Three San Jose rate increases start July 1, garbage up 7%

San Jose
City Council Meeting
June 2, 2026

TL;DR

• Single-family garbage and recycling rates rise 7% and multi-family 4% on July 1, in an 8-3 vote.
• Sewer rates also rise July 1, while storm sewer charges stay flat, on a 9-2 vote.
• Water rates rise July 1 for Municipal Water customers, in a 7-4 vote.
• Remote public comment returns in time for the June budget hearings, and the council revised its meeting-conduct policy.
• The council accepted up to $14,339,431 in state grant money tied to a MidPen affordable-housing project.

What happened

1. Garbage and recycling rates rise 7% and 4%
   1. Your garbage and recycling bill is going up. The council voted 8-3 to raise single-family rates 7% and multi-family rates 4%, starting July 1. Council members Ortiz, Doan, and Casey voted no.
   2. What this means for you: Your trash bill goes up July 1. Staff said the city's hauler contract drives most of the cost, and those costs rise with labor and fuel. The city used reserves last year to soften the increase, but that cushion is now gone.
2. Sewer rates go up too, storm sewer holds flat
   1. Your sewer bill is also rising. Sewer rates climb July 1 on a 9-2 vote, while storm sewer charges stay flat. Council members Ortiz and Casey voted no.
   2. What this means for you: If you pay a San Jose sewer bill, expect a higher charge starting July 1. The storm sewer part of your bill will not change. The documents released for the meeting do not state the size of the sewer increase.
3. Water rates climb for Municipal Water customers
   1. Water rates went up on a 7-4 vote. The increase covers both drinking water and recycled water, starting July 1. It applies only to San Jose Municipal Water customers in Districts 2, 4, 7, and 8. Council members Ortiz, Doan, Candelas, and Casey voted no.
   2. What this means for you: This rate covers only San Jose Municipal Water customers, not every household in the city. If you are one of them, your water bill rises July 1. As with sewer, the released materials do not list the new water rate.
4. Call-in public comment returns for budget season
   1. Remote public comment is coming back, and the council approved it unanimously. Residents will be able to take part remotely in time for the June budget hearings. The council also updated its meeting-conduct policy. Council members Candelas, Ortiz, Cohen, and Casey brought the proposal forward.
   2. What this means for you: Starting with the budget hearings, you can comment from home instead of coming to City Hall at 1:30 in the afternoon. A state law required the change by July, and the council wanted it ready for budget season.
5. City accepts state money for housing and street-safety upgrades
   1. The city is accepting state money for housing and street safety. The council unanimously agreed to take up to $14,339,431 from a state grant tied to a MidPen affordable-housing project. The money will pay for transportation and safety upgrades along Capitol Expressway Auto Mall and Narvaez Avenue.
   2. What this means for you: If you walk, bike, or take transit near Capitol Expressway Auto Mall or Narvaez Avenue, expect safety improvements there. A council member said nearly $6 million of the grant goes to the city.

What residents brought up

• Garbage rates and fixed incomes. At the garbage hearing, a widow from the Christopher neighborhood asked the council to reject the increase. She said her rate climbed from $35.89 to $54.51 over six years, about 52%, while her income rose 2.8%. A San Jose homeowner argued the city can't legally raise the rates without a current study of what the service costs. He said the city never answered his public-records request for that study.
• Remote participation. A District 3 resident supported bringing back call-in comment but asked the council to go further. He wanted remote comment at every city body, not just the council. He also urged the council not to cut the default speaking time to 60 seconds.
• Voting Rights Act. During open forum, a District 8 resident criticized a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Voting Rights Act. She said no council member had reached out to the Black community about it and called that a failure of leadership. She asked the council members' chiefs of staff to contact her about next steps.

Also happened

• Accepted a 2026 World Cup safety grant, adding $2,920,582 to the police budget and $565,488 to the fire budget.
• Confirmed liens on properties with unpaid sidewalk-repair costs, adding those charges to next year's county property tax bills.
• Cleared a first vote to create a new East Village Business Improvement District, and renewed the Tully Road Eastridge and Monterey Corridor districts.
• Approved both of the city's 2025 long-term water plans and directed staff to file them with the state.
• Cleared a first vote on state-required zoning updates, including new rules for backyard homes and daycare centers inside apartment buildings.
• Awarded a $7,855,476.60 contract for the 2026 Major Streets Resurfacing #2 project.

For any updates or corrections, please email steven@polisdesk.com