08/10/2026
West Sacramento’s Waste Contract: We Deserve the Best Value
West Sacramento is considering a major change to the company that provides our trash, recycling, and organics services. After decades with Waste Management, the City is proposing a new 10+ year contract with GreenWaste beginning July 1, 2027.
This is an important decision because every resident and business will feel the impact—not just through service, but through our monthly bills.
I believe the standard should be simple: the best service at the best possible value, with accountability to the residents who pay the bills.
I have firsthand experience with the importance of responsive waste service. When Riva on the River faced an issue involving Waste Management fines, I contacted Waste Management directly. They responded to my inquiries the same day, met with me just two days later, listened to the circumstances, and ultimately corrected the fines for everyone affected.
And there were legitimate circumstances that needed to be considered. Our particular area has approximately 21 units in one location, with no clear or consistent numbering on the trash cans. In addition, people experiencing homelessness regularly go through the garbage every Thursday night and into Friday morning, making it difficult to determine who was responsible for what was being placed in the containers.
In this situation, Waste Management listened, investigated the circumstances, and worked with us to resolve the problem. That is the kind of responsiveness residents should expect from a company providing an essential public service.
But there is another issue residents need to pay close attention to: cost.
Under the proposed GreenWaste agreement, rates will depend on which phase-in option the City selects. For example, the current City-billed rate for a 32-gallon residential service is $23.27, compared with a proposed Year 1 rate of $27.99 under one phase-in option or $29.71 under the other. By Year 3, those rates could reach $37.41 or $36.94, respectively. A 96-gallon residential service currently billed at $37.19 could reach $59.50 under one phase-in option or $58.76 under the other by Year 3. The agreement also allows annual increases of up to 5%.
We just experienced significant increases in our water and sewer costs. Residents are already feeling the pressure of higher utility bills. Any additional increase deserves careful scrutiny.
As a candidate for West Sacramento City Council District 4, I believe residents deserve:
• Reliable and responsive service
• Clear, accessible customer service when something goes wrong
• Fair and transparent rates
• Accountability for penalties and enforcement
• A contract that protects taxpayers and ratepayers
• Performance standards that can actually be enforced
• Regular public reporting so residents know whether we're getting what we're paying for
Changing providers should not the goal in itself. Getting the best possible service and value for West Sacramento residents is the goal.
Before committing residents to a 10-year+ contract—with the possibility of two additional five-year extensions—we should ask the hard questions: What will we pay? What will we receive? How will rate increases be controlled? How will fines be handled? And, most importantly, what happens when residents have a problem?
We also need to be able to compare apples to apples. Different proposals include different combinations of garbage, recycling, organics, cleanup services, and other programs. We need a clear understanding of the total cost and total services before asking residents to commit to a long-term contract.
This contract deserves careful public scrutiny before it is finalized. I encourage residents to review the proposal, ask questions, attend the public meetings, and make their voices heard.
West Sacramento residents work hard for their money. Our city government should work just as hard to make sure we receive the best service and the best value for every dollar we are required to spend.
