 26-603
June 9, 2026
Solid Waste Rates
•Services
–Garbage
–Yard Trimmings
–Residential Recycling
–Clean-up Campaign (CUC)
•Rates for each service that a customer subscribes
to are combined into a bundled
rate
2 1
2 Item #5
2 Compensation Adjustments
• Agreements specify cost of living adjustments
- Primary reason for rate increases
• Effective July 1, 2026
– MTWS increase @ 4.70% (WST Index)
– GWR increase @ 3.04% (Bay Area CPI)
– Recology increase @ 5.09%
•0.39% (Route growth); 4.70% (WST Index)
• Rates based on 4.5% increase to WST
– BLS revised the 2025 change to 4.7% after Prop 218 notices were developed 3 City Program Costs
• Solid Waste Program portions of City’s Cost Allocation Plan and Technical Services increases
– Cost Allocation Plan - $100k
– Technical Services - $290k
• Costs are incorporated into FY 2026/27 rates
4 3
4 3
Bundled Solid Waste Rates
5 Monthly Component Increases
6 Change
in Rate
FY 2026/27
Rate
FY 2025/26
Rate
Service Type% of
Subscriptions
$0.70$21.60$20.9020-gallon garbage cart 14%
$0.94$29.86$28.9232-gallon garbage cart51%
$1.73$55.48$53.7564-gallon garbage cart 30%
$2.49$80.95$78.4696-gallon garbage cart 5%
$0.72$17.09$16.37Yard trimmings
$0.26$8.65$8.39Recycling
$0.32$6.94$6.62CUC
5 6
4 Monthly Bundled Rate Changes
%
Change
Change in
Rate
FY 26/27
Bundled
Rate
FY 25/26
Bundled
Rate
Garbage Cart Size
3.8%$2.00$54.28$52.2820-gallon (SF)
3.6%$1.28$37.19$35.9120-gallon (TH)
3.7%$2.24$62.54$60.3032-gallon (SF)
3.5%$1.52$45.45$43.9332-gallon (TH)
3.6%$3.03$88.16$85.1364-gallon (SF)
3.4%$2.31$71.07$68.7664-gallon (TH)
3.5%$3.79$113.63$109.8496-gallon (SF)
3.3%$3.07$96.54$93.4796-gallon (TH)
7 Bin Charges Increase Over Current Rates
8 6/week5/week4/week3/week2/week1/week
5.7%5.7%5.7%5.7%5.7%5.6%1 CY
5.6%5.6%5.6%5.5%5.5%5.5%1.5 CY
5.5%5.5%5.5%5.5%5.5%5.5%2 CY
5.4%5.4%5.4%5.4%5.4%5.4%3 CY
5.4%5.4%5.4%5.4%5.4%5.4%4 CY
5.4%5.4%5.4%5.4%5.3%5.3%6 CY
5.4%5.4%5.4%5.3%5.3%5.3%8 CY
7 8
5 Rate Stabilization Reserve
• Target balance of 10% of annual expenditures ($4.5 M) • Preliminary estimate is $2.9 M (6.4% of annual expenditures) • $483k allocated in FY 2026/27
•$68k to cover for BLS revision of WST from 4.5% to 4.7% •$415k to fund street sweeper amortization costs
–Increase from $134k in FY 2025/26 shift to electric sweepers 9 O&M Reserve
• Target balance of 25% of annual expenditures ($11.3 M) • Preliminary estimate is $7.3 M (16.2% of annual expenditures) – $400k allocated in FY 2026/27 for emergency backup and collection systems enhancement for closed landfill CIP project 10 9
10 6
Countywide Rate Analysis
11 Residential Cart Rate Comparison
96-gallon64-gallon32-gallon20-gallon
$131.21 $88.98 $50.99 $42.56 FY 2025/26 countywide
average
$106.69 $81.22 $55.60 $47.34 FY 2026/27 Santa Clara
single-family rate*
$89.60 $64.13 $38.51 $30.25 FY 2026/27 Santa Clara
townhouse rate*^
12 * Excludes CSC Cleanup Campaign Cost
^ No other city offers reduced townhouse rates
11 12
7 Garbage Bin Rate Comparison
3 CY Bin
5 times
per week
3 CY Bin
3 times
per week
3 CY Bin
1 time per
week
1 CY Bin
5 times
per week
1 CY Bin
3 times
per week
1 CY Bin
1 time
per week
$2,358.32 $1,420.90 $478.95 $963.20 $582.27 $198.15
FY 2025/26
countywide
average
$2,352.85 $1,437.16 $491.83 $942.08 $572.79 $194.10
FY 2026/27
Santa Clara
rate
13 • Most jurisdictions have a separate charge for organics collection service • Most jurisdictions anticipate rate increases in FY 2026/27 Public Hearing
• Solid waste customers may submit oral or written protests until the close of the Public Hearing
• At close of Public Hearing, protests are tabulated
– 35,984 notices were sent on March 27, 2026
– If protests tabulated are 50 percent plus one (17,993), the proposed fees cannot be imposed
• If there is not a majority protest, Council can make and act on a motion to increase fees
14 13
14 8
Recommendation
Conduct a public hearing, tabulate protest votes, and if less than a majority protest is tabulated, adopt a Resolution setting the overall rates to be charged to rate payers for the collection and disposal of garbage, refuse, yard trimmings, recycling, and annual Clean-up Campaign in the exclusive franchise area, including increases in rates and other adjustments effective for the utility bills issued for services rendered on and after July 1, 2026.
15 Questions
16 15
16 9
Adoption of a Resolution
Setting Rates for Overall
Solid Waste Services
and Annual Clean-up
Campaign in the
Exclusive Franchise
Area
(Continued from May
19, 2026)
Public Hearing
Item #5, RTC 26-603
June 9, 2026
Santa Clara History – MWP vs Split Cart
• Year Long Pilot Program.
• Cart issues (heavy, breaking, parts availability, etc). • Many residents not using split cart.
• Some cutting inside of cart to remove split cart barrier. • Loss of garbage space.
• Food waste smell and leakage.
• Survey data showed majority not in favor of split cart. • Survey showed majority willing to spend a little more per month for MWP. • Council directed staff to move forward with MWP.
• MWP is higher level of service, does not require residents to self-sort. 18 17
18 10
Santa Clara Rate vs Milpitas/Sunnyvale Rates
• Cannot make a direct comparison with these rates.
• Milpitas/Sunnyvale carts have about 30% less space for garbage per container size • Santa Clara TH rate (20% of cart subscriptions) are less than Sunnyvale/Milpitas for almost all subscription levels.
• Sunnyvale runs their own solid waste facility, it is unclear how revenues factor into their solid waste rates.
• Santa Clara rates include services such as street sweeping, leaf vac, holiday tree collection, and the closed landfill.
• Unclear how Sunnyvale/Milpitas fund their programs including any use of franchise fees or general funds.
19 Other Considerations
• MWP through GWR contract is recovering more organics and recyclables from landfill.
• MWP ensures organics removal.
• Split Cart organics & recyclables can still end up in landfill. 20 19
20 11
Milpitas Split-Cart Structure Details (2026)
Source: Published 2026/2027 residential rate schedules
Total CapacityScraps
Component
Garbage
ComponentCart Size Category
N/ASupersaver
38-gallon total19-gallon19-gallonSmall
45-gallon total19-gallon26-gallonSpecial Capacity
64-gallon total19-gallon45-gallonMedium
96-gallon total29-gallon67-gallonLarge
Sunnyvale Split-Cart Structure Details (2026)
Source: Published 2026/2027 residential rate schedules
Total CapacityScraps
Component
Garbage
ComponentCart Size Category
N/ASupersaver
39-gallon total12-gallon27-gallonSmall
61-gallon total18-gallon43-gallonMedium
91-gallon total27-gallon64-gallonLarge
21 22
12 Santa Clara vs. Milpitas (2026)
Santa Clara
Lower/Higher
By
Santa ClaraMilpitasCart Size
(0.55%)$47.34$47.60Supersaver (20–24 Gal)
(0.70%)$55.60$55.99Small (32–35 Gal)
26.29%$81.22$64.31Medium (65 Gal)
$106.69N/ALarge (95 Gal)
Source: Published 2026/2027 residential rate schedules
Santa Clara vs. Sunnyvale (2026)
Santa Clara
Higher BySanta ClaraSunnyvaleCart Size
9.48%$47.34$43.24Supersaver (20–24 Gal)
11.56%$55.60$49.84Small (32–35 Gal)
40.83%$81.22$57.67Medium (65 Gal)
$106.69N/ALarge (95 Gal)
Source: Published 2026/2027 residential rate schedules
23 24
13 Santa Clara vs. Sunnyvale (2026/2027)
Santa Clara
Lower/Higher By
Santa Clara
(Townhouse)SunnyvaleCart Size
(30.04%)$30.25$43.24Supersaver (20–24 Gal)
(22.73%)$38.51$49.84Small (32–35 Gal)
11.20%$64.13$57.67Medium (65 Gal)
$89.60N/ALarge (95 Gal)
Source: Published 2026/2027 residential rate schedules
Santa Clara vs. Milpitas (2026/2027)
Santa Clara
Lower/Higher By
Santa Clara
(Townhouse)MilpitasCart Size
(36.45%)$30.25$47.60Supersaver (20–24 Gal)
(31.22%)$38.51$55.94Small (32–35 Gal)
(0.03%)$64.13$64.31Medium (65 Gal)
$89.60N/ALarge (95 Gal)
Source: Published 2026/2027 residential rate schedules
25 26
14 Bundled Rate Comparison Without
Processing & Disposal Included
96-Gallon64-Gallon32-Gallon20-GallonCity
$64.31$55.99$47.60$43.79Milpitas (FY
2025/26 Rates)
N/A$55.99$48.39$41.98Sunnyvale (FY
2025/26 Rates)
$81.71$64.56$47.28$42.14Santa Clara (FY
2026/27 Rates) ^
27 ^ Does not include $6.94/month CUC charge
Countywide Rate Comparison
96-Gallon64-Gallon32-Gallon20-GallonCity
$138.54$95.61$52.68$42.55Campbell
$131.75$89.00$46.24$43.48Cupertino
$85.22$65.11$45.52N/AGilroy
$161.23$107.47$53.75$49.89Los Altos
$151.71$104.46$57.22$45.94Los Gatos
$64.31$55.99$47.60$43.79Milpitas
$150.15$100.10$50.05$37.55Mountain View
$150.22$100.15$50.07$27.81Palo Alto
$163.53$109.02$54.51N/ASan Jose
$154.47$106.41$58.33$46.98Saratoga
N/A$55.99$48.39$41.98Sunnyvale
$131.21$88.98$50.99$42.56Average (Current)
$106.69$81.22$55.60$47.34Santa Clara (SF)
$89.60$64.13$38.51$30.25Santa Clara (TH) 28
27 28
15 Residential Cart Customer Rates
Garbage
rate
component
City
program
costs
Processing
and
disposal
MTWS
collection
Garbage
cart size
Customer
%
$21.60 $7.63 $5.20 $8.77 20-gallon~14%
$29.86 $9.80 $8.32 $11.74 32-gallon~51%
$55.48 $15.60 $16.66 $23.22 64-gallon~30%
$80.95 $21.41 $24.98 $34.56 96-gallon~5%
29 29
6/26/2026
1 Santa Clara Garbage RatesHow our rates stack up against Milpitas & Sunnyvale (2026/2027)Please note both Milpitas and Sunnyvale use split bin garbage cartsResidential cart service • Monthly ratesSanta Clara vs. Milpitas (2026)Santa Clara Higher BySanta ClaraMilpitasCart Size—$47.34N/ASupersaver (20–24 Gal)26.97%$55.60$43.79Small (32–35 Gal)45.06%$81.22$55.99Medium (65 Gal)65.90%$106.69$64.31Large (95 Gal)Santa Clara residents pay up to 65.90% more than Milpitas for the same cart size.Milpitas Seniors above 62 yrs old only pay half of above rates.Source: Published 2026/2027 residential rate schedules 1 2
6/26/2026
2 Santa Clara vs. Sunnyvale (2026/2027)Santa Clara Higher BySanta ClaraSunnyvaleCart Size—$47.34N/ASupersaver (20–24 Gal)28.58%$55.60$43.24Small (32–35 Gal)62.96%$81.22$49.84Medium (65 Gal)85.00%$106.69$57.67Large (95 Gal)Santa Clara's Large cart costs 85% more than Sunnyvale's — the widest gap in the comparison.Source: Published 2026/2027 residential rate schedulesKey Takeaways$106.69Santa Clara Large cart rate85.00%Higher than Sunnyvale (95 Gal)65.90%Higher than Milpitas (95 Gal)What this means:Across every comparable cart size, Santa Clara residents pay materially more than residents in Milpitas and Sunnyvale. Additionally, Milpitas seniors above 62 years pay only 50% of their regular rates.Past bad policy decision by council is costing our residents millions in garbage rates. Source: Published 2026/2027 residential rate schedules 3 4