Livermore Sanitation Fees to Increase

Mark your calendar for July 1.

That's when rate increases for Livermore Sanitation services begin. 

A short-staffed city council on Monday unanimously approved the new fees to help offset revenue shortages the waste management company has experienced the past two years. Council members Marj Leider and Jeffrey Williams were absent.

"It's painful," Councilman Doug Horner said. "The subsidies just aren’t there and we need to keep collecting garbage. I don’t know what else to do right now."

In 2009, Waste Management refused to submit a proposal to continue serving the city after their contract ended that year, officials said.

The city then reached an agreement to use Livermore Sanitation for solid waste, recyclable materials and compostable materials services.

The agreement called for $19.2 million to be generated in the first year.

However, revenue fell short by nearly $3 million and additional shortfalls are expected in the second year of the agreement, according to city staff reports.

The shortfalls are due to the economy, reduced drop box activity, container downsizing and less customers, officials said.

To generate more dollars, Livermore Sanitation this summer will begin charging a 19 percent fee increase for 20- and 32-gallon container residential customers and a 14 percent increase for all other customers.

A city staff reports says Livermore residents will pay $13.76 for a 20-gallon container and $22.96 for a 30- to 36-gallon container.

Monday's public hearing over the rate increases garnered little opposition.

Residents John Stein and Lauri Falabella were the only people who addressed the council on the matter.

Both residents said the rate increases will likely turn more customers away.

"Increasing rates is not going to end up increasing revenue," Falabella said.