Phoenix posted notice for a residential trash fee increase. What residents should know before the April 22 vote
Phoenix AZ – Phoenix posted the required April 6 notice for a pending trash fee increase, with council consideration on or after April 22 and a July 1 start if approved.
Phoenix has now posted the formal public notice that puts a residential trash-fee increase into the final stretch before City Council action.
The notice took effect April 6. According to the City of Phoenix, the proposal is set for formal council consideration on or after April 22, with a July 1, 2026 effective date if it passes. That means the increase is still pending, but households now have a clear window for when the decision could happen.
What would change
For the standard residential solid-waste charge, the city is proposing a three-year step-up.
The current monthly fee is $37.32. Under the proposal, it would rise to $43.32 on July 1, 2026, then $49.32 in July 2027, and $54.32 in July 2028 if council approves the plan.
That first jump is the one most residents would feel soonest this summer. For a typical household, the immediate question is whether the extra $6 a month starting in July fits the budget.
Why Phoenix says it needs the increase
The city says the solid-waste system is run as an enterprise fund, meaning it is supposed to pay for itself rather than rely on the citywide general fund. Phoenix says most of that revenue comes from what residents pay on their monthly bill.
Public Works says the fund is facing a roughly $20.8 million shortfall this fiscal year. The city ties that gap to cost growth since the last council-approved adjustment in 2020, saying staff costs have risen 32%, vehicle costs 52%, and construction and maintenance costs for infrastructure 40% over that period.
KJZZ previously reported that some council members raised concerns about how the increase would land on lower-income households. ABC15 also reported resident concern about the hit to fixed-income budgets.
What is at stake if the increase fails
The city says this is not just a bookkeeping issue. Public Works says that without a new rate taking effect by the start of the fiscal year, Phoenix would not be able to provide solid-waste collection and disposal services as they currently exist and would need significant service reductions.
The current monthly solid-waste bill covers more than weekly trash pickup. According to the city, it also supports weekly recycling collection, four bulk-trash collections each year, transfer-station drop-offs, and some cleanup and household hazardous-waste services.
What residents can still do
The public outreach phase is largely over. The city says its community information sessions have concluded, and the customer survey has closed. The main remaining milestone is council action.
Residents do still have a few practical options to consider before any July change. One is container size. Phoenix says households with curbside service can switch from the standard 90-gallon refuse container to a 60-gallon container and save $3 per month, as long as they are enrolled in the city recycling program.
The other is bill assistance. The city says Project Assist is available for qualifying customers who are at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
What to watch next is simple: whether council takes up the item on April 22 or later, whether it approves the three-year schedule, and whether customer notices go out in May and June ahead of a possible July 1 start. For Phoenix residents, this is a basic city-services funding decision with everyday consequences, not just a line on a bill.
Sources
- City of Phoenix public notice on tax and fee changes
- City of Phoenix 2026 proposed solid waste rate adjustment
- City of Phoenix solid waste rates and container options
- ABC15 report on proposed Phoenix trash-fee increase
- KJZZ report on Phoenix garbage-fee proposal
- City of Phoenix solid waste rate update presentation to City Council
- Phoenix
