South Lake Tahoe Basin Waste Management Authority - Regular Meeting
About this meeting
- Government Body
- South Lake Tahoe Basin Waste Management Authority
- Meeting Type
- South Lake Tahoe Basin Waste Management Authority
- Location
- South Lake Tahoe, CA
- Meeting Date
- October 9, 2026
Video will appear here as soon as South Lake Tahoe South Lake Tahoe Basin Waste Management Authority posts it — usually within a day of the meeting
Friday, October 9, 2026
3 items on the agenda.
Purpose of Analysis
The purpose of the 2027 Base Year Rate Analysis of South Tahoe Refuse Company (Analysis) is to assist the South Lake Tahoe Basin Waste Management Authority, and each respective JPA jurisdiction including the City of South Lake Tahoe, Douglas County, and El Dorado County (Specified Parties), with their establishing solid waste collection rates charged by South Tahoe Refuse Company Inc. (STR). The base year analysis was conducted in accordance with the JPA's Solid Waste Rate Setting Policies and Procedures Manual (Manual). The information in this Analysis is based on estimates, assumptions and other data developed by Crowe Advisory LLC ("Crowe") from information provided by STR, knowledge of and participation in other studies, data supplied by the JPA, and other sources deemed to be reliable. In the course of preparing this Analysis, we have not conducted an audit, review, or compilation of any financial or supplemental data used in the accompanying Analysis. We have made certain projections of revenues and expenses which may vary from actual results because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected and such variances may be material. We have no responsibility to update this Analysis for events or circumstances occurring after the date above. Our procedures and work product are intended for the benefit and use of the Specified Parties. This engagement was not planned or conducted in contemplation of reliance by any other party or with respect to any specific transaction and is not intended to benefit or influence any other party. Therefore, items of possible interest to a third party may not be specifically addressed or matters may exist that could be assessed differently by a third party. The JPA agreed to be responsible to make all management decisions and perform all management functions; designate an individual who possesses suitable skill, knowledge, and/or experience, preferably within senior management to oversee these services; evaluate the adequacy and results of the services performed; and accept responsibility for the results of the services.
Summary
The analysis of the 2027 rate application and supporting documentation indicates a rate increase of 11.46 percent for the City of South Lake Tahoe, 9.42 percent for Douglas County, and 9.29 percent for El Dorado County, effective January 1, 2027. This compares to STR's requested calendar year 2027 rate increase of 15.47 percent for the City of South Lake Tahoe and Douglas County and 11.59 percent for El Dorado County. Current and proposed residential and commercial rates are shown in Tables 1 and 2 below. A complete recommended 2027 rate structure is provided in Attachment A of this report. Table 1 South Tahoe Refuse Residential Rates with 11.46 Percent Base Year Rate Increase for the City of South Lake Tahoe, 9.42 Percent Base Year Rate Increase for Douglas County and 9.29 Percent Rate Increase for El Dorado County (Base Year 2027) | Service Level | Current Rate (Per Customer, Per Month) | Proposed Rate (Per Customer, Per Month) | Proposed Rate Increase (Per Customer, Per Month) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **City of South Lake Tahoe** | | | | | Unlimited service^{1} | $49.10 | $54.73 | $5.63 | | **Douglas County** | | | | | 1, 32-gallon can | $30.02 | $32.85 | $2.83 | | **El Dorado County** | | | | | Unlimited service | $52.55 | $57.43 | $4.88 | ^{1} Excluding City surcharges for street sweeping ($0.25) and nuisance abatement ($0.25). Table 2 South Tahoe Refuse Commercial Rates with 11.46 Percent Base Year Rate Increase for the City of South Lake Tahoe, 9.42 Percent Base Year Rate Increase for Douglas County and 9.29 Percent Rate Increase for El Dorado County (Base Year 2027) | Service Level | Current Rate (Per Customer, Per Month) | Proposed Rate (Per Customer, Per Month) | Proposed Rate Increase (Per Customer, Per Month) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **City of South Lake Tahoe** | | | | | Per cubic yard | $56.17 | $62.61 | $6.44 | | **Douglas County** | | | | | Per cubic yard | $44.07 | $48.22 | $4.15 | | **El Dorado County (Area A)** | | | | | Per cubic yard | $63.01 | $68.86 | $5.85 | | **El Dorado County (Area B)** | | | | | Per cubic yard | $25.09 | $27.42 | $2.33 |
Background of Analysis
The joint powers authority (JPA) is comprised of the City of South Lake Tahoe, California; Douglas County, Nevada; and El Dorado County, California (Member Agencies). The JPA is responsible for overseeing regional cooperation regarding solid waste and coordinating solid waste program planning and reporting for these Member Agencies. The franchise hauler for the three (3) jurisdictions is STR. Each Member Agency has an exclusive franchise agreement with STR for collection and disposal of refuse. STR provides exclusive refuse collection, recycling, and transfer station operations to Member Agencies in accordance with terms specified in separate franchise agreements. JPA rate setting follows the JPA's 2012 Solid Waste Rate Setting Policies and Procedures Manual, Volume 2 (Manual). The Manual allows STR to submit a base year rate application for the rate year 2027. Our analysis was conducted in accordance with Steps 2, 3, 4, and 5 in Section 2 of the Manual.² Rate setting has generally followed an approximately three-year cycle with the prior base year rate analysis conducted for rate year 2024. The JPA and STR followed the Base Year Rate Setting Process in Section 3 of the Manual for base rate year 2027. Recently approved rate changes granted to STR include: - 2016 – No rate change – interim year - 2017 – 1.62 percent rate increase (City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County) and 1.59 percent rate increase (Douglas County) – interim year - 2018 – 8.81 percent rate increase (City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County) and 6.81 percent rate increase (Douglas County) – base year - 2019 – 3.11 percent rate increase (City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County) and 3.05 percent rate increase (Douglas County) – interim year - 2020 – 2.93 percent rate increase (City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County) and 2.87% percent rate increase (Douglas County) – interim year - 2021 – 9.04 percent rate increase (City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County) and 8.82 percent rate increase (Douglas County) – base year - 2022 – 3.77 percent rate increase (City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County) and 3.69 percent rate increase (Douglas County) – interim year - 2023 – 4.96 percent rate increase (City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County) and 4.86 percent rate increase (Douglas County) – interim year - 2024 – 11.05% (City of South Lake Tahoe), 8.33% (El Dorado County); and 8.15% (Douglas County) – base year - 2025 – 8.38% (City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County); 8.31% (Douglas County) – interim year (includes 5.08% for conversion to cart-based system) - 2026 – 10.18% (City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County); 10.18% (Douglas County) – interim year (includes 5.08% for conversion to cart-based system). In Table 3, we summarize residential rates since 2016. Table 3 South Tahoe Refuse Selected Residential Rates (2016-2026) | Service Level | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | City of South Lake Tahoe | | | | | | | | | | Unlimited Service | $26.13 | $26.55 | $28.89 | $29.79 | $30.66 | $33.43 | $35.89 | $37.65 | | Douglas County | | | | | | | | | | 1, 32-gallon can | $17.44 | $17.72 | $18.93 | $19.51 | $20.07 | $21.50 | $22.29 | $23.37 | | El Dorado County | | | | | | | | | | Unlimited Service | $29.98 | $30.47 | $32.38 | $34.38 | $35.39 | $37.43 | 38.84 | $40.77 | | Service Level | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | | | | | | | City of South Lake Tahoe | | | | | | | | | | Unlimited Service | $41.26 | $44.72 | $49.10 | | | | | | | Douglas County | | | | | | | | | | 1, 32-gallon can | $25.27 | $27.37 | $30.02 | | | | | | | El Dorado County | | | | | | | | | | Unlimited Service | $44.17 | $47.87 | $52.55 | | | | | | On May 31, 2026, STR submitted