City plans 7.2% garbage rate hike in 2017

SEATTLE — The cost of getting your garbage, yard waste and recycling picked up in Seattle is rising.

On Tuesday, Seattle Public Utilities proposed to the City Council a 7.2 percent hike in residential rates in 2017.

"Overall the rates are going up to fund a number of programs," solid waste director Ken Snipes said.

Seattle Public Utilities said there were two major drivers of the increase, a $3.5 million expansion of the Clean City program, which tackles things like illegal dumping, graffiti and litter, and a $1.5 million expansion of the Utility Discount program to help low-income customers.

If the City Council writes it in the budget, the 7.2 percent increase in solid waste rates next year would be followed by a 1.9 percent increase in 2018 and a 4 percent increase in 2019.

The city says the typical solid waste bill that's now $44.85 per month would become $48.10 in 2017 and rise to 50.95 in 2019.

Seattle Public Utilities says when it averages the increases over six years, and factors in water and sewer fees that are paid in the same bill, the city remains on track toward its plan to raise utility rates an average of 4.6 percent annually.

That rate path means between 2014 and 2020, Seattle Public Utilities bills will have jumped more than 27 percent.

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Cox Media Group